Came here last night for the Santa Barbara film festival virtuosos award. I grew up going here for…read morea field trips and it was always a fun time. The building is so beautiful. I had a great time last night.

You have read enough about live performances in this space. I am sorry to say it also sucks as a…read moremovie theater. It smells. Like somebody else's storage unit. The stage curtains can no longer be fully retracted for a widescreen movie. Super Mario Galaxy, of all things, had about 3 feet on each side projected onto the curtains. Abandoning the beautiful entryway and its kiosk is unforgiveable. Instead you are to buy your tickets in the box office, which bears no resemblance to the rest of the building. It looks like a pop-up version of the office at your middle school. It's beautiful inside, and the unpleasant smell is faint enough you'll forget it once your popcorn and red licorice ick int. But be sure you sit in the front 10 to 20 rows if you want to actually feel you are watching a projected film on a big screen. My negativity is here to apply what small share of pressure I can contribute to what should be one of Santa Barbara's iconic landmarks. The theater is worth visiting anyway. On a certain level it is wonderful. But boy does it need a lot of work.

What an amazing venue. The outside is beautiful with a lovely marquee. The lobby is small, but…read morepeacefully decorated. There is an orchestra level as well as a balcony level and when you walk into the theater space it is beautiful. The stage is large. The theater holds a lot of people. The ticket takers and ushers were extremely friendly and more than happy to help in anyway you can. Just off the lobby there are men's and women's restrooms that have about two stalls in each. There are more restrooms and larger restrooms upstairs. The seats are very soft and cushiony and comfortable to sit in for longer periods of time. There was not a ton of legroom so if you are a taller person, I suggest getting an aisle seat. We went to the event, called an evening with the dude screaming the movie the big Lebowski where we watched the movie, then Jeff Bridges came out, shared stories photographs, and answered questions about the movie. It started I believe at six and went went on for several hours to a sold out crowd. With that being said, the theater never felt too congested to where you could not move and get around. They also offer a small concession stand, and you can bring food and drink to your seat. However, there is no outside food and drink permitted. Definitely love this little theater and I will for sure check out more events there in the future.

We saw Joe Bonamassa here tonight and had a great time. The theater has so much history, and the…read moresound was spot on. We are going to see what other shows of interest will be performed here so we can return soon. A beautiful venue.

An excellent experience with member of the rock' n roll hall of fame. Only drawback was the…read morerestroom was on a different floor. Beer and cider were served on the outside steps. Go to a concert here and relive musical history.

My husband and I saw a concert here and loved it! The venue was beautiful and the staff were so…read morehelpful in finding our seats. We loved the smallness of the theater and the seats were very comfortable. Overall a great experience! We were not, however, allowed to take videos or pictures during the performance. I understand not wanting the distraction of cameras, but do wish I could have gotten more footage of the artist I love.

First off the theater is BEAUTIFUL. I found lots of little hidden secrets . The service was…read moreINCREDIBLE and everyone was so nice. I truly felt welcomed as a tourist. Thank you Solvang Festival Theater for the new and wonderful experience!

(Attended 07/23/25 WE @ 7:30pm): Would I be able to solve the case behind the play's mystery at…read morethis local festival theater!? This was my first time attending a performance let alone hearing about the Solvang Festival Theater when I researched anything to do this evening. Under the bigger banner of Solvang Theaterfest and the Pacific Conservatory Theater (PCPA), this 700-seat open-air venue opened in 1974 (just past its 50th anniversary!) and has since garnered countless live performances from concerts to plays, while they continued to expand the programming to include other types of entertainment. On this fateful evening, I had the pleasure to experience the play, "Holmes And Watson", as I was a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and had never heard of this. Would I check the theater's schedule for something festive the next time I was in Solvang!? PURCHASE Ticket - Section 3 Row C Seat 3 + Fee ($72.00 + $3.00): A last-minute buy, I totally scored with this single seat nearly in the front row among friendly guests! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=83_WgH5VVPmXXjv_CzodHA 2024 Lucas & Lewellen Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine 4floz Pour ($12.00): Real cork, deep red color, bold berries jammy aroma, medium body, berries earthy jammy flavor, drying finish, berries earthy jammy sweet aftertaste, and medium astringency. A lovely wine that paired well with my dessert. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=qdLD2rHUPW9bpvk6zn2eDg Santa Maria Sweet Street Warehouse Tiramisu ($8.00): This was an amazingly lovely dessert with multiple layers of sweet goodness heavily covered with a dusting of cocoa powder. The large portion size was also a surprise for the price. Value all around! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=5XlcRq7PLNv-YAvHBH_TlA THE SHOW A murder, an isolated asylum, and the fallout from a dismembered criminal organization was the setting of this new mystery play with intrigue and plot twists from start to finish. Sherlock Holmes has been missing for two years (presumed dead - no body was found - after he fell off the Reichenbach Falls at the hands of Professor Moriarty), and his partner Dr. Watson has been called to try and identify the real Sherlock Holmes among three patients claiming to be him. With subtle clues, the mystery unfolds on stage with the blend of comical and dramatic roles of each of the actors. Don't spoil the ending! SERVICE The online ticket purchase was seamless, the check-in line outside the venue went swiftly, there was little to no line when I bought my beer/snack, I didn't recall seeing any security, and the volunteer staff was friendly and nice - easy-peasy! PARKING (FREE): Generally speaking, all of the many public lots throughout the town were free and spacious (I found a spot steps away), in addition to free parking along all of the surrounding streets - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE Once you walked through the front entryway, you found yourself in an open grassy area https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=DeJYP2D1HX_aq1-SVY7BkQ with seating throughout, the concession stand, the merchandise booth, and a large leafy tree. Once inside, you looked among the tiered rows of seats as they faced and curved toward the stage. The sound quality was very nice. Plenty of natural lighting since you were outdoors while the electric house, stage, and street lighting filled in the rest. I didn't recall any monitors or pre or post background music. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=qkmSKrGwWmhebCkMUx5ovg ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL I had a very enjoyable time with the performance of "Holmes And Watson" at the Solvang Festival Theater and would definitely consider another visit the next time I was doing an overnight visit! The drive from L.A. was more than two hours, so I wouldn't recommend a daytrip. However, the various convenient parking options, and the town of Solvang were major pluses. The intimacy of the theatre should prove favorable to both patrons and performers. And, there were plenty of things to do in the immediate area. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $95.00 BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, although I was only allowed to pay with a VISA card to buy the ticket online, they accepted my credit card of choice for the concessions... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

We have had season tickets for years, and I am always impressed by the professional, top-notch…read moreperformances, especially their musicals. Numerous well known actors from TV shows appear often. Seats have been updated, and they schedule more matinees now. It is enjoyable local live entertainment at a reasonable price.

I saw Eleanor here-a one woman show about Eleanor Roosevelt. Loved it. The theater is just the…read moreright size-small to get the experience I wanted. Would like to return. We live about an hour and a half away but this would be something I want to do each time we stay here.

I've been visiting Oxnard PACC twice a year for 20+ years minus Covid-19 time…read more Great venue, parking is suitable. Bathrooms are good , and the staff are always friendly and easy to work it.

Took my mom to the Mother's Day Mariachi Festival. The performances and music were great, and we…read morereally enjoyed the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the sound system was terrible, which made it hard to fully enjoy the event. That's the main reason for my low score.

The Garvin is nestled on the beautiful Santa Barbara Community College Campus, complete with an…read moreocean view. I had the great pleasure of watching "In the Next Room" that included a small, but mighty cast. My experience from speaking to the representatives at Will Call to saying hello to the cast members at the end was beyond fantastic! Everyone I encountered was ever so friendly. The theater in itself is beautiful, the seats are comfy, everything is fairly new, or at least well-kept and modern. Snack stand available during intermission and prices are very fair. Restrooms located downstairs, plentiful and clean. I would happily come watch another production at the Garvin!

The Theatre group at Santa Barbara Community College performance of "In the Next Room or the…read morevibrator play by Sarah Ruhl was fantastic. The Garvin Theatre was the perfect size for this production. Each seat in the theatre had full view of the stage with great props for the time period of the play. The comedy "In the Next Room made you laugh with the introduction of the vibrator and how and why it was administered. As the story unfolded sad moments occurred with character "Elizabeth" who was hired to nurse another woman's baby after the death of her own baby. Each character in the play had an awesome performance and the costumes were amazing; especially the details in the female's garments.

Rockabilly lovers need to watch Million Dollar Quartet at least once in their life!…read more The heat started and the flame never dimmed in the nostalgic classic rock sounds honoring Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins. The actors and actress were extremely talented and never missed a beat.

I've seen several shows here, and it is a great theater! The actors are incredibly creative and…read moretalented and make use of the small stage, and every seat is a great seat in this intimate space. Worth every penny, such a wonderful and beautiful venue.

This review is for the performance offerings that UCSB's Theater and Dance program is providing…read more(free!) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department has been doing a great job of continuing to create a season of work despite physical and social distancing requirements. By migrating productions to an online format, the show goes on! Last night I had the pleasure of watching "Under Ordinary Circumstances," the last theater production of the Fall quarter portion of the season. The piece, written by Brian Otaño and directed by Shirley Jo Finney, saw members of an AA group for young people working through their recovery during this year's quarantine. Cast and crew--many of whom are by now well-versed in Zoom theater--did a fantastic job. In addition, this season has so far included a whopping eight other productions. Spanning across Department projects and affiliations from Naked Shakes (a Shakespeare performance company) to Launch Pad (which produces new works), these events have presented diverse storytelling styles and subject matter. Yet to come is the Fall BFA Dance major Capstone show. Winter and Spring promise an exciting menu of stagings. You can find performance information and an event calendar on the Department's website. I've also signed up for the emailing list to get news, and if you want to sign up you can do so here: https://www.theaterdance.ucsb.edu/news/announcement/807 Disclaimer: I am a Department PhD student, so this review may be biased!

First and foremost, this is a UC. Meaning that is of the highest academic standards. I was thrilled…read morethat two of my daughters were able to continue to dance, while at the same time get a world class education. UCSB is not a dance school. It is a highly ranked research university and education comes first. Those wanting a school solely because of its dance program should not go here. Not because it isn't good, but because the focus will be on educating the student to become a future leader in whatever field they choose. Although UCSB is a large school, it acts more like a smaller school with staff and professors that care about each student and their success. I am a UCLA Alumni and I can honestly say that my girls get treated way better here at UCSB than I ever did at UCLA. Anyone would be lucky to be admitted to the dance program here at UCSB and I am blessed that two of my daughters were fortunate enough. Go Gauchos!

I love what David is doing with the theater now. The movie variety is amazing for a small town. I…read morelove the speakers who come and talk about the films. The sound is great. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, very old Ojai vibe. The snacks are varied and delicious.

Did you know that this locally owned business in a historic building house free movies that are…read moresometimes first one movies? I'm visiting my daughter in Ojai and we went to the Playhouse a few weeks ago to see Marty supreme and I love this place so I checked out there screenings and I saw that song sung blue was playing which I haven't seen yet and I wanted to see. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw that it was a free screening so I registered and got myself a ticket. It was for a Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM and I was expecting a full house, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was only maybe half full. I got my small popcorn for seven dollars and a glass of water and happily sat in my seat and watched this wonderful movie in this special theater. It's so nice to be able to come to a locally owned and operated theater that is not a chain theater. They have the best snack bar I've ever seen in my life, especially for people that like old school candies and fresh organic popcorn. They even had yeast flakes to put on my popcorn, which brought back so many great memories Thanks for providing a special community gathering spot Ojai Playhouse ! You help make Ojai the happy place that it is