Pasadena Playhouse. Brigadoon. If you're considering…read morespending your hard-earned time and money at the Pasadena Playhouse, do yourself a favor: skip opening night. Wait for the unbiased reviews to trickle in before committing to their latest offerings, because if Brigadoon is the current standard, the bar hasn't just been lowered--it's been buried. Wednesday's opening night was, to put it bluntly, a stinker. We arrived with open minds and tempered expectations; we weren't looking for a Gene Kelly reincarnation or a Broadway-scale miracle. We understand the constraints of regional theater. However, what we witnessed was so profoundly lackluster that it felt less like a professional production and more like a mediocre college workshop. The "Highland" Lowlights: * Atrocious Casting: With the sole exception of Betsy Morgan--who possessed the only singing and dancing chops worthy of the material--the casting was a disaster. * Cultural Caricature: The premise of Brigadoon relies on a town preserved in time to protect its Scottish heritage. Why, then, was this cast like a generic Disney Channel original movie? The "Scottish" culture on display was a cringeworthy caricature reminiscent of a Mike Myers sketch. In a city like Los Angeles, home to thousands of versatile actors, is authenticity really that hard to find? * Anemic Energy: The choreography was limp, and the vocal performances were consistently weak. The sound system was so quiet it felt like a mercy killing; perhaps turning it up would have provided the "punch" the performers so desperately lacked. I cannot remember the last time I saw a professional audience flee after only a few scenes. We endured the first half, but left at intermission. It was simply that unbearable. While the Pasadena Playhouse relies on the generosity of donors to stay afloat, one has to wonder: is there any quality control left? Or is the current mode of operation simply to shovel substandard content at a captive audience? Thank God we aren't trapped in this version of Brigadoon for a hundred years. 45 minutes was more than enough.

This was the first time I attended the Pasadena Playhouse. Came here to see Amadeus. I really…read moreenjoyed the venue as well as the play. Loved the historic feel of the playhouse which was very appropriate for the play. We didn't know exactly where to park but found out afterwards that the parking was conveniently located across the street. Will definitely consider coming here again in the future.

While there are some negative reviews on here that are not completely false, I def have to disagree…read morethat this place is not worth it. Far from it!! My daughter had been in pre-ballet at another studio for almost 4 years (ages 5-8.75) and once she was moved up to ballet 1 and schedule changed, I had to find another studio with a more suitable schedule (due to my work schedule) that was worth the $ and time. Then I found this place and met Mr. Ling, while my daughter attended the Sunday class on trial that Lily was teaching. That was over 4 years ago! And even though the schedule was also inconvenient as was the 30min commute, I made arrangements with a family member to be able to drive my daughter there for a long time so that she can continue to receive the ballet training that is provided there. My daughter had done trial classes in several other places but the attention to technique and form was unmatched anywhere else. Mr. Ling, his daughter, and Lily corrected the students to the point where my daughter felt targeted. My daughter had to learn not to take things personal and to apply correction when given. Now she feels ignored if there is no criticism. It turns out, my daughter learned very little in her previous years in dance (it was more performance based) and in the years since she's been there, she has improved TREMENDOUSLY! Not only is she learning proper technique, I have learned so much from Mr. Ling that I appreciate the dance form so much more because I understand it so much better now! She is still not a great dancer and one of those that struggles more than the others but she has become such a strong and disciplined young lady. I frequently receive many compliments on how graceful and well behaved she is. I feel it is mostly because of the culture and values instilled at Elite Ballet. Mrs. Ling is a Yumiko seller=15% discount+free shipping), they are very supportive of one another and help each other to improve and the summer intensive classes are really impressive as well as reg class and there's not one day my daughter doesn't come out sweating! Yes, there were unexpected costs for performances but you quickly learn that after ur first time. Nothing is for free and still in comparison to other studios, Elite is very reasonably priced. They actually just increased slightly but is still far more affordable than other places. Do the math. And yes, they do insist on purchasing whatever they suggest but really, Mr. Ling is top-notch! As a former ABT principal dancer, he knows his stuff! Most places will understandably deter a student from taking other classes from other places only because it can cause confusion or create injuries. This place is strictly classical ballet and for those who are passionate about becoming good ballet dancers. It is the foundation for all dance forms.

Our kids had class in this school for couple years. When I first talked to the owner, he seemed to…read morehave passion about the ballet. After a while, I realized that it's all about money. The class usually have about 20 students especially the beginning class. There's only 1 instructor without any assistant. He rarely would tell you what went wrong when the student made a mistake in ballet steps. He expected the students to follow others & correct their own mistakes. To be honest, they're small kids, they'd not know what went wrong unless you told them. Also a lot of time, he'd just have his 15 or 16 year old daughter to teach Ballet I class. It's fine if she worked as an assistant but not as an instructor. Also if you don't go to their summer intensive class which is 3 hours/ day for Sat & Sun in summer. They'd just ignore your kids, won't tell them if they're doing good or not and not even dare to remember their name. Also the students would never be able to promote to an advanced class if you don't go to the summer camp. They only have 1 show a year through audition so the younger kids rarely have chance to be on stage. Other schools usually have at least 2 shows a year with 1 show be the showcase and all the kids could participate. I definitely don't recommend this ballet school.

I worked as a volunteer last year and apparently the volunteer management just gets worse and worse…read morefor the youth volunteers. I have younger friends who currently volunteer for CalPhil and it's just horrible for them. The music and the ambience is GREAT , so if you're up for a concert or anything...CalPhil is the place for you. Maestro Victor Vener does a good job introducing each song with some sort of anecdote , personal experience or what not. He's a great guy. The orchestra itself is pretty good too. Music/Concerts = 5 of 5 Volunteer Experience = -1 (I vowed to never come back after my first year...it is beyond disorganized)

There's something intimidating or out-dated about orchestras. Or maybe it's because there's so…read moremany other things to experience here in Southern California that I forget their existence? Perhaps it's just me, but going to a see something in the classical music category is not the first inspiration that leaps to mind... However, I'm really glad I did. I mean, I've been to the Hollywood Bowl, but not for classical stuff. And the H-Bowl has such a bigger reputation that I wasn't even aware of Cal Phil...until my boyfriend's mother decided to celebrate her wedding anniversary with one of their Festival on the Green concerts. Firstly, since I am totally 100% adverse to traffic congestion and paying for parking, the parking situation for Festival on the Green (its last year at the Arboretum) was delightfully within my budget: FREE. I parked off one of the adjacent streets (watch out for free-range peacocks!), and (dangerously) jay-walked across Baldwin Avenue, under the watchful but non-ticketing gaze of a motorcycle cop (phew!). There, I met my party, and we sauntered off to wait in line for the gate to open. With us, we'd brought appropriate picnic gear: fold-out chairs, blankets, bags of supplies, drink, and food. Every other party in line also sported the same items. Suddenly, I got really excited by the prospect of picnicking in the warm twilight, consuming large amounts of food at a leisurely rate, and being surrounded by nature and live music. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that I ought to do this MORE OFTEN! Due to the large Asian population in the San Gabriel area, every volunteer was a local Asian teenager. That amused me for no real reason, other than the fact that I too am Asian. As soon as the gates opened, people flooded in to the lawn. Being light on my feet and competitive, I scouted ahead of my party and staked us a place right smack in the middle with a good view. There we set up camp, as the jazz trio warmed the crowd up with their opening act. The sun was still out, and it was fun to see what other's had brought for food. I set about eating a gigantic tofu salad that took me all of 90 minutes to consume. I can honestly say this grazing was really, really enjoyable. We had a little time before Cal Phil got started, and legged it to the porta-potties (very clean and non-smelly!), as well as explored the food booths (bought a huge slice of delicious carrot cake to be consumed in the dark). What was most engaging to me was Maestro Victor Vener: even though he was binoculars-away, his manner and voice was so warm and personal, it felt like he was speaking to you, the crowd, directly. He made it comfortable to enjoy the music...it was not something obtuse or esoteric. I even found myself swaying along to the music, recalling pieces from my childhood, and absolutely being riveted by those well-known, beloved orchestral pieces. I left feeling like I wanted to skip and twirl from the ambience and music! OK, so maybe I'm just easily moved, but I don't care...I definitely want to return for more enjoyable summer evenings on the Green! Thanks Cal Phil!!!

I came for a free event in front of the Pasadena city hall. The orchestra played classic broadway…read moresongs and even sang. The music was beautiful and transitions were great.

I think I'm entering some sort of mid-life crisis stage and want to start "living my life" and…read moredoing things I enjoy, I don't think most would include going to the symphony on their list, but I enjoy it and haven't been in ages. I decided to purchase a pair of tickets to a Vivaldi performance, since I used to replay "Winter" again and again in my youth. I was a nerd, yes. Actually, I still am. The friend I took fell asleep in the first five minutes, so this definitely isn't for everyone. However, he woke up later and said he had a good time, so who knows. The musicians did an amazing job, and I'm glad that I dipped my toes back in the symphony scene. The crowd was much, much older, and I think they should install some handrails for the stairs to the seats. It was a challenge for many. I also didn't see a ramp for walkers, etc., but there had to have been one, right? Anyway, it's a good time. Bring your partner, bring your friend (after he/she has been caffeinated), bring your grandma...but careful with your kids, because the lady next to us got real onerous when a kid behind us was rustling some plastic bag. Good on the mom for exposing her kids to the finer things, and shame on the lady for being so sensitive and judgmental, ugh. If she got agro again I was ready to step in. Luckily, that wasn't necessary. See! There was some excitement and drama after all.

I went for a stand up comedy show. loved neon sign out front, the small theatre setting, and kind…read moreemployees.

Sierra Madre Playhouse is an intimate theatre house in SM. It is one of SGV's cultural performing…read morearts. It may not be the Lincoln Center but it can hold its own. Folding seats were comfortable. Atmosphere was vibrant. I got a Nutcracker ticket show at an affordable price. Its perfect for kids and the entire family. It's my first time watching a puppet holiday show, so I was curious enough to see it as a bday gift. For a playhouse this size, it's enough to garner four stars. Playhouse staff were cordial and professional. The performance show is only an hour long. Parking was easy. Overall, it's a nice holiday kid show.

What started as a fun Mommy & Me ballet class has blossomed into a beautiful three-year dance…read morejourney for my daughter. The loving, supportive teachers and welcoming staff have given her the space to grow into her own little dancer at her own pace. I truly believe the positive and nurturing environment at SoCal Arts is what made her fall in love with dance. Watching her confidence grow alongside her passion for dance has been such a rewarding and heartwarming experience for me as a mom. Through SoCal Arts, we've also met some incredible people -- including my daughter's best friend and my own dance mama bestie

Our daughter has been Dancing here for about 5 months and she absolutely loves it! She's only 3 but…read moreasks to go to ballet class on a daily! We love all our teachers and all the friends we've made along the way!

This theatre is so much larger than I expected! We sat in, arguably, the worst seats in the house…read morein the very back of the balcony. We were still able to see and hear everything happening on stage. We were also able to hear what I assume was the hand dryer in the men's room every few minutes. The seats were extremely uncomfortable. My legs were numb by the time intermission came!

What a cute piece of the city! This is a 100+ building with lots of appealing architecture and…read moreinterior design. Great seats but the acoustics are a bit rough. We will definitely get on the mailing list because we thoroughly enjoyed it!

I went to watch one of my fav books, Death of a Salesman, and it was AMAZING!! This was my first…read moretime at A Noise Within and it did not disappoint. It's a beautiful performing center. The staff was diverse and super kind. I don't believe there's any bad seats in there. i was on the far right. I like that this place is very intimate so you are close enough to the actors and it was great. There's free parking, next door that you walk on over.

Wow what a place. It's a small but big and spacious plus intimate setting. The outside doesn't…read morelook anything I would expected, just deco style and flat. But once you get closer, you can see there is a water pond upon entrance. Inside it was long and spacious with show customs displace and couches. You go downstairs in order to get into the show room, which is a huge room with round stage. Comfy chairs and POV, from anyone angle is good angle to see the performers. Really enjoy the space, the theater, the warm and welcoming staff.