I'm really surprised to see some of the negative reviews because my daughter and several of her…read morefriends have been in Standing Ovation productions for around 7 years. Throughout this time I have never seen or heard any negative responses from the children or their families. Sometimes I sit in on rehearsals and I've always been impressed with how the participants remain focused on the projects at hand. Seeing a large group of children concentrating on their work and not "messing around" while rehearsing is impressive to me. I really appreciate the work ethic of the participants, especially since this is a behavior that you don't see much of among modern children these days. For years my child has eagerly and regularly attended Standing Ovation productions. For the past couple of years she has also been an assistant, working with the younger people. This has been a valuable experience for her and she also continues to participate in productions with her peer group. There's a certain amount of self discipline that is necessary to pursue the performing arts. That self discipline is something my daughter developed largely through Standing Ovations. This troupe may not be right for every child and family, but I am extremely happy with the way I've seen Barrett work with my daughter and her friends. His rehearsals are always open to visitors and I give him 5 stars across the board.

I was surprised by the negative comments about Barrett/Standing Ovations on here. My daughter just…read moreentered elementary school this year, and we were interested in trying out drama. On that first day, although my daughter was a little hesitant, Barrett was funny, engaging, and inclusive of all the children in the class. At the same time, he had good control of the group (despite the varying ages from as young as 5 to 13 and large size of the group of maybe 15-20 kids). Because my daughter was so young, I was initially concerned about how well she would do in such a big mixed group of kids. But every week, she told me how much fun she had, all the things she learned, and the friends she made. Each encounter I have had with Barrett has been professional and warm. Yes, sometimes he's loud (but what drama teacher isn't, especially in a large group of gregarious, energetic kids?). Sometimes he has to be stern, but in my experience, he hasn't done it needlessly. Instead, I've observed that he emphasizes teamwork among the kids--letting them know if one person doesn't pull their weight, it affects the whole production. That's reality in life, and that's a skill I want my child to learn. My experience has been that he works with the kids to build their confidence and my daughter has definitely gained so much from Barrett and his group.

Came here with my six-year-old son and wife. We watched the Beauty and the Beast Jr play. It was a…read moregreat experience. The young people did very well. I was intrigued by the stage and how they managed to appeal to people no matter where they sat. I'd love to come see another production.

Just enjoyed a performance of The Little Mermaid here today! The staging was wonderful and everyone…read moreknew their lines and where to go. Most importantly the kids had an amazing time! Covid precautions were maintained. Well done!

Never been to this theater and I was very impressed by the building and the theater. There are…read moreseveral other theaters in the performing arts building.First off we parked in the garage parking it was $5.00 flat fee it just around the corner of the theater. Also, you can find parking on the street. We came here to see Alantiss Morsiette Jagged Little Pill Musical. You can immediately go in the building and ther is a nice lady welcoming you and directing you to go upstairs or use the elevator for the show. There are bathrooms on the first floor and a wonderful art gallery as well. Going up the stairs in a spiral and on the second floor there were 2 entrances. Make sure to ask where your seat is for the right door to go in. There is plenty of seating with a table outside the theater. While in the theater it was small, but intimate as well. There wasn't a bad seat in the theater. There are no flat seating on the floor just goes up so all can see the stage. You can see and hear the actors clearly. There was a 15 min intercession and you can use bathroom on 1st and 2nd floor. They had drinks soda, beer and cocktails, but not too much of a menu. They also had some candy as well. It wasnt much of a selection. Everything went well and best part you could meet the actors after the show as they were outside with any meet and greet or questions. Would come back again and see a musical. It's not big like broadway audience seating but definitely some great shoes here.

ATTENTION! This is an update to a previous review from December 2025 on the disastrous "A Christmas…read moreCarol" production. Lescher Center did you not listen and learn. People WALKED OUT AT INTERMISSION of the performance I was at and less than 50% of the audience was in attendance for the second act. So between December 9th through the 23rd I know where my family will NOT be attending... this God awful performance of Dickens Classic. It's truly not even the same story. The same actors and actresses take on dual roles mid scene! "Like, huh, what just happened?" Please tell your friends, neighbors, families, enemies, strangers to AVOID THIS LIKE THE BUBONIC PLAGUE. It's that bad! I feel like in December I should ride through the neighborhoods of Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Danville, Alamo, San Ramon, Dublin & Lafayette like a modern day Paul Revere... and shout "A Christmas Carol" is coming! Avoid at all costs! There's no Christmas Spirit at Lesher Center this year. Again, nothing against the actors but when 25 reviews say the same thing (don't believe me? Go look please... my review with all the others is there for you to peruse) and the powers that be don't listen we speak by NOT BUYING TICKETS! PLAIN AND SIMPLE. MAYBE YOU'LL LISTEN AND BRING BACK THE TRUE "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" PERFORMANCE WE HAVE ALL GROWN TO KNOW & LOVE IN 2027. This... this ain't it. Boycott "A Christmas Carol" 2026! Thank you for reading.

[Title of Show] had me falling out of my seat laughing. All the actors were surprisingly good and…read morehad great voices. And I'll have to agree with Tara that Heidi stole the show. The story and songs were all incredibly witty and catchy. So fun and entertaining. A well spent evening.

Saw "Title of Show" last night and loved it. Very tongue in cheek and entertaining. The actors did…read morea great job. Everyone on the stage was talented, but Heidi stole the show with her wonderful voice and charismatic personality. I look forward to seeing more productions.

I have spent a long time debating whether to write this review because Starlight was once a place…read moremy child genuinely loved. Unfortunately, many of the issues that ultimately led us to leave were not isolated incidents, they were patterns that existed for years and appeared to worsen as the owner took on more stress. Constructive criticism is not an attack. Honest feedback is not disloyalty. The common denominator throughout the concerns many families raised was leadership. Communication problems were present long before the recent turmoil, but they became significantly more noticeable as the program grew. Important information was often delayed, incomplete, changed without explanation, or communicated differently to different groups of people. Parents frequently found themselves piecing together information from rumors, social media, group texts, and other families rather than receiving clear and consistent communication directly from leadership. The situation surrounding the temporary location (without heat/AC and wall) and construction delays was particularly frustrating. Families were repeatedly given timelines and explanations that changed over time, creating confusion and eroding trust. We were told at one point that construction was halted due to human remains being found, this was false. As a parent of a neurodivergent child, I was also disappointed by decisions that appeared to overlook the needs of many students in the program. Despite the owner stating that Starlight is "inclusive and welcoming to all". The owner even going as far as stating "LGBTQ and neurodivergent kids are my specialty". One example was the creation of a teen group chat used for communication while excluding parents from those conversations. Most of the students involved were freshman, many of whom are neurodivergent and rely on adult support to manage schedules, stay organized, and process information. Removing parents from those communications created unnecessary barriers and left families struggling to ensure their children had accurate information. I was further troubled by comments made about students and families. Hearing a neurodivergent child who was struggling emotionally described as "throwing a hissy fit" demonstrated a lack of understanding and compassion that I would expect from a youth program serving diverse learners. I watched as students were guilted into taking on more responsibilities/roles than they wanted despite their feelings being clearly communicated. Likewise, hearing concerned parents characterized as "entitled" was disheartening. Parents were not asking for special treatment,they were asking for transparency, consistency, and accountability after investing significant time, money, and trust into the organization. The saddest part is that the students were often caught in the middle of adult decisions and conflicts. The children showed up to learn, perform, build friendships, and pursue something they loved. They deserved stability, professionalism, and leadership that modeled healthy communication and accountability. The students deserve nothing less. One of the most frustrating aspects of this experience is that many of the concerns raised by families over the years have never seemed to be genuinely acknowledged. Instead, there appears to be a pattern where criticism is immediately dismissed, explained away, or attributed to misunderstandings rather than treated as an opportunity for reflection and growth. Even when families take the time to leave thoughtful feedback or reviews, the response often seems focused on defending decisions, challenging the person's account, or explaining why their experience wasn't valid rather than recognizing that multiple families may be raising similar concerns. When every concern is attributed to a misunderstanding, a disgruntled parent, or someone who simply doesn't know the full story, it becomes difficult to believe that meaningful accountability is taking place. At some point, when the same themes continue to emerge from multiple families over multiple years communication issues, lack of transparency, shifting narratives, exclusion of parents, and dismissive responses to concerns. It is worth considering whether those concerns deserve genuine reflection rather than another explanation for why they aren't true. Again, constructive criticism is not an attack. Honest feedback is not disloyalty. Families who speak up are often doing so because they care deeply about the students and want the organization to succeed. Unfortunately, too often it felt like those voices were viewed as a threat rather than an opportunity to improve.

My girls both worked with Chelsea in her theater and dance studio for years! Our experience was…read morephenomenal. She always provided a space for them to feel accepted, celebrated and supported! I can't imagine their teen years without her.

"Boil, Boil, Toil and Trouble."…read more I had the good fortune of seeing "Macbeth" recently, on a warm summer evening. The theater is just a short (and beautiful!) walk up the hill, but they have a free shuttle if you prefer to ride. The resident dramaturge, Philippa Kelly, gives a scholarly lecture before the show. She set the historical context for the play. I appreciated getting the background on Macbeth, and especially the purpose of the 3 witches. The amphitheater is a comfortable venue, and suits either the comedies or the tragedies. (I have seen both here.) For Macbeth, the stage had clear partitions, behind which the characters (and the witches) could traverse. This was also a handy place for the witches to toss "blood" in several scenes. I sort of knew it was coming, but the red gore still had a big impact on me. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Macbeth. The actors had clearly studied hard, and the play was professionally executed. I was especially impressed with Lady Macbeth, played by Liz Sklar. Of course, she has a meaty role, sleepwalking in one scene, and trying to get the blood off her hands in another. For cold nights, the staff has blankets for a nominal charge. I was delighted to also see many food options, as well as beer and wine. There are lots of wood tables to sit at and enjoy your meal. The only criticism I have is that for Macbeth the audio was spotty in a few places. For instance, the loud, background effects drowned out the 3 witches in one scene. I thought the ticket was pricey, but of course, buying a season pass is a better value.

"WAR OF THE ROSES" - FOUR SHAKESPEARES' PLAYS INTO ONE…read more My last class I ever took as an undergrad at UC Berkeley was Shakespeare. In fact my final semester Shakespeare was the only class I took as I had completed all my courses for my Art History major the previous semester. So I wanted to really enjoy learning for my final semester at UC Berkeley. From that Shakespeare course I read and studied plays such as Twelfth Night, Othello, Merchant of Venice,Taming of the Screw, Hamlet, Anthony and Cleopatra, and Richard III. I came here to watch the "War of the Roses" last month. One of my co-worker she saw the play "War of the Roses", which comprises of 4 Shakespeare's plays - "Henry VI (Parts I, II, and III) and Richard III - into one. I've read Richard III but never read Henry VI - Parts I, II, and III. That was a unique concept as each play can be at least 3 hours when performed. The snipets from each play resulted the play of "War of the Roses" 3 3/4 hours performance. A little history note "War of the Roses" is about the English Civil War between two branches of the Plantagnet family - The House of York and House of Lancaster. Also the "War of the Roses" influenced the HBO show "Games of Thrones." The magazine at the theater provided an insight for the summary of the play. This was helpful to understand the flow of the play. One thing I was fascinated was the stage as it was a two-story stage. Most of the acting was the first level stage, but the upper stage was also used as The Tower of London for "Richard III". During the play I was fascinated how the actors were playing two roles where in "Henry VI" they would play one role and "Richard III" in another role. That shows skills from the actors learning lines of two characters. Since the theater is small you can a great view of the play - there are no nosebleed seats. As an outdoor theater I recommend bringing a jacket as the weather tends to get cold at night. Another recommendation is instead of paying tickets online where the prices can be over $40 depending on the seats call the ticket office to get $20 tickets on the day of the show. As stated before since this is a small theater the seating is close to the stage so it's better to call the ticket office on the than order online. If you like Shakespeare and want to watch one of his plays I recommend coming here to this theater.