Simi Valley is fortunate to have the Simi Valley Cultural Center that brings year round entertainment! This small theater provides an intimate environment to take in a show that ranges from musicals, drama and sing along. And holiday special performances sprinkled in as well! Theater has a good size parking lot in the back for the guest. Inside scoop: seating in the first floor is much more comfortable than upstairs. Seating provides better room for longer legs and more spacious seating. read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - First floor seating - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

See all

The Arts Center is easy to get to and has a large parking lot which is a major plus. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The theater itself is fairly small (maybe ten or twelve rows) so there is not a bad seat in the orchestra. The seats were surprisingly comfortable. The night we were there, the sound system left much to be desired. It was hard to understand the dialogue despite the small size of the auditorium. I will definitely return and try another show at the arts center. read more

The board (not the employees) that represents the city for cultural and heritage festivals are extremely bias and operate on tokenism. They refuse to invite organizations and groups that have grand resources for families who desperately need the help, why be on the board of a multi cultural group and be biased? It's a shame to see grown adults operate in such a shameful and disingenuous manner. I do NOT recommend attending their events. read more

Tonite I attended the Tina Turner Revue and it was beyond excellent! Debby Holiday is extremely talented, engaging and had the house rockin. The band unbelievable. It hit me however, SVCAC is an awesome venue! Sound system is great, great acoustics and I'll bet because of its size it's a great place for talent to prepare for getting ready to go on the road. We do a lot to capture movies to film here. I hope we can capture more great acts to SVCAC read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Debby Holiday, Tina Turner Revue - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Very nice venue. Many stairs so it is a challenge for anyone who has trouble with them. Live orchestra for the musical Hunchback of Notre Dame. Acoustics are great. Chairs are comfortable and there are refreshments served during intermission. One bathroom at accessible level (just one). People are friendly and they take volunteers. read more

See all

We have attended some performances over the years, but after a recent time enjoying "Footloose", we want to come more often. There are so many great features about this local treasure for the community. It's easily accessible on First Street. Parking is free! The staff is very friendly. It's cozy and intimate, and yet they still were able to stage a musical production with a live band and a surprisingly large cast. Singing, dancing, high energy - all on display in a fast-paced show that had us smiling and tapping our toes along with the music. There was a mix of ages attending the show, which was great to see and be a part of as happy audience members. They sometimes offer discounted tickets on Goldstar, but the regular box office prices are reasonable, as well. I'd say it's rare to feel so welcomed and appreciated as at this venue. The historic building adds an extra note of warmth to attending a performance. It's especially beautiful at night with the colorful stained glass windows lit. It's very close to El Capitan and Green Acres Market for food options, and there are other restaurants nearby, too. As it's centrally located in Simi, nothing is very far away. A visit to their website indicates that they have a variety of events / productions upcoming. A Spring Crafts Fair is happening Memorial Day Weekend. This summer they will be featuring "Beauty and The Beast", and "The Addams Family" in the fall. Tributes musical concerts happen on Wednesday nights once a month. Similar concerts are staged around the county, but mostly outdoors where weather can be variable. Here you'll be comfortable inside with assigned seating. Dear Hubby remarked as we were leaving the theatre, "I'd like to come here more often." And there you have it! read more

Attended the Selena tribute band and had a great time. The venue is comfortable and i intimate and the performance was spot on. Added benefit was buying a few beers for practically. Nothing. Great experience. read more

We recently saw Beehive. It was 6 women performers who sang 60s music. It was a tribute to the music and women of that era. It's an amazing show! Very entertaining! The singing was epic. They were all very very good. The choreography, costumes, and stage were well done. And the band of course added to our enjoyment. The people who worked in the front were very welcoming and helpful. I highly recommend this show! read more

Consistently entertaining productions that are enjoyable and affordable. Certainly not flawless; still, amazingly accomplished high quality theatre. 'Hard to believe it is available in a rather small suburb. It outshines all/any of the neighboring local community theaters! We've had the great fortune to enjoy and experience Broadway Helen productions and even participate in creating Disney stage shows. This is worthy of being grouped with them in the category of quality entertainment. Obviously it's not going to have the level of sets, yet they might surprise you. It's also hard to believe they have a live, full orchestra "pit" to accompany the actors in musicals (at least the plays I've attended). That does seem to be the "weakest link" at times yet I wouldn't trade that for a prerecorded soundtrack. Bravo to this group! read more

Amazing Show!! Fantastic people running the theatre. The music was delightful & theater looks well taken care of. Would definitely come again. read more

Great little local theater. We have attended 3 performances in the last year and most recently "it's a wonderful life." Not a bad seat in the house- just keep in mind if you buy refreshments during the 10 minute intermission - you cannot bring them into the performance Arena. Drink quickly!!! Free and ample parking. Go and have fun read more

See all

Beautiful facility and amazing staff. Every production we have seen here has been amazing and they have outstanding programs for young performers. You should definitely see a show here when you have a chance! read more

For an arguably small theater, this one definitely wasn't actually very small. And the productions they put on definitely made for big enjoyment. And if they're able to have balcony seating AND enough space by the stage to fit an ensemble, you know you're in for a treat. Formerly a church decades ago, this space had been completely transformed into a cultural arts center for live shows and productions while still maintaining a slight church feel as evident from the lobby and entrance. It was only fitting that we came here to see Sister Act. My girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Since it was the opening weekend for this particular production, we knew there were going to be a bunch of little kinks to work out. Still, the talent was there, and we had a great time. It was definitely a different rendition from movie, but I believe that's what made it great. If you liked the movie like I did, you will probably like this live show. It gave otherwise lesser-recognized characters much more presence, and some of the villains were made to be extremely like-able! With intermission, this took just over 3 hours. If there was one small criticism (or simply one thing to keep in mind), the balcony seats tend to be a bit small, especially when it comes to squeezing past other showgoers in your same row. I don't know if it's the same case with the rest of the seats at the theater level. Patrons: While there will always be older patrons at live shows like this, there was a decent mix of both young and old. Attire: For a night like this, anything to stay warm. But generally, you don't have to dress very fancy (unless you want to and makes you feel oh so damn good). Parking: No problem. Their private lot doesn't tend to get full, even if the show gets sold out. FYI: - $3 beverages! They had bottled beer, Strongbow cider, and various types of wine available. - No food or beverages allowed in the actual theater, so make sure you finish all that in the lobby before returning to your seat. - The box office (and will call) is actually downstairs to the right of the building. You will then head upstairs one flight of stairs to enter the theater, two to get to the balcony seating. - Hungry before the show? Good luck with the pupuseria next door. Yelp says they close at 9pm, and their door says they close at 8pm. They actually close before 7:30pm, and on a SATURDAY NIGHT. Have dinner earlier in the evening before driving here, or head to some late-night eateries in LA like we did. - We got to interact with the cast immediately after the show!! read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

I bought tickets for White Christmas and was a bit worried about seating for my grandma and her wheelchair. I called and spoke to Cassandra and she helped me navigate the seating chart and then saved me the handicap section. When we arrived my grandma did fine with the walk from the parking lot and didn't need her wheelchair. I asked for Cassandra and she literally walked us to seats and then gave my mom and my grandma other seats since we didnt need the handicap spot ( which is an empty space). I can't thank Cassandra enough for her help and kindness. The show was great and full of singing, dancing and great energy. These young actors and actresses did a phenomenal job! The story was easy to follow and so entertaining. We all loved it and will definitely go back again. Every seat is a good one. Quick sidenote: the band is louder in the front so if you're not wanting it too loud sit towards the back or in the balcony, as the band is in front of the stage. read more

Really enjoyed Naughty & Nice tonight . Talented cast. Nice to have this center in Simi Valley.

Great place to enjoy live entertainment with your family! Love every show here! Can't wait to come again! read more

Love the quaintness of this place and so grateful to have it here in Simi Valley! Also, love the variety of shows too - Something for everyone. Four of us girls from our family (4 generations) just went and saw "Beehive" together there last night and all of us (ages 13, 48, 66 and 86) enjoyed the show very much :-) read more

Simi Valley is not exactly the cultural & culinary sine qua non of Southern California, but the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is a glaring exception to that generalized rule. Housed in a wonderfully restored & carefully renovated old church already done in a classical Greek Revival style, the restored touches seem to best even what this church may have originally looked. Kudos to the all the people involved in this amazing piece of preservation to a Simi Valley that doesn't seem to have preserved any of its "old town" unlike neighboring Moor Park which has still retained its small historic core. The stage in this former church is not particularly large, but I have seen great productions of such theatre pieces such as La Bohemesque "Rent", farcical yet touching "La Cage aux Folles", the cute/naughty "Avenue Q", surrealist John Waters' pro equality "Hair Spray", whimsical yet enlightening Monty Python's "Spamalot", adolescent angst filled "Spring Awakening", "Full Monty" (Not really. Just when the full monty came on, the scene was darkened with flashing, blinding lights), etc. Many of these productions may seem a bit avant-garde and may somewhat stretch the cultural norms of many of the residents living here, but like effective physical exercise: "No pain, no gain." The volunteers who work here are always pleasant & helpful. Many times, the actors come out to the front lobby after the conclusion to meet and greet the audience as they file out which is truly a nice small town touch. The price is also extremely affordable. For years, it was a paltry price of $16. I have paid $14 at the Arclight in Hollywood next to the Cinerama dome, and the movies were for the most part lousy. The price recently was upped to $18, but this is SUCH A DEAL for competent, professional productions. Simi Valley should rightfully be extremely proud of this brilliant cultural gem that shines so brightly like a scintillating nova in the often not too bright arts related firmament that is Simi Valley. Bravo to the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center for bringing quality theatre productions to a culture starved municipality. read more

See all

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! If you grew up in the 70s or Love the 70s or are a fan of The Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Franchise with their 70s Soundtrack; then you've got to check out The K-Tell All-Stars. They rocked the Simi Valley Cultural Center December 2019. Goldstar had Discount Tickets for this Event. The Parking here is FREE. It's a smaller local theater in the San Fernando Valley. With the Discount Tickets & Free Parking it makes it easy on the wallet to see some Great Entertainment here. The K-Tell All Stars are a SOCAL group bringing back the 1970s to Everybody once again. They wear bell bottoms & period clothes & they have that 70s hair down too. They sound remarkably similar to the original artists. This is really a feat because their songs range from The Partridge Family to Aerosmith to Supertramp to Looking Glass & everything in between. I Shazamed their version of Lady just for the Fun of it & came up on Shazam as Lady by The Little River Band. Wow, They even Fooled Shazam. LOL! Try it for yourself & See. Instead of being plugged in they played the whole set unplugged. They started off with Fox on the Run by The Sweet, Saturday Night by The Bay City Rollers, It's Magic by Pilot, Hot Child in the City by Nick Gilder, Brandy by Looking Glass, The Logical Song by Supertramp, Fooled Around & Fell in Love by Elvin Bishop, Ooh Child by The Five Stairsteps, Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest, Mama Told Me Not to Come by Three Dog Night, Free Ride by Edgar Winter, Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, Welcome Back by John Sebastian, Ooh What a Night by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, I Think I Love You by The Partridge Family, The Things We Do for Love by 10cc, Jets by Paul McCartney & Wings, Lady by The Little River Band, Go All the Way by The Raspberries, Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas, Dream On by Aerosmith, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, I Just Want to Celebrate by Rare Earth. The group got part of its name from K-Tel Records that used to sell record album complications of various artists on TV. Their LP's contained The Original Songs by the Original Artists. Check out their original commercials on YouTube for some laughs. What a Fun night with the whole audience singing along to all the tunes. It's great to hear these old songs played Live once again. If The K-Tel All-Stars are ever playing near you, don't miss out on a very Fun night out. It used to be, you had to have mega bucks & be really rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget! read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Goldstar has Discount Tickets for The K-Tel All Stars. All 70s vinyl grooves https://youtu.be/8UWVV-efbIU - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

The theater is a little gem providing high quality productions and big hearted community connection I am a fan! read more

A hidden little theater in Simi Valley right on Los Angeles Blvd. My BF says that it used to be a temple and is where he went to Hebrew school as a child... nostalgic. Anyhow, we went to see some musical theater on a whim, as there have been many times I've passed by and have seen the marquee in front touting the current show being played. This night we saw Next to Normal, which had some really great talents. We will definitely be returning to see more shows here, especially because it's so close and you don't have to deal with the L.A. traffic! Some things to note: 1. Cash bar for snacks/drinks at intermission. 2. Some deals offered on Groupon. 3. Parking is free in the back of the theater in the lot. 4. First come seating. 5. Small capacity theater. 6. Purchase tickets online and they will hold in will call. See you at the theater! read more

As always, FABULOUS! I have yet to see a bad production. I am such a fan of this theater that I support the center every month with an ongoing donation. read more

I brought a group with me to see one of my favorite musicals, Gentlemen's guide to love and murder. The cast are all so talented and I cannot sing high praises for this production. The theatre is much smaller than the DTLA one I went to for my first showing of the musical years ago, but they do what they can with the production and set to make it every bit magical as I remembered it. My friends absolutely adored the musical and were left impressed with my recommendation. Parking is free in their lot, and given the smaller scale of the theatre, I'd say every seat wins you a great view. read more

Just saw Mama Mia today. I'm telling you now, this theatre is always top notch. Been coming here over 15 years with family and friends.. I have never once been dissapointed. That being said..I come here 1 -2 x a year seeing only the top musicals known to us worldwide. Yes, I've also seen many professional performances worldwide. Those of course are memorable as well...But, I'm always impressed with the wonderful performances and the beautiful talent this locale has to offer. This is some of the best entertainment u can find anywhere. Every seat is great. It is a beautiful venue. Please, come and support this great center. You won't believe what great talent you will see here. I just love this place! read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

When I was 8 years old, this place had been a closed up church for as long as I could remember. Then, that Christmas, some group put on a play - A Christmas Carol - and my dad took me. It was a grassroots movement, but it picked up stream and about five years later, it opened as The Simi Cultural Arts Center. In the years since, I've seen dozens of shows here and last Christmas, my 8 year old son was in... yup...A Christmas Carol. I love what Simi has grown for our community. I love that incredibly talented artists from miles around, even ones from LA, come to perform in shows here. It's become an arts entity in Southern California, for good reason. This small theatre has excellent acoustics, comfortable seating, and just an overall nice facility that all the artists creating here use incredibly well. If you drive elsewhere to see theatre, give Simi a chance. You'll be impressed. read more

Last night my husband and I attended a performance of A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder and loved it! The play is almost all sung with very few spoken lines. The actors were all superb! They had some of the best singing voices I have heard in the theater. The staging /choreography was wonderful, as were the costumes and the scenery. I would definitely say this play is worth seeing, but you need to hurry because it ends its run on July 14th. For those who are unfamiliar with this great venue, the theater only seats about 150 people, so every seat is good and not far from the stage and ticket prices can't be beat. read more

If you like me to do theater this is quite a wonderful place. I have to say the last production I saw here in spite of the cheesy costumes and bad sets, had incredible voices and performances. read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

Beautiful small cathedral turned into a theater. The people are very nice and there is free parking, YAY! There really isn't a bad seat because the theatre is small, no need for binoculars or anything. Now for the bad.... My wife and I went to see West Side Story, where can I start? For one why did they have so many untrained actors and dancers do ballet moves and complicated dance moves when they simply should not be doing them? If you have seen the movie you know how they move. They were dancing at half speed and not hitting their marks. Why did they feel like they had to cram 30 or more actors in such a small theatre space and then make them dance. They literally looked like they were afraid to hit each other. The cast did not had to be so big, most actors did not say a word. I can not even begin to get started with the acting singing, costumes or the set. Overall It was like a high school production of a musical. I really wanted to like this theatre and support it. But please don't do musicals if the cast does not have the training or the chops to pull it off. They have a lot of musicals on their roster... challenging ones. Please focus on doing good theater. Get a small talented cast instead of a large cast for a small theater space. Focus on quality work not just great musicals. I know it's not the Pantages and I know the prices are cheaper (20 bucks), but when you charge money people expect some sort of quality. read more

Quaint little theatre in Simi Valley. Bought some tickets for my wife and I on Goldstar for musical, The Little Mermaid. The theater was nice and small so every single seat in the house had a good view. We were 2 rows from the front, which really felt like the first row since the first row was not being used. That being said, the band at times drowned out the singers. I assume it's because we were close to the front. If you buy the tickets through the venue you get to chose your seat. When I called a few days prior to the show to see if I could select my seats I was told I couldn't since the tickets were purchased through Goldstar. I took this as us getting the "undesirable" areas of the theater. Which explains why we were right next to the band. Can't take anything away from the show though. They did a good job.The band did a great job too, juts a little loud being so close. Might go back again for another play if we saw something we would want to watch. read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

See all

Ragtime, November 10, 2016: In 1906, Scott, Jelly Roll and I would sit around piano-thumping the night away. Okay, that's not really a true statement, but I have been a huge fan of Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton since this musical form spoke to me as a child. Even with my rusty skills, I can still tickle the ivories and get out most of the Maple Leaf Rag or Entertainer. As I sat listening to the musical I was immediately drawn into the syncopation and melodies. There were occasional intonation issues. I noted it more prevalent between the violin and horns, or between the violin and winds. I'm sorry, but I think I kept hearing an effer (Eb clarinet). Effers should only be used by themselves and never, ever, in conjunction with other instruments if you wanna play in tune (just poking a little fun). At least it sounded like an effer to me, who knows for sure. I "get" dissonance, but hot-damn, I can only take so much. The music tended to overpower a lot of the actors sometimes to the point I thought they didn't have their mic turned on. If the actors were moderate to loud, then the musicians were more relaxed, had better intonation, and sounded fuller. By "Crime of the Century" the ensemble seemed warmed up and was a bit better. The keyboard player ate the keys like you'd devour a corn-on-the-cob, typewriter-style, and it was lovely! Where do we start? How about with Mother, Father, and son. I found their collective performance very entertaining. The musical numbers were well prepared and the vocals were in tune! Father (Carlos Penaranda) did a great job being the bigot, set-in-his-ways, keep the present how the past was (because what could change in a year), white, rich, archetype. His character was spot on. Nick said it best that Father had traveled everywhere, but learned nothing. I absolutely loved the baseball song (I feel the most comic relief came from the New Rochelle cast). Mother's (Amanda Greig) musical numbers were also five stars. What a beautiful voice and clean articulation. I thought the New Rochelle cast did excellent, but sometimes needed to project more. The immigrants were awesome! Tateh (Will Shupe), Emma Goldman (Meghan Jones), and Houdini (David Banuelos) were a pleasure to watch and listen to. They always seemed to project the perfect amount of volume which seemed to make the musicians more relaxed and in tune. Overall, great performances. Ms. Jones, I'm sorry your character got deported, but isn't that what a lot of people are worried about right now? All of the themes hit home. Straight home. The only thing this musical was missing was an upset election to delve into! The Harlem cast really shined in this production. Their strong musical talents filled the hall from ceiling to floor. Coalhouse Walker (Jeremy Whatley) and Sarah (Alesia Penn) were the perfect duo. Boy can these two sing and act! The theater setting is "cozy" and a bit like porridge. Not to big, not too small, well, maybe a bit on the small side, but it worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening I spent and it was worth the meager cost of admission to enjoy live music, acting, and an experience with friends. Bravo! read more

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the SVCAC. I try to make every play. They did an absolutely amazing job with The Little Mermaid, Big Fish this year. I've been going there for over 25 years. No bad seats, good prices and friendly people. I'm going to go see Billy Elliot this weekend, at least I'm going to try read more

I've been here for a graduation. That architecture is really excellent and the design is also excellent. I hope someday since I moved to Simi Valley I get to go to a Performance or something here. read more

What an amazing place!!!! My little 7 year old and some friends just went to see the Christmas Story musical over the weekend, and I cannot write enough positive things about it -- go see it!! The theatre itself is super cute, our seats were amazing (right behind the incredible LIVE orchestra) and what incredible performances! The kids in the show were so much fun to watch (such talent!), the songs and dancing are great and the tap dancing numbers with kids even literally took our breath away. Definitely go see this. We will get on their email list and absolutely be back! read more

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center - Performing Arts Near Me - Simi Valley, California

See all

Honestly, this little theater is the kind of theater any community would want. It is classic, homey and everyone is friendly -and their shows kick butt, very entertaining with (usually) big city performances and quality performers. Prices are reasonable too. when you've seen everything playing at the movies, check out the Cultural Center, you'll love the experience. read more

Went to see Young Frankenstein .... for Mother's Day! Absolutely fantastic!!!! I highly recommend this show! The acting, singing and music...WOW! read more

We saw Plaid Tidings around Christmas. Enjoyed it very much. A week later we returned and brought three friends. Four young men starred in this production singing over 25 songs with a piano and standup bass accompanying the cast. The cast--Craig Sherman, Andrew Allen, Philip McBride, and Augusto Guardado-- were very good actors and singers. As a group, they harmonized perfectly and throughout the production each sang solos. All and all, my wife, Dorothy and I really enjoyed the musical. Too bad the show has closed; otherwise we'd go a third time. There is plenty of parking, all the seats give a good view and they are very comfortable. read more

This is a nice fun venue. We like coming here for local live theatre. We just saw "The Sound of Music" last night (on 3/8). I forget how nice it was inside. The theatre seats about 200 people. The seating was a little tight on the ground floor. But the chairs are nice and comfy. There is also seating in the balcony section. The Sound of Music performance was real good for local theatre. I was expecting amateur performances but it was first rate. There was even a live orchestra (small one at that), which was ok. I even got great price for tickets on goldstar. It was nice to see live theatre. read more

I agree with a previous reviewer that the seating may have been a bit tight, but it was cozy. I saw 'Rent' here in Jan. 2010, too. Very enjoyable show, I'd seen the film but was excited when I saw that this local venue was putting on theatrical version. Community theater can be a mixed bag, depending on the show, musical adaptations/liberties, actors, etc. This experience was a pleasant surprise, high quality of singing (with just a few microphone issues), fun & sassy costumes, and actors who were totally into the show too! Frankly, a total bargain at 20$ per show, senior & student rate of 16$ or 18$ also available. High quality theater adds up to a fun Friday night. This particular show ended it's run on Valentine's, though I'd say it is worth keeping an eye on what is playing in the future at this venue. I'm not averse to driving to L.A. for the off-Broadway stuff, but it's not exactly in my pricepoint and I appreciated having this pleasant alternative. read more

Saw "The Importance of Being Earnest" and had a great time. The actors gave spirited performances with accurate Victorian accents and the show was captivating from start to finish. Loved the butlers, great comic timing. Earnest and Algernon carried the show, the biscuit scene...if the aisles were wider, we might have decided to just start rolling in them. Hilarious and wonderful all around. Theater staff were friendly and accommodating, seats and temperature were comfortable, and the architecture of the building itself is a grand, imposing, and very beautiful structure that stands out in a "suburbanized" city like Simi. If you see the billboard advertising plays that sound even slightly interesting to you, I suggest you buy some tickets for the family and have a proper night out, you won't regret it. Having not lived in Simi for several years, I wish I had known about some of the performances, particularly in 2014, because judging from some of the other reviews, I definitely missed out. read more

We saw Mama Mia here today and it was amazing! The cast was incredibly talented. Great way to spend an afternoon