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    Hilbert Circle Theatre

    4.7 (110 reviews)

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    Our grand daughter waiting for Yuletide Celebration to begin!
    Iva H.

    In particular this review is for the annual Yuletide Celebration at the Hilbert Circle Theater. If you get a chance to attend this event you won't be disappointed. It is two hours of holiday celebration for all ages. There are parts of the show that repeat each year like the night before Christmas and they add new acts each year too and different hosts. This year the hosts were Ashley Brown and Curtis Bannister. Their voices are amazing. There are several different parking garages within a two block radius or you can be dropped off at the front door. There is an intermission to enjoy coffee, cocktails, cocoa, waters, and yummy Christmas cookies. It's a great excuse to wear your holiday best. We love this show.

    Had a wonderful experience at Hilbert Circle Theatre. It's a beautiful vintage venue that's clearly been well maintained over the years. The architecture and overall atmosphere give it a timeless feel that you don't get in newer concert halls. Yes, the seats are a bit dated - but honestly, that's part of the charm. It adds to the character of the space rather than taking away from it. The orchestra here also puts on great performances, which really elevates the whole experience. Overall, this is definitely a must-see when you're in Indianapolis. A classic venue with a lot of personality.

    Patricia Abigail H.

    We saw the Uncharted: Beethoven x Beyonce series. It was really really good, the mixture between the modern and classic music blended so well! Only complaint was the lines in the bathroom and bar area was a bit unorganized

    Front of theater
    Doug H.

    The Hilbert Circle Theatre was all decked out for the holiday and Yuletide Celebration. My wife and I agreed that this year's show was one of the best ever. Frankie Moreno was the host and was incredible throughout the performance. When Jack Everly is behind the baton, it's going to be outstanding. The three identical triplets, MOIPEI, were new this year and amazing singers. The second act was amazing with a POLAR EXPRESS tribute. Nick Hodge was unbelievably impressive with a Cyr Wheel acrobatic show reminding me of CIRQUE du SOLEIL. However, ISO's performance with a synchronized light show was unlike anything I have seen. I hope this is a segment that becomes a return feature year after year.

    Renee L.

    I was here to attend the annual Yuletide Celebration. It was Sandi Patty's final year as the host and everything was magnificent! From the tap dancing Santa's, to the incredible dresses Sandi wore, everything was amazing! I love the hot chocolate stations they had on each level. The orchestra by Jack Everly was phenomenal! They had fun interacting with the audience. It definitely added to the Christmas experience. Although Sandi will not be hosting, I hope whoever they get will be just as awesome!

    historic organ
    Paul R.

    Having lived in Indianapolis for over 20 years you would think I would've visited the Hilbert Circle theatre but this was my first visit to a performance at this venue. I entered and was blown away by the beautiful interior and classic architecture that you just don't see anymore. I went for the annual Christmas concert and everything from the singers and dancers to the orchestra were amazing. I felt like I was at the best Christmas show ever. I highly recommend the Christmas show and any event at this venue. I know the Orchestra uses this as their main performance venue as well.

    Myself with a friend attending Mayor Hogsett's inauguration at the Hilbert Circle Theatre
    Richard P.

    I have attended a variety of events at Hilbert Circle Theatre, a downtown Indianapolis icon on Monument Circle that serves as the home base for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra while also hosting a variety of other events throughout the year. The theatre was built in 1916 in a Neo-Classical Revival style and can seat 1,660 people. The theatre offers its hall, lobbies, and Wood Room for rent. The theatre includes a main floor, balcony, and stage terrace. There is a parking garage connected by covered awning. For most events, you can expect to pay $10, though there may be some variation. Seating for the event is comfortable and there is accessible seating available. The front entrance has your typical wooden doors (with glass in the center). Given the age of the building, it's not surprising that these are heavier than usual doors, though during event nights they are often open. Anyplace you need to go for a show is accessible. I've actually never been backstage, so I can't speak to accessibility of the stage itself. The Hilbert Circle Theatre hosts ISO shows, Yuletide Celebration, the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, and educational programs. Mayor Hogsett had his inaugural event here that I also attended. The acoustics here are sublime and ideally suited to an orchestra. I attended a Bobby McFerrin/ISO concert here that was amazing even when it was just McFerrin's voice. If you're like me, you tend to love the older theatres and the Hilbert Circle Theatre is very much one. I did an event not only ago where I wheeled around Monument Circle a couple hundred times and each time I passed the theatre I just had to stop and look at it. Irvington Group artist Clifton Wheeler designed the pastoral-themed mural over the marquee. In 1928, the theatre played host to Indy's first ever film with sound - The Jazz Singer (No, silly. Not the Neil Diamond one). By the 1940's, the theatre was hosting big bands. The theatre fell into disrepair in the 1970s before ISO decided to call it home in 1982 and opened there in 1984. It was renamed the Hilbert Circle Theatre due to the generosity of Stephen and Tomisue Hilbert. In 2013, the theatre replaced its hall seating with a grant from Lilly Endowment that increased comfort and accessibility while maintaining its historic integrity. You can also arrange for a tour of the Hilbert Circle Theatre.

    Organ playing
    Michael S.

    It was so nice to come back to the Hilbert Circle Theater for Yuletide celebration after being shutdown for the pandemic. The Theater is a beautiful facility that is home to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The Christmas decorations are always a joy to see and admire for Yuletide celebration. The picture opportunities with the reindeer and gingerbread man are a delight as well. The staff is very friendly and professional, especially the ushers in the theater. They do a wonderful job escorting you to your seat in the theater. The interior of the theater is gorgeous and the orchestra does a wonderful performance every single night. I'm so glad this theater is back open and performances are taking place. It is nice to bring the sympathy back to Indianapolis!

    Sarah F.

    I love coming to the symphony! I'd recommend checking it out at least once for a show. I've been to a few shows, and even a wedding! My latest trip was for the film series that's been running a few times a year. This show was for the Harry Potter and the deathly hollows part one. I loved it! This was my first time seeing a show like this. The movie plays on a large screen on the stage and the ISO plays musical scores during parts of the movie and softer music to "narrate" I love it and wish I could see all movies this way. The theater is historical, but well maintained very beautiful to look at. A fun perk is that they have a bar that you can get some local beers or domestic, plus wine, and mixed drinks. Popcorn was an option which was a nice Addition to the film theme.

    Natalie W.

    We can't wait to make this an annual tradition. Yuletide Celebration was a phenomenal experience. The costumes, sets, music, singing, dancing and everything was spectacular. The venue is regal and truly in awe of this years show!

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    11 years ago

    Great spot for the orchestra and right on the circle. Happy Hour at the Symphony is an event that I try to make it to as often as I can.

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    11 years ago

    the interior is quite elegant. acoustics are great and the seats are very comfortable. I love watching the symphony perform here.

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    11 years ago

    Great acoustics and comfortable seating. Nice location and parking. I really enjoy the venue and the views afforded.

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Hilbert Circle Theatre

    Review Highlights - Hilbert Circle Theatre

    Recently hit up the Hilbert theatre for the ISO (Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra) Happy Hour Concert series.

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    Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre - Flourless chocolate cake (bete noir)

    Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre

    (169 reviews)

    $$

    Absolutely something you should add to your list! My mom got tickets for my birthday. I love this…read morekind of thing so even though I've never been I was pretty sure I'd like it. It definitely exceeded my expectations. Instead of digital tickets, you just give your name to the host at the door at they'll lead you to your seats. Your server will then bring your drinks. Unsweetened tea, lemonade, and coffee are all complimentary but they have sodas and alcoholic drinks for sale. They also have dessert available for $7 as well. They can deliver the dessert during intermission which was perfect. Our server Maria was super friendly and on top of things. But all the servers and bussers were on top of it. We saw Cinderella and it was awesome. It was close to the original but a little modernized in the best way. There was plenty of crowd interaction and the actors were all fantastic. The props were cool but the costumes were even better. They also had a live band playing the music. Our seats were on the side of the stage and I wasn't sure we'd have a good view but the actors moved around the floor a lot and there was a tv on the side as well showing what was happening as well. I already bought tickets to another show and my family is looking forward to it.

    Wife and I went to see "The Play That Goes Wrong" today. It was actually a lot of fun. The buffet…read morewas decent, with roast beef, tilapia, and several vegetable options along with salad and all the all the toppings. My only complaint is that there were little to no vegan and gluten free options available, as my wife is gluten free and vegan. All she could eat was a zucchini and squash blend, some cucumbers with French dressing, and some fruit that was a little tart. The service of the wait staff was fantastic. Jasmine did a heck of a job taking care of us. Addressed any concerns and made sure we had a good experience. The dessert at intermission was really good. My wife had some strawberry sorbet (v and gf) and I had a strawberry sundae. Both had real strawberries in them and the ice cream I had was great. Overall, I give them 4/5 just because of the lack of vegan and gluten free items in the menu. Also, handicapped parking was nonexistent, and we ended up parking on the street next to the theatre.

    Living Room Theatres Indy - The grand stairs coming up from the lobby with the Pamela Bliss painted mural of Kong.

    Living Room Theatres Indy

    (155 reviews)

    Chatham Arch

    The living room theatre is a place I go to with my family a lot. But we have never had this kind of…read moreexperience before. The food was good and there was nice staff. But when we got to our theatre spot, we noticed that the chairs were all torn up, and the cupholders were filled with leftover food. It was an accident, but one of the staff members also spilled beer on my granddaughter's dress as he was serving our food to our seats. But it was nice how he immediately apologized and went to get her some rags. Another thing to add was how the stalls in the women's bathroom closed poorlly and couldn't be locked. I truly recommend Living Room Theatre, but I did want to acknowledge a few mistakes made. (This review was written by my 10-year-old granddaughter.)

    My spouse and I decided to class up our day date by catching a movie at Living Room Theater on Mass…read moreAve, which sounds like something sophisticated people do. We are not always sophisticated people, but we are excellent at pretending. We started at the bar, which looks the part completely. Elegant, well stocked, the kind of bar that makes you feel like you should be wearing something nicer than what you showed up in. I ordered an old fashioned, at which point the gentleman behind the bar admitted, with full transparency, that he was not actually the bartender and would need to Google how to make it. I genuinely appreciated the honesty. In a galaxy full of people who would have just guessed and handed me something terrible, this man chose truth. I thanked him, switched my order to whiskey and coke, and we moved on as allies. From there we headed to concessions and ordered the Take it to the Greek wrap, the La Bamba pizza, and fries with little bits of steak on top. The food was good. Not life altering, not the kind of meal that makes you grab someone's arm and say nothing, just nodding, but genuinely solid movie theater food that arrived at our seats without us having to do anything except recline and wait. The seats reclined. There were actual tables. This is civilized. We watched Disclosure Day, which if you have any interest in extraterrestrial or UFO subject matter is absolutely worth your time. Sitting in a reclining leather seat watching a film about potential contact with beings from other worlds felt appropriately cinematic, even if the leather on most seats has seen better days. Chipping and worn in spots, which is the one visible crack in an otherwise well maintained experience. The theater itself was clean, the concept is fantastic, and the overall vibe delivered exactly what a day date calls for. Four stars. The bar needs an actual bartender on deck and the seats could use some attention, but Living Room Theater is still one of the better ways to spend an afternoon in Indianapolis.

    Theatre On the Square - The Beast, the Lady, and the Sanguine Man.

    Theatre On the Square

    (31 reviews)

    Chatham Arch

    What a great performance space! The first time I was able to check out this theatre is at…read moreiNDYfRINGE festival 2012, and it definitely had some great shows there, including BOT, which was freakin' spectacular! Not to mention, this space has a refreshment booth, which is always a plus. You've gotta appreciate these smaller performance spaces because it keeps the show more intimate with the audience, as well as getting the community involved in local theatre. I cannot stress enought how important it is for us to support that which makes our city special - the arts especially. I'm a huge advocate of small businesses and local artists, so forgive me if I sound huffy-puffy when I say GO RIGHT NOW! See some indie show that will probably never be seen again because some guy wrote it in his car because he needed the money for gas. You won't regret it! And even if you do regret it, you'll still walk away with a different point of view. That's the beauty of theatre!

    TOTS, or Theatre On the Square, is one of Indy's best bets when wanting to take in local theater…read more TOTS offers a varying selection of plays and other types of shows, and is one of the main theaters used during the Indyfringe Festival in the fall. The Main Stage offers auditorium style seating. Stage 2 is more of an intimate setting that is primarily made up of four top tables and higher bar top seating. In both cases, if you want to feel as if your on stage, the front row will but you extremely close to the action. There is a small concession stand that offers drinks, including beer and wine, and snacks for cash prior to entering. Tips to keep in mind: **Seating for both stages is first come first serve, so make sure to arrive early if you wish to have all of your party sitting together. ***The main restroom is down a flight of stairs. They do have a single restroom on the top level near the main stage; however, it may or may not have a "Cast" sign **If you don't have time to visit their box office, they do use Vendini online ticketing, which will charge you a small fee. ***Parking - It's Mass Ave, so parking can be hard to come by. Factor extra time in when planning to arrive in time for shows ***If you tend to go to a lot of their shows, they usually offer a flex pass at the start of the season that is a good option.

    Hilbert Circle Theatre - theater - Updated September 2026

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