I went to watch Les Miserables by Schaumburg On Stage as I'd recently missed the national tour in…read moredowntown Chicago. Realizing that Drury Lane and Paramount had done their version a few years back and Marriott Theatre had done it a bit before that, I wanted to watch a live version in case I can't make the next big stop in Milwaukee. I watch quite a bit of theatre, both professional and amateur. Not sure why, but until this show -- I wasn't aware of Schaumburg on Stage which has been around since 2016. To my surprise, the quality of the production was similar in quality to other highly acclaimed groups like the District 214 all-district group (which recently did The Wedding Singer). Here were my thoughts on various aspects of the show: Staging: It really surprised me how many sets were used in the show and how they were fully functional. They were designed and painted well and items were hardly reused. They also did a very good job of quickly changing sets to make sure the showtime was kept to a reasonable length. Vocals: Two things I like about this. One is how they kept the complex harmonies -- which worked great in group songs. The overall balance lacked baritone and bass voices, but that's expected with younger actors. I also liked how they did not shy away from the challenge of the very high notes for male or female leads. They could have easily changed the key, but it's great to see them embrace the challenge. Orchestra: A bit smaller, not sure if it's due to space limitations or that's the way the school version is written. A bit more reliant on piano and common woodwind/string instruments than the full version. I did like how they played at a level not to overpower the vocals. Lighting and fog: I liked all the varieties of lights used. Not just in general stage lighting from the top, but also from lights on the side and spotlights. There were quite a bit of variations on lighting, which helped to tell the story. I did not like the excessive use of stage fog though, which tended to linger for more than a single scene. Overall, a great group to watch a show from. It's much better than the typical amateur group and prices are very reasonable. It's also great how they incorporate actors and actresses from all different ages and help them to build interest in theatre. Based on the quality of this performance, I can't wait to watch another show when they get a new digital microphone system.

The experienced people at SOS really see the value and potential in each kid. They are like family…read morein that they really connect and care, but they also hold the kids to a high standard and help them achieve it. This is definitely a step up from park district community theater in both production quality and experience.

Marriott Theatre continues to prove why it's one of the best regional theaters around. The theater…read morein the round design makes every seat feel intimate, and with its 360 degree layout, there really isn't a bad seat in the house. The scenic design, lighting, and costumes beautifully transformed the space into a dreamy turn of the century Swedish countryside. A Little Night Music was such an interesting production! It had a little bit of everything including romance, humor, scandal, suspense, and plenty of unexpected plot twists. At times, it was a bit challenging to keep up with all of the intertwining storylines and relationships, but once everything started coming together, it made for a fun and entertaining experience. Even if you're not familiar with A Little Night Music, the witty humor, romance, and tangled relationships keep the story engaging from start to finish. The cast did an incredible job balancing comedy and emotion, delivering plenty of laugh out loud moments alongside heartfelt scenes. As always, Marriott Theatre made for a wonderful night out. Parking is free, the venue is comfortable, and the staff is welcoming, friendly, and organized. If you're looking for a great date night or simply love live theater, this production is absolutely worth the trip to Lincolnshire. A special shoutout to Kesha, our Community Manager, and the incredible Marriott Theatre staff. My husband recently fractured his foot and is currently using a knee scooter. They graciously accommodated us with an aisle seat at the last minute, and the staff went above and beyond by helping transport his scooter to and from our seats. That level of kindness and customer service truly made our evening stress free, and we're so grateful for their thoughtfulness.

An amazing gem of a theatre in the Chicago suburbs. Its shows are fine "in the round" which is less…read morecommon for the area. But I don't know why - it means every seat is fantastic. Lots of open public space to accommodate the crowds and - best of all - free parking!!! I saw a production of A Little Night Music, which happens to be my favorite Sondheim. But this was the first production I'd seen in the round. They made good use of space and even had fly space to drop things like lights and a swing from the ceiling. If you know the show, one character is in a wheelchair and they were able to incorporate the ramps seamlessly. I believe it's an equity production and the bio of one actress appears she was brought in from nyc. So they have the talent.

My husband and I went to Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center to see a production of Newsies. This…read moreis a large theater space for community theater. We love sitting in the front row of the balcony. There's just enough leg room for me, and it has an unobstructed view of the stage. This is a nice space for the park district to showcase, but it is beginning to show its age. The line at the bathroom was pretty long during intermission. The seats look like they were updated recently. The acoustics were pretty good. The parking lot is not big enough to accommodate all of the cars. Try parking on the street or in the lot behind the village hall/park district building. Overall, I enjoyed the show at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center and would come back for future performances.

Easy parking and relatively spacious event space although it's a hike for downtown Chicago…read moreresidents . I watched a stand up comedy show which i throughly enjoyed.

Madcats is an unassuming lively music venue in Downtown Palatine. Every weekend, various types of…read morebands play with drinks served. If you want a table while watching your favorite band, come early and grab a seat! It fills up quickly. Good is served and service is fast! Delicious options and great drinks at a decent cost. You won't be paying high prices for drinks. It's a lively place, sound quality is also great, and the staff is friendly! We like coming here when we want to hear great music. Madcats is a great addition to Palatine!

Madcats opened in 2021 and has had many live events…read more We recently went to see a Fleetwood Mac cover band that did really well. The place is small and was full. I could tell that people truly enjoyed. There's even a small dancing area up front. The food and drink are decent. The servers work hard when it's busy - yet manage to keep friendly. The only downside is that there is a section where you can't really see the stage (about 1/4 of the inside area).

Attended a production of Fiddler on the Roof here and I was pleasantly surprised. The setup of the…read moretheatre makes it so that no seat is really super far away from the stage and even the the left and right sections don't really skew your view too much although at times staging on the extreme edges might not be visible. The seats were a good size with better legroom than what I've seen as some other local community theatres. The building itself is setup nicely for hosting shows, with fairly wide hallways, furniture, and a good amount of restroom facilities. The production here that I watched was done better than average, with a good amount of costume and set changes that were designed fairly well. The sound was a good volume and in general the microphone volume management was pretty good, with only a few lines that were inaudible. The singing and dancing by the cast were also done quite well, with leads that performed their parts impressively. Overall, nice place to enjoy a show with reasonable prices and a nice community feel.

I went to the Northbrook Theater to watch their production of Fiddler on the Roof. This was a great…read moreproduction. The sound and stage, and scenery were all very high quality. The actors were tremendous. I think they will be ready for Broadway soon. I highly recommend Northbrook Theater. I can't wait to go back and see another show!

Not great, a bit disappointing, we ordered the lobster hush puppies and they were over charred,…read morethey were very gracious and credited our bill, would go for music not the food...burger was good, chopped salad was fine, service is always great and atmosphere is amazing

Cool place for music listening…read more Cool place for music listening ! Great entertainment!

My friend surprised me with tickets to see Ruthless! at the Citadel Theatre, and I didn't even know…read morethis hidden gem existed! There was ample parking when we arrived, and the entrance to the theatre was clearly marked. We were immediately greeted by a gentleman at the ticket counter who was absolutely wonderful. I wish I had remembered his name--he was so warm and welcoming and made us feel genuinely happy to be there. The seats were very comfortable, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of legroom. I really appreciated not feeling cramped, as I often do in many other theatres. The live music, lighting, sound, acting, and singing were all top-notch. I was incredibly impressed by my experience here and can't wait to return for another show!

We have been patrons of the Citadel Theatre for a couple of years now and their shows never…read moredisappoint! As a patron of the arts, I am privileged enough to see a variety of shows in a variety of spaces and the Citadel is one that I can say is consistently great and offers a variety of shows at very reasonable prices. The theatre space is not huge, but for me, that means there is never a bad seat in the house! They have a reasonably priced concession stand and have a wonderful staff in the lobby that is always friendly and helpful. Bonus points for them always have little touches that reflect the current show--for example, today's show revolved around college admissions and there were all of these college pennants adorning the walls. There are clean bathrooms, an accessible bathroom, and there is plenty of parking. The seats are comfortable, well-spaced, and the sound system is great. My grandmother is a little hard of hearing and she can hear most everything the actors have to say! I always look forward to my evenings planned at the Citadel Theatre!

Never did anything like this before but it wasn't what I had expected. I was expecting more of a…read moretheatrical atmosphere rather than 2 people in plain street clothes in a plain banquet room. No props, scenery, etc. The skit was good though but there was a lot of improv that was hit or miss. Seemed like something you would find at Second City. A few audience participation scenes too. Though I wouldn't do it again, they had some good plot twists and tricky scenarios to figure out.

Update: I received an email from the organizer regarding my experience (I had reached out via their…read morewebsite after the show) with an apology for the food experience and an offer to refund the tickets, which was accepted and appreciated. The star rating was updated due to the fact that they made it right and because of the two main performers, who are what made the show enjoyable. They were fun to watch.