I have been a patron of Metropolis for as long as I can remember, starting with the influence of my grandpa and grandma taking me to the children's shows. The quaint theater doesn't really have a "bad" seat in the house! They have programming that spans improv, musicals, classic plays, children's theatre, educational concerts, a capella, etc. They also have a performing arts school in which my daughter has taken classes and summer camps at. One star off because I wish they would do more accessible tickets e.g. rush tickets or lotteries. One of shows of the children from the school of the performing arts was, like, $20/person. Also, the Play that Goes Wrong was $50. I can see a Broadway in Chicago show for that price if you go about it utilizing the proper channels. I do not utilize the bar during shows, but they sell snacks, which are not allowed in the theater, and drinks, which are allowed in the theater. read more

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - MainStage - Performing Arts Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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Very disappointed we paid for seats and then was told first come first serve. So nit happy we waited in lobby thinking we had a say section 3 seat 7-8. So our seats we 3-4 , 5-6, 7-8. For three couples. Instead seat were saved and not together. Every one in this row thought the same. It was awful and birthday party like ours and they had to divide up as some couple sat between them. I see plays on the regular and not sure I would come back here. They cast only performed to the middle section. So it was not worth what we paid. I plan to take my friends to another venue next time. read more

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09/28/25 - My buddy invited me & half the people in Metropolis Performing Arts Culture Theater in downtown Arlington Heights to see Grease as a surprise for his mom's 88th birthday. In Chinese culture 88 symbolizes fortune & good luck. My buddies mom was completely surprised The theater is a nice size so everyone gets a good view of the stage. The performers did a very good job in the recreation of the music along w/the dancing & acting. Very good singing & acting. There are plenty of restaurants & entertainment both before & after in this area. Sorry pictures aren't allowed inside the theater read more

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Came here to watch The Christmas Carol to get in the holiday spirit. First time really walking around downtown Arlington Heights, looks like there's a lot to eat and do in this area. The Theater itself was pretty nice, on the smaller side. It looks like every seat on the first floor will give you a good view of the stage. The ushers were very helpful. The show itself was excellent, the actors were great, definitely a few stars, good costumes and staging. One thing to note that parking in the lot by the theater is best in the parking garage which has some construction going on inside of it. You can only park on floors 1, 3, and 5 and the garage itself doesn't have the greatest signage. read more

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - Performing Arts Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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I was really looking forward to the March 12, 2026 performance of The Play That Goes Wrong at 7:30 pm, but unfortunately the evening didn't go as planned. Around 7:25 pm, just before the show was scheduled to start, a fire alarm went off and the entire audience had to evacuate the theater. When we got outside and saw the fire trucks, our group actually joked that it was quite a commitment to the bit given the theme of the show. Unfortunately it turned out to be a real delay rather than part of the production. After everyone was allowed back in and the show finally began, there was another technical delay less than 10 minutes into the performance. The bigger issue for our group was the seating situation. We had purchased our tickets months in advance (Section 1, Row B seats 5 through 11 and Row A seat 11), and they were not listed or priced as obstructed view. For this ASL assisted performance, the interpreters were seated on barstools at stage height directly in front of our seats. Because of the placement, they blocked large portions of the stage and several key visual moments of the show, which is especially challenging for a very visual and highly physical comedy like The Play That Goes Wrong. After the evacuation, the delays, and realizing we would not be able to clearly see much of the performance, our group decided to leave. I absolutely support ASL interpreted performances and have attended many before. In my experience, interpreters are typically positioned to the side of the stage in a well lit area so they are visible to those who need them without obstructing the performance for others. In this case, the placement unfortunately made it difficult for several seats to see the show. I hope the theater reviews the setup for future interpreted performances so accessibility can be provided while also maintaining clear sightlines for surrounding audience members. read more

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - obstructed view - Performing Arts Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Excited first time here. I was lucky enough that someone canceled. My brother's friend is having a big bash for his mom's 85th and he invited me and afterwards we're going for dim sum at Ming hin read more

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - GREASE - Performing Arts Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

My family and I attended Metropolis and all loved the show, even my cynical 14 year old son! Talented cast, nice theatre, great production. (As a side note, I accidentally left my glasses under my seat, and they not only retrieved them for me, but they made an extra effort to get them back to me.... thanks again, Metropolis!) read more

A regional treasure. Nearby restaurants and parking make this an ideal evening destination.

Well we went last night to see Jack Frost. I usually love Second City but I gotta tell you their skits were lame and not funny. The skit about ICE I thought was uncalled for. We left shortly after intermission. I can't remember ever doing that. read more

The Metropolis has had NO heat in the theatre for a month! We were told yesterday by Mary in the box office that the heat was fixed! No heat last night....she lied to me! This is outrageous to run a business like this! And for people to think it's okay to come to a show with blankets is insane! I believe most of the audience only came and stayed because these tickets are final sale no refunds. I am so disappointed with the way the box office lied to me IN WRITING that the heat was fixed. And, not to add insult to injury...the show was terrible too. My advice....take your loss and stay home!! read more

Love!! Metropolis is a wonderful theatre in downtown Arlington Heights. They have several shows throughout the year. I have seen a few plays here and they have all Been great! There is alcohol and soft drinks available to purchase. read more

This is the highest quality local theater you will find! My son did two summer camps this past summer and loved them. They were a more expensive than the park district camps but if you have a kid that is an extrovert, this is the place for them. My son was cast into good roles and after the end of three weeks, they put on their show twice. Great introduction to theater for kids. Then we bought a subscription package to see three matinees over the course of a year and we just saw A Christmas Carol. It was very well done. My son loved it. Nice to be out in downtown Arlington Heights too. read more

This is a nice little theatre. It's cozy with a 329 person capacity and you're very close to the performers. There's just one level, and I thought the seat spacing and comfort were also better than average. It's also located on a prime stretch of Campbell St. conveniently in the midst of many eateries, including bars and dessert shops, and which makes for a wonderful evening out in Arlington Heights. We enjoyed a nice 2 hour show by Big Suit, a 9 person band who played tribute to all the hits by Talking Head. I would definitely like to return for another outing here. read more

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Saw a play and it was fabulous. The cars were phenomenal and the prices were very reasonable. Highly recommend!

Only one entrance and street permanently blocked off so no way to drop off. Must walk around block from parking garage or Lyft can drop across street with no railing. Plays use student actors from their school so if only 3 needed onstage there are 10 or 20, I guess so all get a chance. Very difficult to tell which are main characters. Also band so loud can't hear words and worse when singing. The vapor they release is bad & not sure why needed in 9-5, taking place in the office. Coughed continuous after released & week later lungs still burn. Contacted Village as theatre did not respond. read more

First time at this venue . A very small and comfortable little gem of a theater. I come from an hour south ( Shorewood ), and I would definitely take the drive again for this nice theater and a Fabulous band Glad we found another venue where all the seats have a terrific view. And sound and staff are also very decent !! read more

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Saw a wonderful rendition of The Music Man here, with some talent you wouldn't expect for the suburbs! I'd highly recommend catching a show here. read more

My daughter and I went to the opening night of a Christmas Carol. We normally go to the Goodman but their prices have gotten way out of line. Mertropolis was not only affordable but the show was great. The cast did a great job with limited sets, their singing was excellent. Highly recommend you go see the performance. read more

First time here & experiencing A Christmas Carol live. It was wonderful and loved everything about it! May come back from Ohio to see more plays! Actors were very good and being slightly hearing impaired I could understand every word! Thought the addition of the ballet dancer was a very good addOrion to the play! read more

An alright theater in the Arlington Heights area. The space is a bit smaller than most theaters around and does not have multi-level seating. However that does also mean that you're not too far from the performers even if you have a last row seats. Sound system could be updated a bit and the lighting system seems a bit limited. These limitations do seem to affect the scale of performances possible at this venue. Fortunately however, they do a wide variety of shows here, with tons of performances -- so it's not too difficult to get seats. It's also not too difficult to get discount tickets, even on weekends -- which is something that is difficult for Chicago shows. Recently, they've also had some bigger name shows such as Rent, Young Frankenstein, and Hair to save local viewers a trip downtown. Biggest perk though is the theater's location in Downtown Arlington Heights -- providing very easy parking and a wide variety of food options easily within walking distance. There are also theater subscriptions available for a reasonable price that allow you to choose which shows you want to watch and the seats for them. A nice theater for Arlington Heights with great directing, choreography, musicians, etc. but really -- after watching 4 shows here in less than a year, I wish the sound system was improved as it really makes it difficult to understand the dialog and singing at times (and this is coming from someone who is fairly familiar with the musicals he's watching). In scenes with individual actors instead of the entire cast singing, the sound can seem soft, distant, and/or muffled. This is really the one criticism I have overall (even for sound in non-musical productions and comedy shows), which is the only reason for not giving the venue 5-stars. read more

So a group of us went here to see Avenue Q... It's kind of an avant-garde and slightly shocking Muppet version of Rent... This theater is always fun to go to because there is not one bad seat in the house really... And it's so close to so many fun downtown eateries in Arlington Heights... It's very convenient once you actually get parking, too go have dinner afterwards, like we did, at Shakou. And during the intermission... You can get drinks or a snack at Mago Grill read more

Nice little theater location to have in the suburbs! They occasionally have some great shows and performers come through but it's hit or miss most of the time. I saw an underwhelming performance of RENT here but also enjoyed a lovely Gershwin concert on another occasion. There is lots to do in the area--especially if you want to do dinner and a show. You have several dining options available to you in the same building, which is nice. Typically, parking isn't too bad either since there's lots of street parking and a parking garage on the same block. While the lobby area is clean and easy to navigate, the theater area--particularly the seats--could use a good cleaning. Additionally, if you have a child, they also happen to offer a fun theater camp during the summer months. read more

This review is for their School of Performing Arts- Unfortunately, unless you are a family of means it's impossible to afford continuous classes at Metropolis. Since this Spring we have spent about a thousand dollars in classes at SOPA, which only included an acting class and a 2 week "camp". The acting class was lackluster at best and according to my child the teacher spent a lot of time having to keep certain students on task and reprimanding them. The camp suffered a covid outbreak which derailed the experience. The show still went on but many of the students had missed several days of an already short camp experience. It definitely was not worth the 675.00. What really bothered me is that they advertise open calls for upcoming JR. productions and say that anyone can audition. I thought this was a good alternative to signing up for additional classes this Fall that I cannot afford at the moment. because I've already spent so much, but if you read the fine print if says that if your child is cast you must pay 275.00 for them to be in the production. I spoke to a friend in Phoenix whose child is also active in youth theatre and she never has had to pay to be in a production. The casting process is also chaotic in my opinion and they unnecessarily drag it out, telling the kids that even if they don't get a call back they might still be cast. They should just be honest with them, no one on the final cast list was not on the call back list. It's sad how prohibitive the costs associated with SOPA are, despite them priding themselves on inclusivity. read more

Worth the trek from the city for this quaint little theatre in charming downtown Arlington heights. Free parking conveniently located right around the corner from the theater. No bad seats as theater I'd small enough to have great views from all sections. We saw Legally Blond and it was ADORABLE. I took my almost 9 year old and thank goodness the sexual jokes/ references went right over her head. Most of the actors were just wonderful ( Elle woods was endearing, authentic and had a beautiful little voice) One musical number was a little un PC ( ok a lot un PC and I'm a little surprised it wasn't written out of the play - it's the gay- dar number where they are trying to decide if someone is gay or " just European". Oh geez. Besides from that number I thought the show was Really really fun and well done. Loved the diverse cast and seeing various body types, races etc represented. Appreciate the strict covid policies and requirements to show vax cards for entry. So happy to be enjoying live theatre again and this show left me feeling happy and wanting me to see another show at this venue ASAP. read more

After attending many excellent performances here over the past 5 years it's time to up them to 5-Star status. They do a fantastic job with casting because all the actors give such fantastic performances. And their set designers do a great job as well since it is a small theater they have to get creative with scenery and reusing props. Since it is a small theater there really isn't a bad seat in the place and the staff is friendly & helpful. The seats are comfortable, sound system is excellent & the restrooms have always been clean & well maintained. You can often find authorized discounted tickets online through a site called Goldstar as well but even at full price these are wonderful shows at a fraction of the cost of seeing a play downtown. read more

We used to go here years ago when our daughter was acting as a child and a teen. The Metropolis is a small, intimate theater/venue. It is modern, well appointed and very comfortable. Since we last went there, Mago (a locally owned chain Mexican restaurant opened next door and has a direct entrance into the theater which is very convenient. We had seen plays here before but had never gone to hear a band play. The acoustics are really good. And, because of the way the theater is laid out, there is not a bad seat in the house. We were about twelve rows back, but could easily see the band. The acoustics made it not too loud and made the sound very clear. Now that we know the clarity of the sound, we will watch for more concerts playing here. Hopefully, we will be back soon. read more

The executive director reached out to me and explained the reason for the strictness on phone usage which is per the request of the performers and out their control. I respect that and for that, I'm adding an extra star. I still plan on returning here one day if they host another show that interests me. read more

The theatre itself was nice, and the show was great. But, the staff would really benefit from some education on individuals with disabilities. We purchased a wheelchair seat for a member of our group, and when we mentioned that to the lady scanning tickets, she said "well can't she just get out of the wheelchair and transfer to a regular chair? nobody told us to remove the regular seats for a wheelchair." When I purchased the tickets, I specifically chose that row FOR the wheelchair seat, which is the one I selected online. She was very rude and ignorant about it, but thankfully, the manager (I believe) came and removed the seats and was very pleasant about it. All in all, decent experience, but I am beyond disappointed at how rudely someone would treat a person with disabilities. THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE RESPECT. period. read more

This theater deserves your patronage. It offers a lovely location with great parking and has excellent welcoming staff. The Legend of Georgia McBride (seen yesterday) was really terrific, professional, polished and so entertaining. Make sure you book your tickets. I can't wait to my next show in March! read more

How lucky am I to live in this town with such a fabulous theater! First visit and saw Beehive. The Executive/Artistic Director, Joe Keefe, did a tremendous job with casting. The performers were funny and talented and just dynamic! Beautiful stage with a kind of peek through view of the musicians too. All the seats are excellent. The theater probably seats about 200 and each section goes back about 10 rows. Not a bad seat in the house! Fantastic venue. For this performance, they had TV's mounted next to the stage to flash back to old clips of The Beatles, Bewitched, etc. Fun way to integrate technology and create another dimension to enrich this historical musical. Easy access to bathrooms and a small bar at intermission. Really fun place to go for a night out. This building is also connected to Mago, Armand's Pizza and Arlington Ale House. read more

Very disappointed in there "rules" !!! Went to the best place ever Kilwins down the street and got one scoop of the best ice cream I had to throw it in the garbage because they wouldn't allow me in the theater with it So - its okay to be a drunken fool and spill drinks on the seats and on the floor but to have one scoop of ice cream in a cup is not allowed. The chance of me dropping my ice cream was slim to none. The chance of spilling a drink ??? Hope you have good insurance for your guests who may slip and fall with the drinks you serve read more

A great little performing arts venue in the heart of Arlington Heights downtown! They let you bring beverages into the theater, they're attached to a Mexican restaurant, the bathrooms are big enough to accomodate the crowd at intermission, it's all good enough for me! For the Second City performance, they also had little tables set up right at the foot of the stage... I can't imagine that it would be great viewing from there, but it was a cool way to approximate the downtown Second City experience. They have some good shows coming-- definitely worth checking out! read more

I had the pleasure of seeing my very first Tonic Sol-Fa concert at the Metropolis on March 9, 2013. The downtown Arlington Heights area is adorable and I find these smaller, intimate theaters to be such a great thing. The Metropolis is nice. Nothing fancy, but it's perfect for taking in a musical guest, a play, etc. The staff was pleasant, the theater and restrooms were clean and it's conveniently located by a parking garage and local eateries. read more

So grateful to have Metropolis in the middle of our town! Professional, consistently high-quality programming - some developed in house, some contracted. And a performing arts school that has inspired and trained hundreds of kids! Every experience there has been good. read more

This is a nice little venue located right in downtown Arlington Heights. We went to see a Christmas Carol, and it was a quality production. Way more convenient than going to Chicago to see the show and the price is right. Very well done, parking is close and safe and plenty of restaurants around. We will definitely be back for other shows. read more

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre - Christmas Carol 2016 - Performing Arts Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

We went to see A Christmas Carol last night and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. This was our first time at the theatre and we will check out other performances in the future. The actors did a beautiful job and their voices sounded great. The special effects made the Christmas ghosts "come to life ". My husband and I really enjoyed the performance and the Christmas lights in the downtown made it extra special. read more

I've seen a few shows here, and I've got to say, I kind of love it! It's a small theatre, but I really haven't found a bad seat in the house. I've sat in the front row, I've sat in the back row, and I've sat all the way on the side and each time I was able to see facial expressions and everything going on. Most recently, I was here for a Second City show and right before it started, they set up this little cabaret table with 4 chairs in front of the front row. That was obnoxious considering the people in the first row then could not see around the people sitting at that table. So, that was unnecessary and not worth any ticket up-charge IMO. Bathrooms are big (no lines!), parking isn't bad (street and garage parking), and there are plenty of restaurants around if you want to eat before/after. If you live in the NW burbs, you really can't beat the convenience. It's nice to have a place like this in my 'hood. read more

Throwback drag show at the local theater? You bet your bottom dollar (just like Annie) I'm there! The theater itself is small- but all that means is there isn't a bad seat in the house. Great sound quality, everything is easily viewed, perfect for interactive shows or audience participation- as proven by our show, 'The Andrews Brothers', and my rather dashing date, who was brought up on stage for 2 musical numbers and was such a good sport (I have to give him a plug on this one) that the rest of the audience thought he was actually part of the show. I mean, he's certainly handsome enough to be in showbiz.. That's for sure. #WinkWinkHubbaHubba Anyway, we were the youngest people in the audience... by about, erm, I'd say 50 years. No joke. I didn't know what to expect but I had read all of the reviews for our play and everyone seemed skeptical at first but unanimously won over in the end. My story is no different. Loved it and was thoroughly entertained the entire time. I'd even go so far as to say I'd see it again. (Yay, Hawaiian Number!) It looks like this theater has a pretty wide variety of shows- anywhere from children's to adult theater and musicals to drama. I, personally, wouldn't mind hitting up their take on Stuart Little. I would defo recommend checking out this theater and any of its shows based on my positive and memorable experience here. In fact, I'm thinking that buying some MPAC gift certificates for family members this holiday season might be the perfect way to gift. Quick tip: Shut your phone off BEFORE you go into the theatre. Those usher ladies mean business... well, that and your cell service will cause crazyhorriblenailsonachalkboard interference noises over the stage microphones if in use during the show (allegedly). read more

We went to see Hair here and I was suitably impressed. I feel odd rating a theatre because it's going to vary by the performance. However, overall, it's well put together theatre, nice bar, prompt start times, and frankly, much more on point than I expected. By the way, specific to the performance of Hair, I was truly blown away by at least 5 of the performers voices - I think I expected less from a young cast out in the burbs. They were stellar; even the ones who weren't powerhouses were extremely good. Parking is plentiful, the workers are friendly, there's not a bad seat in the house. Sherwin C wrote a pretty darn thorough review, and so there's not a lot to expand on. Personally, though, I had no issue with the sound quality (maybe they replaced it). read more

Was here for a vendor event. It was decent. Nice bathrooms. Decent food. Haven't been here for a performance. I have been in the theater portion last year for a similar afterhours event. It's a very nice space. Would love to come back for an actual performance. It's pretty elegant. Parking is great too next door is free on Sundays! read more