After attending numerous plays and events at the Laguna Playhouse over many years, we have made the decision 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. read more

It has been forever since I've been to Laguna Playhouse and that's my fault. For some reason, I just 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. read more

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Watched the dress rehearsal of Red and was impressed with the two actors. It was an intellectual play and in some parts, it got too wordy. The actors played off each other. There were some surprises near the end. read more

So easy to purchase tickets and pick up at the venue. The theater is lovely and I love the winding staircase to the upstairs section. Prices for drinks and snacks was reasonable and it was easy to order. The set design and lighting was perfect and made for such an enjoyable show. Staff are friendly and helpful. A perfect night and perfect show. read more

Laguna Playhouse - A perfect and enjoyable show. For someone that loves Jaws, the actors made me feel like I was there with them as they made the movie. - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

After having attended several performances and buying season tickets I realized that I have never reviewed the Laguna Playhouse. So, here is my review. This smaller than most theater, where all seats have a good view, provides an intimate and highly enjoyable theater experience. The singing and comedic acting in "The Remarkable Sherlock Holmes" was, as usual, exceptionally good. I have been pleasantly surprised at the high caliber of performances offered at this playhouse. read more

Laguna Playhouse - A smaller, intimate theater - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Intimate venue. Play quality varies by actors performing, but no bad seats and a nice night out with many great restaurants nearby!

Always great venues here. I saw many plays musicals and concerts. The hall itself is small no bad seat in the house and the parking is always easy. A lot of tribute bars that are fun! read more

Laguna Playhouse - Journey tribute band - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Liked the "Peril in the Alps" play! Did not like the characterization of Poirot: too over the top. Arrived early to buy food. Bought the last savory snacks about twenty minutes before the performance. Enjoyed the waiting area to drink outside. You can take your food and drink into the theater, but please eat quietly. There are no cupholders. It would be good to clarify the parking situation. For example: "There is some parking behind the theater from August 15 through July 7 each year" read more

Went to see the Maltese Falcon last night and surprisingly wonderful. The actors were top notched and made play both serious and comical at times. Laguna Playhouse a wonderful place to see a play. There is no bad seat. My wife and I are looking into seeing more plays and entertainment there. I recommend this facility. read more

Love this little playhouse! I see the children's holiday show every year. It's magical! The actors are wonderful and we love the interactive nature of the panto. Letting kids (and adults) boo and cheer brings about fun and laughter in the crowd. Rapunzel was great! Can't wait until next year! read more

The theater is well-maintained. It has an artsy feel, with cool spiral stairs leading up to the balcony. It is a small theater so sight lines are good regardless of where you sit, though you might miss some things on the extreme sides. There's lots of parking options, but you'll likely pay something for parking if you come on the weekend or early evening. The staff, including the bartenders, are very nice. read more

We had a wonderful time watching Snow White Christmas at Laguna Playhouse. My kid absolutely loved the singing and dancing. Every seat in the house is a good one. A really enjoyable evening and we'll be back for sure. read more

Laguna Beach, Ca. I noticed that a lot of the reviews here are for the play and not the playhouse. Are the two inseparable? Well my experience included a well done act with no intermission by a single outstanding actor ( I'm Not a Comedian, I'm Lenny Bruce). I guess I was expecting more of an amateur performance with over acting, over emoting, and loud voice. Au contraire! This was an artful and skilled performance by Ronnie Marmot, who also gets writing credit. Captivating and illuminating. Oh yes the playhouse, no bad seats, cleat sight lines wherever you sit, small and intimate. Great sound, great lighting. Come early enough to find parking. Make sure you take a bottle of water in with you, 90 minutes is a good stretch. The seats are comfy but I was certainly ready to stand up by the shows conclusion. read more

Laguna Playhouse - Every seat is a good seat - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Our families all enjoy the performances here. The "Panto" is a favorite for the grandkids and always well attended. We find the seating provides a good view and are actually comfortable (IMO). Staff is helpful and refreshments offered a good variety. Parking price is reasonable, lot is not large -suggest you arrive a little early-/ read more

I have seen two shows there with my wife. We love this place. They really put on amazing shows.

Dangerous and steep, uneven stairs. Especially when they dim the lights. They switched out the incandescent lights to LED after a serious fall was reported to cover it up. Each step is a different height. Not to building code which is 3/8th inch of tolerance. Extremely hazardous for elderly people. They think posting a sign that states "watch your step" should override building and safety code. But it does not. A permit was pulled to put in new stairs and landings within 3/8" tolerance but they never did the work per the contractor and the city confirmed the permit had expired. The playhouse removed the orchestra pit and added 65 more seats Changing the original permit approved architectural design for the stairs and landings. So there's no certificate of occupancy since it was altered and deemed not to CA building code. Which is a serious safety hazard. They are non profit and receive millions of dollars in grant money yet don't care about the safety of the patrons (public record) 501 3C. A previous yelp review had a warning about the steep, hazardous and uneven stairs and they had to stop the play when an elderly person fell. The city of laguna Beach is very strict with their building codes for everyone else but turn a blind eye to this dangerous theatre. How many more serious injuries will it take before the City of Laguna Beach holds The Laguna Playhouse accountable for bringing this 1968 theatre to the strict CA building safety code for stairs to protect the public? read more

My wife and I went to the Laguna Playhouse for the first time to see the Arthur Miller play, A View from the Bridge. It's not often that we get to see an Arthur Miller play so we were glad to see this performance so close to our home. The play is powerful. The acting was very good; staging too was excellent. Our seats had an excellent view of the stage and based on what I could tell all the seats are very good in this playhouse. (The seats are also very comfortable.) The staff at the playhouse are very friendly and the audience and ourselves enjoyed the production. I hope they bring more plays like this one to the playhouse. (My wife and I are more interested in drama.) read more

Nice theatre. Good seats. Parking can be a challenge but its Laguna Beach. Unfortunately not local performers but still great. read more

Last night.. Went to see this super fun campy, comedic High energy tons of singing and dancing, comedy panto. I wasn't sure how this was going to play out, as we arrived and there were a ton of children waiting to go in... I thought " oh my, a kids production!" Boy was I wrong... there was so much adult humor and sexual innuendos It's a Holiday Panto, lots of great audience participation , so funny.. the dancing was amazing we were literally dancing in our chairs to all the great 70s music! It is a feel good production My favorite character was the sheriff. This very funny English Actor, Andrew Lynford. His timing was spot on , his humor was that of the comedian Ricky Gervais... If you have the opportunity to go... just go .. you will laugh , you' will dance and you will feel good.. read more

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We've seen several productions here. We love this location and the views. The staff is very nice and courteous. The mini bar is cute. Last night we saw a Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - it was a 10/10 show. From the staging to the cast we were very impressed and had a wonderful time filled with laughter and wit. read more

I love The Laguna Playhouse! Besides having great entertainment, it's close to the beach and to several great eating establishments. Our most recent trip was to see the musical, Once. If you love Irish music, this is the play to see. Great music and a sweet story. The main song is what I really love. It makes me smile. read more

Laguna Playhouse - Seeing Once for our 20th anniversary! - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Came to see the youth theater out on a show. It was great! The kids did an amazing job with minimal props and costumes it was amazing. I was expecting more as were my kids since they are fans on the series. The play was great and the building is nice and intimate. All seats are good seats. This playhouse is situated near the beach a few blocks of shopping and restaurants nearby and the Pageant of the Masters and Sawdust Festival are also held nearby. If you are in the area and would like to catch a show, highly recommend! They have parking behind the building drive slow or you will miss it, or park across the street in the public parking area but dot. Forget to get a ticket from the meter. $4 we paid on a Friday evening. read more

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Wonderful time here always with friends and entertainment. We look forward to seeing all the familiar faces like Andy, David, Heidi and so many loyal people from the community. read more

Intimate setting. Great venue. You can park across the street after 7pm for free. The venue charges $15. People there are very friendly and professional. read more

Yes!! We saw the very unique & entertaining Folk Trio singers. Awesome!! The playhouse has its own back parking +. Every seat is a great seat +. We were back row M and we loved it. Very intimate ambiance. Nice wide seats for comfort +. Great visibility + Great sound + We highly recommend this theatre!! read more

Laguna Playhouse - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

got tickets to see a show and they canceled and refunded our tickets 35 mins before the show started and we were already driving for 40 mins on the way to the show. would not answer calls at the box office even though the automated system said I was 1st in line. then sent me to voicemail because the calls were so high volume it said. would not recommend this place unless you like guessing if you will have tickets up until the show begins read more

I love going to the theatre and had the opportunity to enjoy a musical here, a nice community theatre. A small venue where you really can't have a bad seat. We ate at a nearby restaurant before the show, as you have many eatery choices in the town of Laguna Beach then enjoyed the theatre. What a great evening ! read more

Easy access, plentiful parking (usually) and a very comfortable size and ambience - yet still has that "special occasion" atmosphere. We've seen several high quality performances here- never disappointed. The current show is "Once", the Broadway production based on the marvelous story and movie of the same name. The cast/performers are brilliant; so talented it's hard to describe. Each one is terrific and unique. The standout (I'd say) is "the girl", performed by Grace Belt, who is, in a word, mesmerizing. Such talent is inspirational. Great playhouse, superb choice of shows and performances. Go! read more

I went to see a play at this establishment recently. They didn't waste a second to bash our new president during the opening of the play. So uncalled for and disrespectful. I wanted to walk out , but have more class than the fools that did this production. I will not ever see another play at this venue nor donate to them. I will also let my community know of their despicable behavior. They are clearly misguided and idiotic.. read more

I like that seats are leveled for everyone's viewing pleasure. The stage is wide with a decent sound system. The seats are cushioned. Parking can be a challenge depending on when you come. Prices are reasonable. read more

Holmes and Watson play was very well acted and written! It was about 1.5 hours and had some interesting twists. read more

We attended a matinee performance of Holmes and Watson. It's a very intriguing play with a lot of twists and turns. The actors were excellent they kept the play moving and it kept me guessing. So bravo to all of them. The theater itself is mid-size so there is not a bad seat in the house. We sat orchestra right Row C and had a perfect view of the stage. Since it's an older theater the seats are a bit tight and not a lot of leg room. It wasn't too tight for me since I am on the shorter side, but you are close to your seat neighbor. It was a little difficult hearing the announcements about turning off cell phones and another subject that I couldn't hear. Of course you have those people that didn't turn off or down their phones so that was an interruption. But what can you do some people don't have respect for live theater. The sound system for the actors was superb we clearly heard every word. There is a small stand selling soda, water, wine, cocktails and small snacks. Parking was pretty easy we parked across the street from the theater and walked over. Parking is $4.00 M-F, not sure about Sat-Sun. I'd attend another play here and would recommend it to people. read more

Attended "Rapunzel" last evening. What a mess! A few of our members were not able to attend due to what their internet site was a sell-out. When the curtain went up more than 1/2 of the seats on the first floor were vacant and stayed that way the entire performance. One of the actors asked that the people in the balcony come down to fill the empty seats. Ridiculous. Who is running their online site. The the play starts.....not 5 minutes into the play there was some kind of technical difficulty, and the curtains were closed. Two of the actors came out and sang Christmas Carols for over a half hour! The play finally continued. The paltry scenery looked like something out of a High school play. Most times it was just actors standing in the middle of an empty stage. What a huge disappointment! The winners here were the members of our group that could not purchase tickets. The management of this theater needs to look at their employees.....and the work they're not doing. read more

Had a great time! Perfect theater so all seats great. Will be attending again this weekend! read more

Laguna Playhouse - STEVE SOLOMON'S "MY MOTHER'S ITALIAN, MY FATHER'S JEWISH AND I'M IN THERAPY." - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I really wanted to like Saturday Night Fever, but the singing was awful! The costumes, dancing and story line came in a close second. I feel terrible for giving such a bad review, but it was pretty dreadful. The playhouse is nice and I enjoyed the personable and small venue, but it the show was comparable to a high school musical at best. read more

Saw the phenomenal musical Saturday Night Fever here, first visit to the playhouse. Sat in the first-row center stage. Really intimate playhouse very close to the actors, dancers and singers. A truly unique live theater experience. I've been to most all the playhouses in southern California and never had such a cool up-close experience. Parking right across the street for $16 all day so you can enjoy dining pre or après theater dining. Sound system was great, lighting was on point and t was a blast. Take in a play or musical here, you'll love the intimate setting. read more

The Realistic Joneses: worse play I have ever attended. One of the actresses was impossible to hear. As a consequence the entire theme of the play was lost. This is the 2nd play I've been to since moving from San Diego. We had season tickets to 3 theaters there and never saw such a pitiful performance. Hope the next play is better. read more

Great local venue to support and take in live theatre. I love Latina Beach, and this is just another fun place to frequent. Within walking distance to lots of amazing restaurants, too! read more

Laguna Playhouse was really nice....very clean and the staff members were very friendly. I would definitely go see another play there. :) read more

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Review of A Chorus Line, a musical (played from May 29 to June 12, 2022): The acting company was exceptional. All actors performed many demanding songs and a very challenging choreography. Beautiful voices, beautiful form. I don't know how they found the energy to perform twice a day. The show was a real treat for us. Thank you! Review of the venue: Beautiful theater. All seats allow excellent view of the stage. Clean restrooms. Gorgeous location, near the beach. Staff very friendly and courteous. read more

Laguna Playhouse - A Chorus Line - Performing Arts Near Me - Laguna Beach, California