December 2025 - Been going here as annual supporters/members since 2021 when we moved. Had been at…read moreWalnut Street Theater in Philly for two decades and then in Long Island and on Broadway for 16 years. FST ------- WE LOVE IT!! Of course no pictures BUT we did get a little snake the other day and since I usually do only food reviews on Yelp....... here is one for the FST. Banana Ice Cream Sandwich (new) is fantastic!!! And the Pecan Pie with vanilla Ice cream is very good (in truth the pie is pecan covered on top but the pie filling is just a sugary gelatinous filling and could be improved....but it was slightly warmed and was very nice. (see pictures) We don't go here for the food, but a lite snack and drinks are awesome and convenient and fairly priced!!!

This little theater was fantastic. Very intimate. But don't let the size fool you! The sound…read moretranscends. It was a great space with not a bad seat in the house. The sound and lighting effects are phenomenal here. We popped in to visit a friend who had flown down from Broadway and we were treated to the sights and sounds of an amazing production: Lucky Stiff! Will be planning a trip back to the Sarasota area and will have to catch another show when we return. The prices were very reasonable for such an equity cast. Brava!

Saw LES MIS last night - a performance by super-talented high school actors & younger. It was well…read moreover a ten! The minimalist, effective sets & handling their setups was effective. The youth were superbly talented in their approach to this classic play, in full, glorious voice & touching roles well-played. Very hard to believe these were not professional actors - but then they were! It is brilliant, it shines, it is not to be missed if you can get on standby as the plays are all sold out at this point - but I got in, so tickets can be had... DO NOT MISS IT! Absolutely stunning in presentation, quality & presentation!

I have been volunteering both on and off stage as well as seeing shows at the players and I have…read morealways had a blast. The staff here is amazing and always very kind. Service wise, I have never had a negative experience here and performances are always great, considering that it's a community theatre. I would also recommend volunteering if you can, it really helps the theatre out and it's allot of fun working with and meeting new people every show you do.

As snowbirds, we love to support and enjoy local theatre. The Manatee Players are exquisite in…read moretheir sets, execution and hospitality. The venue is very nice. Our first play, The Cemetary Club, was held in the smaller theatre. Only con was the proximity of the chairs to the foward row. My 5'10" friend had her knees jammed into a chair back for most of the show. Our second play, Bright Star, was in the Stone Hall portion of the venue. It was true theatre seating and elevated stage. These volunteers do a wonderful job of entertaining. Highly recommend.

Saw "Newsies" at Manatee Players tonight (Friday). Best opening show since Les Miserable in my…read moreopinion. The cast defies adequate superlatives to communicate their amazing performance. The youthful cast permeates the audience with their energy and enthusiasm. Music is by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and book by Harvey Fierstein and the show is based on Disney's the Newsies. It takes place in the 1890's but the story seems very relevant to today's news. Rick Kerby has outdone himself with this production. His direction of dance numbers leave the audience exhilarated and clapping. Kudos to the entire production team but special note to the set designer Donna Buckalter. In the opening number the set moves like a Rubik's cube into cleaver formations. Each and every member of the cast is perfection. They work together like they have done it for years. Everyone should be mentioned but due to space I will laude the leads Austin Greshem as Jack Kelly, Alexander Zickafoose as Crutchie, Savannah Sinclair (Katherine Plummer) and all the newsies. Javisha Strong as Medda Larkin is literally show stopping in her number "That's Rich". The cast dance numbers are Broadway worthy. Simply breathe taking. The tap number at the opening of the second act had my heart beating faster than it should. The entire show reminded me why I love theater. This show is not to be missed if you are in the area. 5/5 stars.

Nice small theater in the round. Great shows and local actors. Always a great production andread more

I'm a big fan of Cirque du Soleil, so it was hard to not compare. It definitely would not be fair…read moreto do so. With that said, this is a touring circus with decent acts. I enjoyed 3 or 4 of them. My seat was excellent, first tier, last row. But either section would have provided a great viewing of the show. No need to sit up close. Would I attend another tour? Maybe.

Very safe for young adults. A lot of profanity but sexual exploitation…read more This is a unique experience. It was a bit of Halloween mixed with Christmas that surprisingly works. Many amazing acts and a couple that will wow you. Think gymnasts and acrobats. The men and women are all gorgeous and have put in alot of time to perfect their act. I was highly impressed. They interact just enough with the audience that keeps you on your toes. I will say there is 1 or 2 acts that I find unnecessary. Ie- the main guy comes out in his undies. It was sexual or even humerous.

We've been attending this Sarasota circus for years at UTC as we are blessed to have the Flying…read moreWallenda's Family here locally. They are amazing! The circus was even better this year because Nick Wallendas sister joined their act today, which is always fantastic, and they built a new Big Top with very comfy seats too! The acts were phenomenal! Very impressive. Must see!

Nik Wallenda's WONDERLAND CIRCUS, is family-friendly, fun, surprising, delightful and unique…read more.. each performer we saw was outstanding at what they did, from the tiny contortionist that "bent" and folded in ways you'd never think possible, to the "silks" flyer/gymnast who performed in ways that were breathtaking and unlike ANY we'd ever seen before...remarkable skills on display by every performer. Nik and his amazing family topped the show with their wire-walking abilities, and inspiring true story of overcoming adversity that lifted everyone's spirits. Our own "hometown superstars..."

Aug 2026 Came to the…read moreshopping area w kiddos and great place to use up some time in the ac. Anime vibes. Upstairs area as well. Popashot, driving games, ddr, pool table, pinball, air hockey and more :)) $16 for entry and games, but we just sat the bar while the niece and nephew played games. Which meant we couldn't go into the game area but didn't have to pay admission. The bar area is open air w a large selection of alcoholic beverages and soda. Erin was a great bar tender :)

Love a good spot for Sunday fun day where you can play lots of games for the kids and also get a…read moredelicious slushy mixed drink! My favorite was the strawberry margarita! Ask for Morgan super friendly and great service!

We thought this show was connected to the traveling Cirque du Soleil shows which we have seen in…read moreNorthern and southern California. It obviously is not. Those other shows were as good as the permanent shows in Las Vegas. This was a very small venue, with what appeared to be amateur or emerging talent. They weren't bad, but they did not rise to the level of Cirque shows. And it certainly was not for children. We are not prudes, but some of the acts were a bit racy with women being rather provocative. The Alcatraz theme was totally lost. The worst part were the clowns/comedians who were simply not funny and had foul mouths which brought nothing to the act. The flying guy and the acrobats were pretty good, but again, not at the level we expected. We were disappointed, like a lot.

You should disregard the negative reviews about this show. No - it's not part of Cirque du Soleil,…read morenor do they represent it to be. Lol. A 1 star review for having the word "Cirque" in their name and the reviewer being ignorant is not fair. No - it's not a great show for children, nor do they represent it to be. They literally have a massive disclosure on their website homepage stating that the show is RATED R. They don't allow anyone under 13, and anyone 13-17 must be accompanied by an adult. As for any of the other slanderous nonsense reviews about this show - I just say to you - If you're an adult looking for a fun date-night or night out with friends, this is a really good time for 90 mins or so. The performers engage with the entire audience, there's tons of personalized photo opportunities, and the performance is edgy but very fun. You should definitely give it a shot! It's standard concession service inside (popcorn, slushies, soda, etc). No alcohol. I suggest dinner/drinks beforehand.