It has been forever since I've been to Laguna Playhouse and that's my fault. For some reason, I…read morejust don't put life theater at the top of my list of entertainment, but that's going to change. I believe I saw this play being advertised on Instagram, etc. and it intrigued me so I opted to buy tickets. I'm one of those that do not necessarily need to be in the orchestra or main level and I chose to sit in the least expensive seats in the upper balcony areas. I don't think you can go wrong anywhere in the theater. There is municipal parking across from the theater, which is four dollars with no maximum hours. There's also metered parking in other city lots throughout the area. You can also take the free trolley. There is a small courtyard out front that early arrival patrons were mingling and having wine and a snack. Inside, there's a small beverage/bar area that featured some basic candy and snacks as well as some wine, coffee, and soft drinks. It was reasonably priced overall. We opted for a Coke and some pretzels and unfortunately, they carry the dots pretzels. I know everybody loves them. It's not my favorite. I do appreciate that they allowed the food and beverage into the theater. I'm kind of old-school a little bit of that because back in the day that was never allowed as far as the crowd most people were casually dressed or dressed to go maybe to dinner afterwards. It's a more casual environment compared to New York or Chicago theater districts. We thoroughly enjoyed the show. The shark is broken. The character casting was spot on. the mannerisms and voice inflections were also perfect. It was I believe a 90 minute show without intermission. Departing the theater and exiting across the street was easy. There are also restrooms. It seems handicap accessible on the lower level in general. I'm not sure about an elevator for the second level. I did not see one, but I would double check. Our tickets were will call in the box office person was very friendly and nice. I definitely will check back and see what other performances occur in the future.

After attending numerous plays and events at the Laguna Playhouse over many years, we have made the…read moredecision to never return! I will omit most names from this review as really does no good. Each year we purchase tickets to plays, usually in a series as you get good prices and seats. This past year our last play was supposed to be a Neil Simon play, but when we arrived, we were informed that the Simon play had been canceled and a new play called, The Shark is Broken, was on. The woman at the door told several of us that notices had been sent out about the change in plays. I did not get the memo and I suspect the email went instead to my moms spam folder, which she never thinks to check as to her, spam is a canned meat! Neither my 93 year old mother or I was interested in seeing a play about the shark from Jaws being broken, so I went to the box office and was informed that we could not be given a refund, but instead, a credit. That sounded ok as we usually find things to see there. At no time did anyone in the box office inform us that the credit had a time limit and would expire within a matter of months! I was a bit miffed as it takes me an hour and a half to get down to where my mom lives, then another 25 minutes to get to the theater, but I figured things happen and move on. The next day I get an email from the box office stating the amount of the credit. NOWHERE in the entire email did it state that the credit had to be used before the end of June! Mid may when I got the flyer for the 4 plays for this year, I called to choose the only show that looked appealing, 39 Steps, in October. The box office gal told me that we could not use the credit for any of those shows and that the credit had to be used before the end of June. I explained the situation to her and that we had not been told about any deadline. She was gruff and stated those were the rules and all playhouses go by those rules. Wanna guess what creative language was running thru my mind?! I said that since she was unable to fix this mess, I needed to speak with someone who could. She stated that she would give a message to the person who is in charge of the box office and hung up. Five days went by and no call, so I called and asked for whomever was in charge of the box office and a gal stated she could not give me her number but would give me her email. Why? At some point I would end up talking with person anyway. It was another example of someone being unhelpful. I sent the the gal in charge of the box office an email stating what happened and that I was upset at this entire situation and wanted it resolved and I asked to be called to discuss the matter. Instead of a call, I got an email asking if the issue was about the Shark play?! Why no call as I had asked, why dodge the call two times? I looked at the schedule and we had only 1 month and 2 choices, a comedy night at 7:30 PM or a play called Red. The comedy is a no go due to it being at 7:30 PM and the play Red did not look appealing. At this point both my mother and I were fed up and decided that no one at the playhouse had any interest in making things right and we were not going to forfeit close to $200 so we offered the seats to the play to friends who accepted. To add insult to injury, the ticket prices had gone up so in order to get the same seats for the play Red, we would have had to pay an extra $40. Unbelievable!! I chose to take lesser seats to avoid extra charges. So, in summation, what we have is a miscue about a play that was canceled, a refund with strings attached, no one alerting us to the unwritten rules about refunds and seasons, lack of cooperation, price increase, and general non caring attitudes. Nice way to treat patrons. Perhaps the people that run the Laguna Playhouse don't care about how their patrons are treated or even the loss. It doesn't matter at this point as we are done and I will make it a point to inform as many people as possible exactly what happened and to beware. I did appreciate Nicole at the box office who made the change for us and emailed me the confirmation.

This was a very nice surprise! I didn't even know that this theater existed! It's intimate with…read morecomfortable chairs and this was the best production of Legally Blonde I have seen! I like being able to see the actors facial expressions without binoculars! It is now on my radar and I look forward to seeing other musicals here!

Lovely venue with a friendly, welcoming staff who really appreciate your patronage. A nice size…read moreparking lot (that some of the local restaurants probably envy) with a dynamite view of The Pacific Coast Hwy. & Newport Harbor. A small theatre with every seat a good one. The sound is good too. There's a comfortable lobby & a snack bar featuring wine, beverages & brownies. We went to see the funny Inspecting Carol, perfect for the holiday season but we will always check out future productions.

We had a wonderful time at the after walk Christmas party in the Newport theater…read more The band was amazing ! They played all the old classics , rock 'n' roll.... Unlimited beef, pork and chicken yummy tacos ! The cocktails were flowing , However, the wine that they offered was definitely a no Bueno for me . It was from Lodi. Festive night , Christmas cheer

New Port Theater is worth all the hype. The staff is amazing and so accommodating, Celina…read moreespecially is an absolute sweetheart. Additionally, Marty is the kindest person I've met in a long time. The Christmas after-party was filled with only good vibes and everyone was having the time of their lives and enjoying the music and ambiance! Food was to die for! Five stars all the way.

The theatre is very intimate, and the play feels like it is being performed just for you. The…read moreticketing process was easy and fast and surprisingly affordable. The production of "Fences" which we attended was well produced, and directed. The staging and costumes were so well done they enhanced the overall power of the play. The acting was breathtaking and the characters were believable and empathetic. The lead actor gave as powerful a performance as you could possibly imagine. I can't wait for the next production! We will be in attendance.

This is one of the best and most comfortable small playhouses in OC. Run by Mike & Steve, who have…read morebeen there for years. The shows are time notch, and their directors like Kathy P., in a class by herself, she's just terrific! Every show I've seen there was well cast, had great props and was very entertaining. I go here regularly, bringing my theater group almost buying out the theater it's so popular. The group of us love their productions and their large lobby with a snack bar is great and very clean bathrooms. Not a bad seat in the house, and the stage is pretty large for a small community theater. It may be tricky to find, since they are located on the campus of a high school, but don't let that deter you. See you all next month for "Street Car Named Desire" and the following month, "The Whale" which is a great show!

An absolute must do! The theater is outdoor and something I have never experienced before. There…read moreare no bad seats, which is mind blogging!! The performers were excellent and obviously they have a fantastic director!! From costumes, to stage design, lighting, choreographer all went well together! I have been to enough plays and performances to say this theater is definitely special and if you get a chance you should go watch a play here. There is a big parking structure so parking is not a problem and it's a short walk to the theater from there.

Productions. Good productions with a good vibe. This year, we enjoyed Pericles and Comedy of…read moreErrrorrs - their spelling! Choosing seating. A great theater in the round! Our family went in summer 2018, 2019, and 2022. The gentleman next to us had sat in every type of seat in the house, and he confirmed that each seat has a good view. For a seat on the stage floor, there are cushions, but you must be comfortable sitting on the floor for about 50 min at a time. Most seats are comfortable. Some seats use bar-stool type seating that may cut into your thighs a bit. On a clear night, enjoy the moon and stars from the top level! One time, there was some aircraft noise from the airport, but that was unusual. Tickets. We did not see any at-the-door sales; all sales were in advance. When you buy on the website, the Barclay will email you good directions two days before the performance. The e-ticket says "print this ticket" but it is OK to just show it on your phone. From home. Bring an extra layer of clothing because summer nights can be relatively cool and breezy at any level in the theater. Some people may like to bring a seat cushion. Park in the UCI Student Center Parking Structure for $13, through 11:59 pm the day of the performance. Arrive about 7:20 to give yourself plenty of time to stroll to the theater. Signage is good. The location on Apple Maps is not correct and Google Maps does not give a location; hopefully that will change. At intermission, restrooms are signposted, a minute's walk from the theater in the adjacent UCI Library building. M&Ms or Gummi Bears cost $1; paper cups of water are free. After the show finishes, some cafes and restaurants in the University Center are still open: most fast-food restaurants, Cha for Tea, or Eureka. Access the University Center by using the Watson pedestrian bridge across Campus Dr.

Pageant of the Masters is a annual event every summer in Laguna Beach. It was created in 1933. What…read moreis the Pageant of the Masters you ask? It is a recreation of art... making art come alive.... in a nutshell, it is recreating sculptures and paintings with people that are dressed in attire with make up to look like they are part of the painting. It gives a 2D and 3D look and truly is incredible. I have always wanted to go to Pageant of the Masters but never made the time to go until this summer. I bought tickets online a few weeks earlier and my husband and I came for a showing on a Wednesday night last month (tickets are just a little cheaper on a weekday than on a weekend). There is one showing each day, from 8:30 pm- 10:30 pm, with an intermission of 15 minutes. This year's theme is 'The Greatest Of All Time', meaning featuring the greatest well known artists during different time periods (including Michelangelo, Picasso, Monet, Norman Rockwell and Frida Kahlo), featuring some of their best art and/ or sculptures. It also covers brief history of each of featured artists as well. Unfortunately taking photos is prohibited and it's just something that you have to come in person to see (and really is tremendous and incredible to see, I promise you). But what was very interesting was that all of the performers participating are volunteers. There is pool of about 500 volunteers that help to make this event happen. Each set up of the painting or sculpture is up for a few minutes and then will move on to the next one for the audience to view. There is also a part to show to show the audience how the painting is set up with the volunteers and how they are either attached to the set itself (so they don't fall when moving the frame up closer to the stage) and how they are positioned. Also shown for any last minute touch ups before given the okay to raise the curtain. While this is all going on, there is also an amazing orchestra under the stage playing live music, guided by the conductor. As other Yelp members have mentioned, sitting closest to the stage is ideal. But what I would really recommend is to have binoculars with you so that you can really see the painting or sculpture in great detail. Also kind of fun to see the performer's movements (as they are supposed to remain still, but sometimes you can catch them moving, especially the children). It really is amazing to see the finish pieces of these artworks.. and tricks your mind because you are seeing the art in partial 3D. And if you have it, I would also recommend having seat cushions too to make your visit as comfortable as possible since you are sitting for the strong majority of the time. You are also allowed to bring in your own food if you do not wish to purchase food at the event. Also with your ticket. you not only have a pass to visit the Festival of Arts Fine Art Show on the day of the event, but can visit the art show for the entire summer. The art show itself features about 100 artists that have many different and unique art work for sale that is also neat to just browse and take a look. But since we do not live out in Orange County, we aren't able to take advantage of this additional perk. (Please note that there are clean restrooms with the essentials of toilet paper, soap and paper towels). Parking is plenty. There are $15 parking lots right across the street. But there are also a $10 lot a few streets down that include a free Trolly shuttle to take you to and from (which is what we did). You can also walk if you miss the Trolly or do not want to wait for one. But the Trolly shuttles come pretty frequent. There is also street parking along the way to the event from the $10 parking lot but I believe that metered. I think for most people, this might be a one and done situation (like my husband). But I really enjoyed this event and would come back again next summer.

I had a good time here and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fine art…read more Parking was $10, and there's a free trolley that takes you to the venue, which made getting there pretty convenient. We bought our tickets online ahead of time for around $50 to make entry easier. As for attire, most people were dressed in smart casual or dressy casual clothing, which felt appropriate for the setting. The experience began by featuring a gallery of artwork in a variety of formats, which kept things interesting. One of the coolest parts was that some of the artists were there in person and available to talk about their work. It added another layer to the experience and made it feel much more personal. The actual experience started a bit later and was immersive from the start, describing various artists throughout history, their major works, and the impact they've had. A few tips before you go: the program is around 2 hours total and includes a 15-minute intermission, so make sure to use the restroom beforehand and keep your ticket with you for reentry. The venue was warm during my visit, but I'd still bring a light jacket just in case the temperature changes. If you're seated farther back, a small pair of binoculars can make it much easier to appreciate the finer details. If you have a background in art or art history, you'll probably get even more out of the exhibition, but I still think it's enjoyable for someone who's just curious and wants to experience something new. Overall, it was a unique and thoughtfully put-together experience that I'd recommend if this sounds interesting to you. L

Live in Theater is an amazing Murder Mystery company that made our Halloween Party a HUGE success!…read moreThey cater to small intimate gatherings as well as large corporate parties like ours and they did a stellar job. We had many new guests attend and raved about their experience. It was not cheesy and the actors were superb! Live in Theater is a necessity for anyone who wants to try the Murder Mystery experience.

Thank you Live in Theater. The actors were so in character the whole time! Great stuff!!read more