Firehouse Arts Center doubles as a museum/art gallery and a local theater. Located in downtown…read morePleasanton the building was an old firehouse. Black Badge Yelper Steve T. invited us to a night of Comedy on a Saturday night. On the backside of the Center is the city park were they have free concerts in the summer. The theater is small and intimate. The evening showcased 7 local comedians some of which were better than others. During intermission we browsed the gallery with all of the art work. The art was for sale. All in all a nice evening.

Enjoyed an evening of Disney jazz with the Jeff Bordes Quartet and Alanna Vicente. The lovely…read moresounds of the piano, bass, drums, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and vocals paired with an excellent sound setup and lighting in this theater. No concessions were available on site, but they did offer guests free bottled water in the lobby. Photography and video recording was allowed for this particular show. Note, you can't see the full stage from the side balcony section unless you lean forward drastically as the seats are too far from the railing and unmovable. There are also poles in front of some of the side balcony seats with no advanced notice about the obstructed view when purchasing tickets... there's a reason these are the cheapest seats in the house. The performance was great, including beloved tunes from Mary Poppins (Chim Chim Cher-ee), Cinderella (A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes), 101 Dalmations (Cruella De Vil), Aladdin (Never Had a Friend Like Me), The Little Mermaid (Kiss the Girl), Snow White (Some Day My Prince Will Come), Lady and the Tramp, The Princess and the Frog, Jungle Book, and a non-disney encore of What a Wonderful World.

Great classes and very experienced instructors. It was…read morefun and a wonderful experience. I'm definitely signing up for more classes.

Mark is an amazing instructor and has a long tenure of improv performance that comes across in his…read moreinstruction. Classes are fun and inspiring. Highly recommend.

So many music schools, which school is the right place to choose? We chose Inspire Academy of Music…read more& Arts. I also highly recommend to other families. All teachers at Inspire are kind and professional with love, power and the magic of music to teach each kid either in private or group lessons. We always feel so lucky that we have such wonderful school nearby for our kid to have his music lessons. My ten years old son has been learning piano at Inspire Academy since August 2015. He loves having his piano lessons. My son has learnt and achieved soo much for his age. Every time when we watch him performing at recitals like a young artist/pianist, we feel so proud! Every time when we watch other higher level students performing truly like a professional pianist at recitals/stages, we feel inspired! We feel so grateful that we had chosen the right and the best music school for our son to learn piano.

This place is so awesome! In a world with so many music schools, sometimes it's hard to find one…read morethat is everything it should be. Inspire Music delivers on every front, and the whole experience is fantastic. The staff is wonderful, the location convenient and the prices very reasonable. Whatever instrument you're learning, no matter your age or level, definitely enroll here!

After 12 incredible years of being part of this family in many aspects, I can honestly say it is a…read moreplace like no other . The owners are the sweetest guys and truly care for each and every student. They are great communicators and the admin process is simple and organized. The studio is safe to drop off your kids for hours on end , the kids will make everlasting friendships & learn valuable life lessons. My daughter has loved all her teachers and valued their expectations and standards to make her the best she can be. She thrived in the classroom due to her time management skills, juggling her education and Dance. I would highly reccomend trying the summer classes if you don't know where to start. There is a class/ level for everyone to shine and JUST DANCE!!

We love Triple Threat Performance! The customer service was quick and helpful. They got us set up…read moreright away. The instructors are awesome, and my girls absolutely love them. There are plenty of class options to choose from, and the price point is super reasonable. Highly recommend!

TVYPA is an amazing program for young people that want to perform in a variety of different…read moremusicals. I've been to several different shows and always have been highly entertained, and impressed with how the director Brian has worked with these kids to help show them how to perform on stage.

TVYPA is a blessing to the families of young children in the Tri-Valley East Bay Area. We have…read moreknown the Director Brian for a few years now. He is really passionate about drama and high performance. Since he is a full-time Elementary school teacher, he really knows how to get the best out of these kids. He has a team of excellent choreographers and directors working with him. Their whole team works really hard and the result is a phenomenal production. Drama improves a child's self-confidence in public speaking and provides a great platform for team work. After every performance we are totally awed by the enthusiasm and perfection of the whole team. The only negative I would say is that we are spoilt with TVYPA and would have a tough time doing drama with any other company.

The initial intro class went well. My daughter seemed interested, so I decided to go ahead & enroll…read moreher. The young lady who was in charge of registration was very sweet & made the process very simple. I don't believe she is still there, as she mentioned she was going away for college. I want to make it clear that this review is not based on her at all because she was very kind & helpful. My daughter joined RTA very excited & looking forward to learning more about dance & theater since she already loves to dance & perform at home. The class she was introduced to was an ongoing class where students can join at any time. Looking back, I don't think that format worked well for a new student, especially because the girls were already familiar with the routines & each other. We went to a couple of classes & I could see my daughter feeling left out & trying to keep up with dances she had never done before. As a parent, you notice when a teacher genuinely makes an effort to engage with a new student & help them feel welcome. I didn't get that impression here. There were moments when I felt like my daughter could have used more encouragement or guidance, especially when the other girls were already comfortable partnering up with one another. I understand that it can be difficult for a new student to come into an established group, but I also feel that is an important part of a teacher's role. Moving forward, an email was sent saying that videos would be available for the girls to practice their dance routine. Every time I checked, there was no video posted. After the third class, my daughter was completely discouraged & no longer wanted to go, which is very unlike her. She plays golf, plays musical instruments, interacts well with others, & generally enjoys trying new activities. We didn't show up to the following classes & I will be fair & say that I could have reached out myself to let them know we weren't planning to continue. However, it honestly seemed like no one even noticed that my daughter had stopped attending. Given that we had enrolled & were being charged monthly, I would have expected at least some type of follow-up or check-in to see how we were doing. Instead, the monthly payments continued to be withdrawn for months. Overall, I was disappointed because my daughter started out genuinely excited about RTA dance/theater & within just a few classes she felt discouraged enough that she didn't want to return. I think there is a lot of potential for a program like this, but I would have liked to see more effort put into welcoming & integrating new students, better communication regarding the practice videos & some type of follow-up when a student suddenly stops attending.

I want to share a story about our family and how Musical Theater, more specifically how RTA…read more(previously Grand Performing Arts) has positively impacted our daughter's lives and our life as a family. My oldest daughter Chloe was bullied in the 2nd and 3rd grade. She was picked on by her peers and then in 3rd grade she was constantly picked on by the same two girls and was physically hurt on a consistent basis by one of them. Based on the observations of Chloe's second grade teacher, Chloe was able to receive some support via a school program run by the school counselor. It was the school counselor that brought to our attention that Chloe's self-confidence needed some support and healing and that by enrolling her in something that allowed her to be creative, to express herself on an individualistic manner, but in a group setting would help her overcome some obstacles. I'm so glad that the school counselor was able to see Chloe. See what she suffered from and seeing what she needed to redirect her on a path of positivity and growth. As we have a family history of depression, I could already see the signs in Chloe and didn't want her to fall into the deep hole I myself fall into time and time again. Soon after, I happened to fall upon a FB Ad for Grand Performing Arts. I contacted Kristi Grand, the Director at the time (and co-founder), shared our story and I felt an immediate connection. That was over 5 years ago. And today, Chloe and her younger sister Ella live, breathe, sleep, eat and dream about the theater. We have found a community/family filled with love, support, positivity, acceptance, and awesome examples of what an awesome place the world would be like if everyone had just a little more singing, dancing and acting in their lives. My husband and I continue to commit ourselves to RTA, supporting them behind the scenes because we BELIEVE in them. Their mission, their vision, their philosophies and we can't thank them enough for saving our little Chloe and bringing us closer as a family. Coach Trent and his staff provide a home away from home for our girls. A place to thrive. A place to be. Join the magic and then you can witness for yourself the proof of what RTA and Musical Theater can do...

No plans? Heck, have plans? Cancel them, and go see a Creatures of Impulse show instead. Bring your…read morewife, bring your kids, it's a blast for the entire family. Structured into long form shows or games similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway, Creatures of Impulse is an improv group of teenagers who use minor hints and suggestions to form hilarious and inspiring shows made with no preparation! I went to the free preview of their holiday show earlier this week and had an absolute blast. In fact I had so much fun, I'm paying to see it again this weekend. I can say from personal experience that Mark Duncanson and Salim Razawi are excellent coaches for these kids, and the results are spectacular fun. Not only is it a wonderful experience for the audience, it's a fantastic learning experience for the children. Improvisation teaches kids to think on their feet and attempt to think several steps ahead in a matter of seconds, debating the consequences of each word and action. I've known several children to join and leave this group, and all of them are better for the experience. My only hope is that they continue doing this well into the future, not only so i can get more laughs and fun in my life, but also so that one day I can have my own children become a part of something this incredible.

Tired of watching Pawn Stars during your evenings after dinner? As funny as Chumlee is, there's…read moresomething much more entertaining out there. This source of entertainment is Creatures of Impulse. As a founding member and long-time fan, I can assure you that this teen improvisational group will have you laughing, crying, thinking, and performing other bodily functions simultaneously. Based on your suggestions, the performers will create a unique show that is different from every other show and will never be seen again, so you should definitely see as many shows as you can. With cheap tickets and a great location in downtown Pleasanton so you can easily grab dinner, frozen yogurt, or drinks to ensure a fantastic evening overall.

The Arts are back at Dougherty Station! Music, poetry,…read morevisual art, choir, drama, dance and more. It's a wonderful place for community at Dougherty Station Community Arts Center and I'm hoping to experience as much as possible.

This is a great place. It's a small theatre that allows the audience to have a 'front row' view of…read morethe stage. My daughter had her dance recital here and we're also watching a children's play today. This theatre is conveniently located within the same area as the Dougherty library and the Dougherty Station Community Centre. There's adequate parking and minimal walking distance from the parking lot to the theatre. This is a perfect place to watch any performance. It's not hige, but it can fit a little over 100 people.

Jazz n Taps is an amazing dance studio with kind, caring, and passionate teachers. Students are…read moreencouraged to learn as much as they can but also have lots of fun as they do it. I definitely recommend this studio for anyone. Whether you are new to dance or if you dance competitively, this studio can help you learn. JNT is a home away from home and it is very friendship and family oriented. Love you JNT family!!

Jazz N Taps is home. I danced at JnT competitively for 8 years. Personally, it's beyond words to…read morelook back as an alumni and express my gratitude. Miss Sherri, Miss Jen, Miss Pam, Miss Lauren, Miss T, Miss Jackie, Miss Jen B, Miss Julia and all of the staff are the best teachers I could have asked for. Apart from growing as a dancer, within my classes I learned friendship, teamwork, responsibility, and kindness. Most importantly, Jazz N Taps is a family-ran company who cares about their dance family deeply. I participated in two dance marathons, working alongside my dance friends and teachers, as JnT donated all of the proceeds to Dancers Against Cancer. Four years later, Jazz N Taps is always family.