Always a joy seeing and enjoying A Christmas Carol at the Player's Theater! You can feel how much the actors, greeters and volunteers love their work. Get a ticket and go. I cannot wait to return next year! read more

Players Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

What do you do on a Monday night when there are no shows on Broadway? You go HERE! Bring your entire family! We found out about this last minute and tickets were no longer available online so I called the number on the website and spoke to Michael. Michael took care of me. I explained I was a retired school teacher and he said to remind him when I arrived. Once at the theater, I was given a great price and great seats. It is a VERY family friendly show. The finale was to have all the kids come up on stage for a magic trick. The magician was hysterical and the kids couldn't figure out the trick. I would HIGHLY recommend coming here. We had a fabulous evening. Thank you Michael! read more

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The Monday Night Magic Show was SO WORTH IT!! We can't get over the mind reader! How did he do what he did???? You'll have to see it to believe it!!! Take the whole fan-damn-ily! Appropriate for kiddos and they even them booster seats to see over the adults. Go to the Saigon Shack after the show for a banh mi sandwich - you can thank me later. read more

Super small and ultra intimate theater. Its one of those spots to catch an indie style show that represents what old NYC used to offer when it was known for its off the cuff artsy and eclectic performers of the underground. Sure, seating is tight, a bit uncomfortable, and can be a bit warm inside but every seat is a good view. Decent acoustics and nice staff. Located on MacDougal Street and connected to Cafe Wha right next door. It's in an area where there are a ton of bars and restaurants to hit up before or after a show. Also, it's usually pretty cheap here to see a show. Don't expect Broadway style extravaganzas, but they do feature some talent here on the small stage. Just saw Odd Birdz here and it was terrific. Go see it! read more

I was just here for the Monday Magic show and would have enjoyed it more if the theatre conditions were better. The theatre is tiny; 6 seats to the right and 6 to the left with about 20 rows. The space around the seats is cramp! Even if you stand up, regular people had trouble getting by to sit on the inside. No elbow space at all. I felt claustrophobic and the theatre was HOT and stuffy! The only AC we felt was at the entrance. The "lobby" area is very small and become crowd with just a couple of bodies. Restroom is shared with the comedy show next door and down a dark set a stairs. I tend to take note of all the EXITs before the start of the show in case there is an emergency; the design of this theatre made me paranoid . read more

This has to be one of the smallest theatres I've ever been in. It was tight everywhere we went, from the second we walked through the door. Still, it had a certain bit of charm and intimacy to it that I enjoyed. It felt old, but it also felt well-loved. The people working there were all very friendly, and seemed to enjoy interacting with the guests that night. There seemed to be quite a few regulars, as well. Either that, or they were all friends outside the theater. The chairs aren't the most comfortable, but they're sturdy and you're not really there for that long, anyway. The aisle down is narrow, so if people are congregating, getting to your assigned chair might be a challenge. The stage was also small, but perfect for the show we were there to see (Monday Night Magic, if you were curious. Don't judge! It was a lot of fun.) The audio was also very good, between the performers on stage and the audience members who had been chosen for participation. I will confess that we walked right by the entrance...twice...trying to find it. We trusted Google way too much, apparently. And may have been a wee bit tipsy. read more

I've been here several times for small, quirky, fun performance pieces. Most recently I saw the "Shortened Attention Span Musical Review" up on the third floor of the theater. It's cool because as you walk up you can hear the actors practicing and peep into their communal dressing room. The actual performance space also has a real life, authentic, nitty gritty feel to it. Everything is black and bare bones and the audience is sitting right there, reach out and touch distance from the performers. Usually there is no assigned seating so you can get any kind of seat that you like. From what I understand, the space is also available for all kinds of rehearsals. Play on Players! read more

What can I say? Monday Night Magic is one of NY's best kept secrets. A whole bunch of us went the other night to surprise my husband for an early birthday present. Everyone loved it! We saw 3 distinct acts and the host was amazing too. We died over Harrison Greenbaum who was so so funny and did some great tricks. During the intermission you can see close up magic tricks which were really impressive as well. Different acts every Monday, and if you signup on their list you wil get a heads up for buy one get one and discounts. A very affordable and fun NY experience. read more

The theater, itself, is a quaint and charming space. Small, yes, but adorable. The seating is a bit tight and there is not much leg room, but still, it is cute. The show I saw, Frankenstein...that was another story altogether. I've seen better shows done by elementary school children. The show was written by the director, proving to me, you should never direct your own work. The leads, who were all supposed to have been friends since childhood and raised together, had so many different accents that it was almost like they were brought up on different continents. The lead female had a proper British accent and was the ONLY one. Not the best character choice, but again, this is the problem with writer/director as the same person. Having your lead come out into the theater and speak to the audience, repeatedly, was completely unnecessary. It actually took me out of the show and made me wish there was an intermission so I could head out easily instead of being held hostage to my own courtesy for over 100 minutes. The main character of Victor Frankenstein...sorry, man. I tried to like you and your choices, but you were so completely unbelievable and unreal as this character. Maybe your drag queen alter ego (as read in your bio) is a better calling for you, as you couldn't keep your "jazz hands" and your sarcastic tone under control. I do love me a drag show, but this was a bit much. Serious line readings were met with snickers and laughs from the audience. This was just as much of the fault of the director, who again, should not be directing their own writing. I do have to say, the music, while not memorable in the least, was done on, not the piano or guitar, but by 1 cello and 2 percussion players on multiple instruments, was the MOST interesting and original idea. Having the conductor (also the writer of the music) on a mallet percussion and timpani and using the back of the piano as an instrument...that was, by all accounts, the best and most haunting sound and the best thing about the performance. Trim the show. Toss some scenes/songs with random characters. Cut it down to about an hour so that the audience is still engaged. Get a different director who actually can be unbiased with the text and make the cuts/character choices so that the writer isn't trying to keep their "vision" alive and actually caring about the people that I felt sorry for on stage who were making the best out of a bad situation. (It is pretty bad when you get the opening number out and not ONE SINGLE PERSON CLAPS) And for God's sake...get your leads, who are supposed to have grown up together, to be speaking in the same accent. I would give the actual building a 4-star rating, but the show was at a 1, so I gave it a 2 and would hope that the building would create better entertainment. (I almost gave it a better rating because of the bathrooms. Nice job there.) Let's just hope no one in the cast was "waiting for Guffman", because this was not going to be their ticket out...but Corky would be proud. read more

Small? Yes Comfy Seats? No Bathroom? Next door underground Cheap? Sort of Baby Wants Candy? Yes Play Dead? No Romantic? Not really. I hated the email advertisements I got saying take your lover to Play Dead. For Valentine's Day? Definitely NOT Halloween: Maybe I got free tickets via Yelp for Teller and Todd Robbins' gore-iffic magic show Play Dead. "It's just like Mary Poppins, but different," Robbins told us to tell you. I don't want to give this show away by spilling secrets or endorsing it. Though sort of fun for the moment, it really wasn't my type of show. The effects had me raising an eye brow but I was more on the side of "get me out of here". I don't really appreciate cold, wet, noodle type guts thrown at me. If you were into Crossing Over with John Edward then you would have loved this show. Personally, I like to leave the dead to rest. If you applauded when pig's blood got dumped all over Carrie, then your arm would have been raised pretty high when Robbins asked for volunteers. For all other shows, including the improv musical Baby Wants Candy, Players Theatre is a good venue. There's not a bad seat in the house unless you're sitting in on Play Dead. I know, I know. Some people like the bad show type. read more

A great off-Broadway show theater. Every seat is like sitting in the orchestra of a major Broadway show. Not a bad seat in the entire place. I just saw Todd Robbins' Play Dead, which was directed by Teller. It was awesome! Robbins really is a great sight to watch as he creepily tells you about death. I don't want to give anything away, but this is the kind of show that makes the person your with cling to you in fear. This play was really a gem. I can't say enough good thing about it. I know the run date is open ended, so all I have to say if buy your tickets now. You really will enjoy it. You hear, see, and feel as Robbins tells you some not so exaggerated stories about death. Witty and dark, Robbins kills it. I would recommend seeing this before wasting your money on a "haunted house". This play is truly haunting! My girlfriend and I enjoyed every minute of it. Not: Located in the Village you can always enjoy great bars and restaurants in the area. Perfect spot for a after work show and drink. read more

Took my family to watch The Little Mermaid. It followed the Hans Christian Andersen version (rather than Disney). Nice production. We especially enjoyed the pre-performance workshop where children made sea creatures & met the cast. read more

Can't speak to the theater, but the rehearsal spaces are drafty and sound carries with alarming ease. God help you if there is a drumming class or loud performance in the building. The staff is generally polite though I've been burned once or twice in terms of the fee. I've always been able to book within 24-48 hours, so they have been a great help at the last minute. The smaller rooms are reasonably priced but only suitable for tiny groups, table reads, or auditions. read more

Monday Night Magic was the first magic show I've been to since I was a kid (I'm 29 now) and I was AMAZED at how good it was. The host was so funny I laughed so hard I cried several times. There were 3 magicians that performed and it was VERY entertaining. The show last over 2 hours and our seats (about 12 rows back) were perfect. There is an intermission in which they do up close magic and it was GREAT. I couldn't figure out how they did any of the tricks the entire show but there were at least a dozen times where out loud I said 'whaaaaat! whoooa!' Well definitely be back again for a show. read more

Small theaters have their pros and cons, that's no surprise. Players Theatre has that whole cozy, DIY vibe to it. But it also kinda sucks. The seats are squeaky. The stadium seating isn't great (if there's someone in front of you who's your height, you won't be able to see the stage). The insulation is also pretty bad. You can hear sounds from outside (cop sirens) and also some noise either from next door or downstairs during quiet moments. I imagine it's not great for the performers either. The ticket booth also took forever to run my card. On the plus side, the sound system is pretty crisp. read more

Player's theatre is probably one of the oldest buildings there. There is no elevator to the upper floors. I have been there twice now, both for lectures. I can't speak for the theatre areas but I guess this is where the rehearsal happens when getting ready to open a new play or something. These rooms are a decent size, so practicing is ideal. Having classes a great idea. Bathroom on third floor is small and is only unisex. The second floor bathroom is bigger and has two, one for ladies and the other for men. There is no elevator and a lot of stairs, if your handicap is problematic. read more

The great staff here really makes you feel welcome to this nice, intimate theatre. I loved my experience here - go see "Play Dead" running through May! It's spectacular! The acting was impressive and the "shock" features were really fun! A great play to take a date to - you will definitely have fun and it's definitely a good excuse to get your date to cuddle with you ;) read more

Cute and cozy off-Broadway theater in the middle of the Village. Just saw Play Dead here and I won't spoil any of the fun, as Mr. Robbins requests, but it was really a good time; a great show to take your buddy or bf who's not so into theater (it's almost more like a magic show, or maybe like those haunted houses you went to as a kid? where you'd stick your hand into a mysterious box and feel eyeballs and brains but they turned out to be spaghetti?). The space itself is the perfect size, in my opinion. It's located in the same building as Cafe Wha? and seems to share their restrooms (in which the hand dryer is completely useless). We even had a little celeb sighting here; we ran into what's his name? from Parks and Recreation? [googles...] Paul Schneider! That's the guy. read more

My little cousin is one of those kids who has EVERYTHING. And the new things he does want are a million dollars. So naturally I had no idea what to get him this past Christmas. My older sister and I finally decided that we would get him tickets to a show. We took him here to see "A Christmas Carol" and it was really cute. I think you have to know what to expect when coming here and you should be fine. Don't look for some elaborate show. The show is geared towards children and it shows but I still enjoyed it. It was my cousin's first time ever seeing any sort of live show and he loved it. The theatre is very small, which is good and bad. We were sitting in the middle of the theatre and were able to see everything. Doesn't seem like there is a bad seat in the house. However, since the theatre is so small, no matter where your seats were it sounded like you were sitting right next to the band. They had a very small band in the front playing some instruments and it was just way too loud at times. Sometimes the sound effects were so loud you couldn't hear the actors. That started to get a bit annoying. Also, the bathroom situation at this place is horrible. It is all the way downstairs and I'm pretty sure it's connected to a bar. It was really dirty. The shows are relatively cheap and I really feel like it's not that hard to find some sort of deal. I found a deal on Goldstar. The tickets came out to about $20 each, which really can't be beat. Overall this was a pretty good experience. I'm not sure I would ever go here on my own but it is a great place for kids. read more

I saw Jersey Shoresical here, which was ridiculously funny and surprisingly accurate. Great show, and great decision on the Players Theatre to host it. The actual theater though... eh. It was small with uncomfortable seats, but I was able to see over the supertall couple sitting in front of me, which was a plus. We bought tickets about a half hour before curtain and it was almost impossible to distinguish the box office from the huge cluster of people waiting to get in. Once we were actually let in for the general admission show, it was basically a stampede of people trying to get in. They could DEFINITELY use some more organization. I liked the fake brick wall in the downstairs bar area. That was fun. read more

I saw The Accidental Pervert and Play Dead in this nice quaint theatre. I'm not going to spoil it for you and tell you the juicy details of Play Dead because we were asked to keep it that way. All I can say is that it's better than most theater experiences I have had and haunted houses. If you are looking for suspense and mind chilling real stories then this is the play to see. With special effects, sounds and sights fear is the factor. You will be touched! Literally. Play dead! The Accidental Pervert is a play about a kid who watches his father's porn collection and grows up to be a pervert meets his wife and leaves his porn collection behind. He really grows up and learns what he was really looking for is his wife. It's hilarious and entertaining! read more

What a great little theatre. We saw Sleepy Hallow the Musical. We were so happy we took the chance on it and look forward to attending again. read more

For those looking for a review of Play Dead, here's a brief one. In keeping with the suspense of the play, I won't relieve any details. Just be aware that, like the title, it's a play that deals heavily with the theme of death. Folks who are recently bereaved or not comfortable with dealing with death, dying, being spooked and the such should reconsider. Overall, the intention isn't to hurt or harm the audience; just an experience to invite the concept of death, being frightened and being part of the story into your evening and consciousness. Tip: The theater is small so all seats in the house will give you a good vantage point. Go for the rush tickets at $21; head to the box office a hour before the show to (try and) get the discount; if you're head'n into this with hesitation, it might make you feel better to pay less than $50-60 for a ticket. read more

Cozy, intimate theater...Go see Play Dead before it dies...Do not sit next to any grossly fat women who are lopping over their theater seats and wearing bad perfume as my poor honey did...This was scarier than the show. The play is so much fun and spooky too...Go see it. read more

We really enjoyed Monday night Magic and will be coming back to see Chris Capehart. Very small place but once the show starts you barely notice. read more

dropped in for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Was a very entertaining rendition with song and what you could call dance from the rythmic gyrations. Seating is simple and plentiful. Right in the midst of bars and restaurants so very convenient location for a date night or outing. will return soon for another show read more

It was fate that brought us here this past Saturday night. We had been in the city since 12P and by 6:30 were done with all our events and eating, yet we didn't know how to fill our time before the 10PM showing of Play Dead. Something came over me and I called the theatre and found out that there was a 7PM show. I had 10 minutes to find parking, in the village, on a Saturday night. With only 3 minutes to go before the box office closed I found a spot right on MacDougal and ran down to the theatre. Our rush tickets were $26.50 :) Staff was helpful and accomodating to our rushed needs. Theatre was quaint and small, but served its purpose for the play. Great entertainment. You can find tickets here for $45.25: http://www.goldstar.com/events/new-york-city-ny/play-dead.html?p=F1246144EP read more

Seedy environs for young kids unless you have the stamina to explain some of the S&M clothing store fronts as you walk to the place. The Alice & Wonderland show was great and I've never seen a drag queen of hearts but let's keep that in vantage, not the sort of standard story for those faint of heart (pun intended). The pre show was well thought out and tasteful and don't get me wrong, this was quite friendly for kids, just a bit more risky than the burbs offers so for the Metro style this is perfect. The seating is tight and not comfortable as many have mentioned in prior reviews so keep this in mind, it's crammed and front row offers the best leg room. read more

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I saw Frankenstein yesterday and it was great. I really loved the lead Eric who plays Victor Frankenstein. I felt bad for his anguish. He was believable. The woman playing his wife, Elizabeth stole the show however. She had a perfect British accent and the costumes were amazing as was the choreography and make up of the dancers. The man playing the monster Frankenstein was amazing as well. He almost made me cry with his tales of wanting love and his voice was like an angel. read more

Located in the village the players theater is a great small, black box theater. Saw a christmas carol there. Excellent ensemble cast performing a classic holiday play. Worth a ticket. read more

A great little theatre. Go see "play dead" here. It was so much fun. I look forward to seeing other things here. read more

So my friend and I thought to come here to see "Alice and Wonderland". We kinda thought, hmmm they have great disney shows on broadway (lion king, beauty and the beast, etc.) so why not go check out this! hmm, maybe bc it was completely for children. Thank goodness it was only 1 hour bc after 10 minutes I wanted to sneak out but couldn't bc i was in the front row. the musical was terrible---with singing off key and all. the props were also so low budget, it looked like they were made by a kindergardener. Also, I'm not one to usually notice appearances of a place but the old bergundy carpet was absolutely filthy. please get new carpets. However, this is a great place to take children to see theater as it very affordable and all the children in the audience were giggling and laughing! read more

I saw "Hollow" here at the Players Theater with a friend. Nice performance, very entertaining! Small theater, the actors were able to use the center aisle as part of their show performance. Good view of the stage, with our seats in the middle of the theater. read more

Players Theatre - Hollow Playbill - Performing Arts Near Me - New York, New York

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This is one of the worse theaters I've been in. The air conditioner works only some of the times. The seats are crazy small.there is barely room in front of you. You will be sitting elbow to elbow with the person next to you, maybe even closer. You can't move much in your seat to shift around. The bathroom is just as cramped. You have to go next door, in the basement for the bathroom. There is only two stalls so expect to wait. I do not want to come back. If I was given tickets to see something here, I would think twice. read more

I have to admit--I came to see a Shakespeare play with low expectations: it was a good deal + I wanted to go to the theater that night. Little did I know, the actors were quite talented and the modern twist on a classic story was actually very well played, doing justice to the subtle sarcasm in it (I usually hate the result when directors attempt this). I highly recommend you give this place a try, this was one of the best plays I've seen in New York! read more

Was here for my 3rd show yesterday. We took the kids to see Cinderella. Again, nothing bad to report. We all had a great time. The cast was funny, interactive and unique. Great show and great theatre. read more

I saw the Christmas Carol here, I must say, these actors were good enough to be on Broadway and some had great voices. I have been to hundreds of Broadway plays over 40 years and I will say that this show had many of those Broadway shows beat, for the price they charge, you can bring the whole family. The reviews that said it was a children's show were way off base, kids will love it and the cast catered to the kids by inviting them onstage to make Christmas ornaments, I walked into the show 30 minutes early, they welcomed me in and two actors were sitting with the audience explaining some of the magic of putting on a show. This is a must see for everyone. Next year I am bringing the whole family read more

*Buyer beware. Went to see Play Dead last night. Before show they go around asking if you don't mind volunteering to go on stage. I specifically told them I didn't want to--that was completely ignored! I don't want to ruin show but to make long story short, I was picked to go up and I pretty much missed the final act because I was the final act! My shirt was ruined--fake blood, you guessed it. No apologies, no dry clean bill or comp tickets offered. read more

It's a fun place! For off, off, broadway, this little theater is the tops! Frankenstein the musical was great, especially given the tight constraints. This troop proves that great theater is about the talent and not the budget. read more

I had a great experience with my children at the Little Mermaid! All the music and casts are amazing!!