I had a ton of fun watching a cover band here. Don't expect a mosh pit, the crowd runs a bit…read moreolder - ha. But everyone was in to it and having fun. The staff there were nice and knew what they were doing. I heard there was a speakeasy there but I didn't go upstairs to see it

This is a pretty nice venue! They've put in lots of work to restore this old theater and it shows…read more Seats are comfortable, decent leg room. Plenty of food and beverages to choose from. The service is fast and friendly too. Prices are not too bad either. About on par with other similar venues. There's a speakeasy two floors up, but we didn't check it out yet. I feel the sound could be better, but I know that's subjective and could be due to many variables. Anyway, check this place out! I think you'll like it.

This review is specifically about the facility, the Prairie Lakes Theater. It's adjacent to the…read morePrairie Lakes Community Center and I presume there's a connecting interior hallway between the two. The theatre is part of the Des Plaines Park District and what a great asset for the city. There are a handful of organizations that rent space for their productions here I think, amongst them Big Noise Theatre, which I learned about at a Park Ridge summer event and that's how I found out there's a great black-box theatre in the suburbs. They've hosted various arts companies, including dance and opera. They're also available for rent by other parties as well. Prairie Lakes has just under 300 seats and the sight lines are good; I don't think there are any limited view seats in the place. Seats were very comfortable too. Parking is ample, given its location, and free.

We returned to this nice and intimate theatre to see Big Noise Theatre's kids musical 'Elephant &…read morePiggie's "We Are in a Play!"'. It was a most delightful play, and this is when I learned that the Big Noise Theatre company rents space from the Prairie Lakes Community Theatre for their productions. I guess some previous reviews allude to this arrangement, but I never paid attention until today on what "theatre name" was appropriate here. In any event, we're now 2 for 2 on 5 star outings at this venue.

I have been a patron of Metropolis for as long as I can remember, starting with the influence of my…read moregrandpa 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.

Very disappointed we paid for seats and then was told first come first serve. So nit happy we…read morewaited 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.

I went to watch Les Miserables by Schaumburg On Stage as I'd recently missed the national tour in…read moredowntown Chicago. Realizing that Drury Lane and Paramount had done their version a few years back and Marriott Theatre had done it a bit before that, I wanted to watch a live version in case I can't make the next big stop in Milwaukee. I watch quite a bit of theatre, both professional and amateur. Not sure why, but until this show -- I wasn't aware of Schaumburg on Stage which has been around since 2016. To my surprise, the quality of the production was similar in quality to other highly acclaimed groups like the District 214 all-district group (which recently did The Wedding Singer). Here were my thoughts on various aspects of the show: Staging: It really surprised me how many sets were used in the show and how they were fully functional. They were designed and painted well and items were hardly reused. They also did a very good job of quickly changing sets to make sure the showtime was kept to a reasonable length. Vocals: Two things I like about this. One is how they kept the complex harmonies -- which worked great in group songs. The overall balance lacked baritone and bass voices, but that's expected with younger actors. I also liked how they did not shy away from the challenge of the very high notes for male or female leads. They could have easily changed the key, but it's great to see them embrace the challenge. Orchestra: A bit smaller, not sure if it's due to space limitations or that's the way the school version is written. A bit more reliant on piano and common woodwind/string instruments than the full version. I did like how they played at a level not to overpower the vocals. Lighting and fog: I liked all the varieties of lights used. Not just in general stage lighting from the top, but also from lights on the side and spotlights. There were quite a bit of variations on lighting, which helped to tell the story. I did not like the excessive use of stage fog though, which tended to linger for more than a single scene. Overall, a great group to watch a show from. It's much better than the typical amateur group and prices are very reasonable. It's also great how they incorporate actors and actresses from all different ages and help them to build interest in theatre. Based on the quality of this performance, I can't wait to watch another show when they get a new digital microphone system.

The experienced people at SOS really see the value and potential in each kid. They are like family…read morein that they really connect and care, but they also hold the kids to a high standard and help them achieve it. This is definitely a step up from park district community theater in both production quality and experience.

Came here for a weekend show in the summer. Parking in their lot is $25 cash, which we did for the…read moreconvenience of it. There were a lot of parking attendants in the lot and security staff when we got there. The inside of the theater has stairs to the second floor / balcony area and stalls for drinks and food. We only purchased two water bottles $17 total which is hefty but you're not allowed to bring in food or drinks. There were only drinking fountains but no water bottles filling stations. The theater itself does not have enough air conditioning for the size so it was quite humid and hot in the space especially for an almost sold out show. The area outside the theater does have air conditioning. There's only two small elevators and the outside theater space is all carpeting. The seats are relatively small but did have good cushioning. We appreciated the balcony seats because even if you're seated behind taller people you can still have great view of the stage. If you want to be close to center view in the balcony, book in section 206 in seats 8-10. We waited a bit after the show to avoid the crush of people leaving the venue which worked out well. We had parked near the stage entrance to get a glimpse of the performers leaving and then could leave right after.

I was gifted two tickets from a friends to see Charlie Puth's Whatever's Clever World Tour at his…read more5.15.2026 Rosemont stop for my birthday! I haven't been to the Rosemont Theater in forever, but I do recall it always being a positive experience. Parking?: Decently priced and close to the entrance Security?: Present enough to make you feel safe. The process for checking bags and being [metal detector] wanded was smooth. Merch?: Conveniently located in the main lobby, well displayed, and smooth to make a purchase. I had eaten dinner prior to arriving, but the concession stand looked to have decently priced snacks. The theater looks a little um, retro(?), but it was a gift to be in a beautiful theatre over a giant sports stadium. The sound quality was great, the seats were comfortable, and I could see Charlie very well, even if I chose to sit during a slower song due to the staggered, stadium seating. Traffic on the way there was a little slow due to a concert at Allstate Arena, the Chicago Dogs home opener, and Anime Central, but that was on me to be responsible and leave at an appropriate time. I had looked up the set list on SetlistFM so I knew there was no encore. As soon as that last note of "Changes" rang out into the air, I was a cloud of myself as I briskly walked to the car to get out of the parking lot, haha. What a joy to enjoy a concert and be back on my own driveway in 23 minutes!

We were at The Trickery last weekend for a magic show - our age group ranged from teens to senior…read morecitizens and we all had a blast. The highlight of our weekend in Chicago. Aaron and Steve are truly amazing magicians and performers - highly recommend!

We attended Trickery on Saturday 04/18/26. Aaron was adept at working with a diverse audience to…read moreinclude them and maintain control of his performance in a very intimate setting. Because it's BYOB you'll get the 20-somethings that feel they have to get loaded beforehand and then act the fool while attending (do you hear that "Neil"? No one wants the focus on you acting like it was your first experience with alcohol) but Aaron was skilled at bypassing them without causing tension or escalating bad behavior. Aaron's attitude is one of someone who has worked hard to make this little venture work, and he deserves respect and recognition for his obvious commitment and work ethic. His act included variations of tricks performed by other magicians, with his own twists. He is an expert at sleight of hand and distraction, which is considerably more difficult in a room about the size of an average residential living-room. He had an appropriate sense of humor aligned with an audience coming to Boystown, an overtly gay neighborhood in Chicago (if you're not familiar). However he wasn't garish, flaming, flamboyant, or offensive; he managed a perfect balance of innuendo humor and audience engagement without being cheap or ingenuine. The snarky one-liners will likely go over your young kids' heads (although bring them to an early show, your 9 year old doesn't belong in Boystown at 10 pm on a weekend), and he carries himself with class avoiding the use of profanity or graphic terms. Again, I can't overstate that his tricks were amazing, impressive, and captivating - as magic should be. You leave the show shaking your head and wondering how it's done - which truly makes it "magic". You would be hard-pressed to spend $36.36/person for an hour of live entertainment that can match Aaron's performance. Pro-tip: If you're driving there you will need to use an app to reserve parking, as there aren't garages like downtown Chicago and every street is filled with so many signs there's no way you will return and find your car not-towed or not-ticketed. Chicago does this on purpose to generate revenue; you'll see "street cleaning" on Tuesday from xx hour to xx hour, no parking when snow is over 2 inches OR any time from Dec 1 through April 1, loading zone, 15 minute stopping/standing with flashers, no parking, residential permit zone only, bike lanes, bus stop restrictions, etc. If you find street parking and think you've beaten the system, think again. Nobel Prize Laureates, Rhodes Scholars, Ivy League PhDs, Mensa members - you can meet them all at Chicago Central Auto Pound retrieving their vehicles. Stephen Hawking couldn't drive, but if he could and he parked in that neighborhood all the quantum mechanics in the world wouldn't make his towed car reappear from the Chicago Parking space-time continuum. The nice thing is if you do reserve parking and give yourself enough time you can walk to many, many restaurants and bars in the area that are open even after the 10 pm show ends. Thank you Aaron for a wonderful experience, you made my wife's birthday memorable for both of us.

I know of a few theaters in the suburbs, but Big Noise isn't one I had heard of until the last year…read morewhen they had a table at a Park Ridge community event. Apparently they started as a theatre in Winnetka, and when their theatre space there was under renovation they made their way to Des Plaines and decided to stay put as Big Noise. The theater's name is an homage to their beginnings in Winnetka, from the jazz tune "Big Noise From Winnetka". Now you know! They apparently perform as Winnetka Theatre at the Winnetka Community House as well; the theatre has an interesting history for sure. They are a non-equity theatre, and they list audition information on their website for their upcoming shows. The company produced a play called Pete the Cat this season so my toddler's play group all went together. It was fun and they did well for any age, but for a group of 2 and 3 year olds they were phenomenally good audience members. The play was about an hour long and had there were a couple of spots where the kids could dance or respond to the actors which I think helped keep them engaged. I really enjoyed my visit here and I'm looking forward to checking out The Wizard of Oz this year and learning what they'll be doing next season.

This was my second time attending a show here, but first time I've felt it necessary to give a…read morereview. We saw "Disaster!" and sad to say the sound and the lighting lived up to the title. Which was unfortunate because the performers were AMAZING. Luckily we were in the third row so even when the microphones didn't work - which was pretty often - we could still hear most of the show. But the script is great (I've seen it before) and there is some wonderful wordplay that was completely lost because we couldn't hear. Spotlights appeared on empty sets while two actors performed their lines in utter darkness in another area. The orchestra was on the stage, normally a nice addition, but when microphones didn't t work, even the fake Muzak in the elevator scene was enough to obliterate an entire conversation. I complained after the show and got a "we know". No apology that we paid $40 a ticket for this. Or any indication the we're going to fix it. I hope they do. And worth mentioning that "Gray Gardens" (the only other show I've seen there) did not suffer from these problems. So there's hope

Move the Beat is a fantastic, welcoming, an energetic and friendly dance studio that is worth a…read moretrip even if you're in the city. We worked with Natalie and Krystal to learn a choreographed tango for our first dance at our wedding and they were so full of enthusiasm and warmth all throughout that we knew we were at the best place to create something special and memorable. We were looking for a location primarily in Chicago to learn a choreographed wedding dance just a month out from the special day. Due to the time constraint, most places were skeptical or only wanted to teach the basics. We were referred to Natalie and from the first introduction, you can tell she would not only be fun but also invested in your success and confidence when it comes to the performance. At times, it also felt like a collaboration as Natalie was always open to incorporating our ideas and also didn't shy from challenging us to go bigger with moves we might not have considered but she believed we could accomplish. We switched to working with Krystal midway as Natalie recovered from a broken ankle (but who still showed up!) and it was a seamless transition. We also got extra practice time thanks to Natalie's husband, who also helped capture video, opening the studio while there was a winter storm. There are not enough compliments to give the Move the Beat family for how personable and genuine they all are. Come wedding day, we felt prepared, comfortable and excited to dance thanks to the creativity and instruction from Move the Beat. Their ability to break down, encourage, fine-tune and guide you through everything was natural and great. Well worth the visit from the city!

I have been dancing with Natalie since 2014, and I highly recommend her and her staff. They are…read morevery patient and welcome dancers of all levels! Natalie is an incredible teacher. She is extremely knowledgeable and keeps lessons fun and upbeat. I love Move the Beat's group classes and private lessons.

Great community event every year. Entertainment, carnival,…read moregames and food make this a fun event for all ages. School Of Rock Glenbrook Show Team rocked it on stage.

We went on a Saturday afternoon too see our granddaughter perform with the Glenbrook School of…read moreRock. It was not too crowded but parking was still a challenge. Mainly street parking so prepare to walk! There was no admission to attend. This is your typical community festival offering local foods and entertainment in addition to the typical carnival foods and rides. Prices are higher than other local festivals but it's a great way to bring the community together for 5 days!

A great program run by experienced music, dance and drama teachers. Mrs. Amanda is wonderful to…read morework with! My daughters have been attending Stage School for 4 years and they continue to WOW! us!!

Stage Coach has had a wonderful impact on my daughter Ella! She started when she was 7 yrs old and…read morenow she is just about 9 yrs old! A great place to learn discipline and create beautiful music , drama and dance all in one day! Wow we love it! Sally and Ella Osborne