Paper Mill Playhouse

Great productions, decent prices, not a bad seat on the house. As worth most smaller theaters, the aren’t enough bathroom stalls. Be prepared to wait in lines during intermission. Also, parking is awful so get there early or prepare to walk over from main street or the side streets in the neighborhood.

I’ve been a subscriber for over 20 years and I can say during that time there have been no noticeable improvements made to the theater. The seats are UNCOMFORTABLE. I feel as if I am sitting on a wood plank. They have to be at least 30 years old or maybe haven’t been redone since the 1980 fire? Whatever, they are horrendous and the place needs an overhaul.
The shows are good; many above average and a few gems that head to Broadway. I miss some of the wacky comedies they used to do in the 90’s. It seems that they rely heavily now on musicals.

First class Broadway productions in north n.j. Many of their shows move to Bway. Honeymoon in Vegas was here 2 years ago. The shows coming to this theater have all recently been on Bway. Tonight’s show bandstand is moving to Bway in the future. All seats have full view and ticket prices much lower than nyc.

I saw many shows at this playhouse. The productions are very good. The sets are very good. The acting is very good. I would put Papermill on a different level then other local Playhouses. (much higher)
However, the ticket prices are high, going into the Playhouse is tough, it is crowded. They need more bathrooms. Parking, is an issue. I feel like I am going to get hit by a car because cars are so eager to go in/​out of the parking lots. The buses, they just cause a mess.
I will go back. It is worth it. Millburn is a cute town. You can have lunch/​dinner there and then see the show.

Gem of a theater close to SOMA that I’m happy to support. It’s insanely chaotic if you go to a popular event, however. My first time was today for Curious George. You need cash for the valet parking. Did not know that. There is also no ATM anywhere nearby. Poor valet had to take a photo of my plates so he knew I wasn’t going to screw him over. I came back to pay him even though the roads were congested from the event. Ran out of many of the toys really quickly and surly cashier was smug when parents kept asking for the toys they had run out of which was not necessary. Otherwise, a beautiful space with lovely acoustics and a great size for an intimate show. Pro tip: short people and/​or people with kids DO NOT SIT IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE MEZZANINE! I had to sit on a booster with my son on my lap so we could both see. Other kids in our row stood for the entire show. They should lower that railing.

Generally very good performances, but poor customer service for full season subscribers. Opaque process for seat assignments and ability to improve seating even after many years of subscribing.

Came here to see Ever After: The Musical although I don’t think the music was spectacular enough to change the movie version into a musical, but it was decent. I think the actors were good but the songs didn’t have a lot of range for anyone to show off much. On the one hand, it’s nice to have a good theatre outside Manhattan for reasonably priced tickets. On the other, you are going to get a less «epic» experience. The theatre itself looks great but was built too big for considerations for anything else. The parking lot is so tiny it’s a joke, so we ended up parking half a mile away in a free lot. The sitting area outside was so packed it was hard to make my way through the crowd to get to the box office, and at intermission I was accidentally in the bathroom line instead of refreshments because it was so long it bent back on itself. Seems like it would be nice if there was a bigger lobby area so I didn’t feel so claustrophobic and probably could use more bathrooms.
Looking at their upcoming schedule, I saw at least one show I’d like to see, so I’ll be back, but if I realize I’m not in NYC, but I’m also getting a reasonably enjoyable afternoon out of it.

I was here to see The Hunchback of Notre Dame a few weeks ago. The production was OK, but not Broadway worthy to justify the Broadway prices for tickets… over $ 100 for the decent seats… and they even charge you for parking! The facilities need a facelift and the lobby area is a fire hazard as people push each other to make their way up the stairs. They valet the cars and have a terrible system in which they ask you to park the car and leave the key inside. Then you come out of the theater and your car is not where you left it and you have to wander around looking for it. I should not have to look for my car if I am paying to park it.

The place is a gem. They’re home to copious world premieres that you can see just a stone’s throw away from NYC. And even their productions of classics are worth seeing for the high-​caliber Broadway talent they attract. Plus the surrounding town of Millburn is too cute for words. Arrive early to explore the grounds, have a bite to eat, and peruse the historic production photos that line their walls. They also get bonus points for having some of the most friendly ushers around — and for always having creative and clever merch!

I got to see a great comedy called Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, it was hilarious! The cast was great, very talented actors, I enjoyed every second of it. It was very original and spontaneous. My only problem was with this place Paper Mill Playhouse, from the moment we entered, it smelled like, let me try to describe it: First it smelled, like the inside of the church that musty, candle, old wood smell, after you been inside for a while it starts smelling like the playhouse is on fire, and it gets worse. So, after a while I guess I got use to the smell, but the people that were with me, actually got headache from it. But that was the only downside.

I saw «Can Can» last night and it was reliable. It definitely had that old timey, oddball, 50s revival feel to it. The voices and performances of the two leads were above average; they could definitely belt it out and they did justice to the zany, slap-​sticky feel of the play. That being said, the dancing and physicality of the play far outweighed any of the individual performances. (As a side note, I thought it was hilarious that the projections and painted murals on the stage managed to erase the nipples and the genitals of the faux provocative French whores/​can can dancers).
The actors (men and women) who danced more than spoke or sang managed to perform the Can Can on a relatively small stage with a crescent moon hole near the foot of the stage where the orchestra usually resides. I kept expecting someone to back flip themselves into a hole while trying to carry out half a dozen dance numbers. No dice. Even when two of the leads were fencing they still managed not to push themselves off the stage. It was extremely impressive.
I understood what was trying to be conveyed and while I thought the play was earnest and fulfilled its mission, I nodded off a few times and I think it was the structure of the actual theater. The leading lady and man had voices with a capital «V» but I could not hear them or the orchestra that well even though I was in the front row of the mezzanine.
So we were either too far back, the actual stage was just oddly constructed or I’m too used to the opera or Broadway where you feel like the actual actors are singing on your periphery. The play is touted as heading to Broadway so I may actually see it when the cast is provided a grander stage for their work.

Expensive Theatre, and Rude Box Office Staff.

We went to see The Other Josh Cohen which happened to be our first time ever at the theatre. We parked in a parking garage across from the Millburn Diner and had a 5 minute walk to the theatre. That worked out well because the lots close to the theatre were mobbed and it took forever to leave. The parking lot where we parked was free after 6:00 pm. Their lot you will have to pay.
We were very impressed with the overall appearance of the theatre. Each seat has a great view and all the employees were friendly and helpful. Although it was crowded, it was organized. The musical itself was average at best. All of us agreed the $ 106 ticket price was steep for this show.
We knew the musical Grease was coming there this May through June and tickets ranged up to $ 90. Grease is also playing at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank in July and the max ticket was $ 29-​$ 39. The Paper Mill is close to Broadway but shouldn’t be close to Broadway prices.
For the right show and right price, we will be back.

With many productions that may have once graced the stages of Broadway, the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn offers a good selection of shows that are open for a limited time. Just a little outside of busy Manhattan, I think this theater in Millburn is worth the trip for your favorite productions. Over the years my family and I have seen a handful of their productions with our most recent trip being after Thanksgiving to see their version of Oliver.
We had really good seats with good views of the stage. The audio here was amazing as we could hear each song, crystal clear. The seats were packed and it was absolutely a full show, but we all sat very comfortably without feeling cramped… even with all our winter coats. The shows are more intimate here than on Broadway and I think it is absolutely worth every dime. The sets are always beautiful, and the cast, always super talented! It gets crowded during intermission but the theater food prices are to my recollection, quite reasonable. Get here earlier so you can find a good parking spot. What’s great is that there are so many little restaurants for you to go to if you want to grab some dinner before or after your show! I will be back again, as I am anticipating a few of the the theater’s upcoming shows… one of which is a production of South Pacific!

My husband and I saw David Brenner and special guest Tommy Mara the other night and it was a fabulous show!
The theatre is very nice, clean, great staff, especially the ladies at the bar — very pleasant and fast workers. I was very happy they had Blue Moon beer.
I loved the fireplace near the bar.
I’m so lucky to have this little gem of a theater so close to my home. I’ll definitely go back.

Have heard so many nice things about this place and they were all true. It was going to receive 4 stars, but the roomy, comfy seats earned it a 5 star. Every time I go to show on Broadway, I am horribly uncomfortable with no leg room. However, this was definitely not a problem here.
The show we saw, Sound of Music, was wonderful. I am looking forward to visiting here going forward.

Sets, performers, shows — ALL TOP QUALITY. On par with broadway. The theater attracts many famous broadway performers. All seats have a great view, the theater has an intimate feeling. The surrounding town has many nice restaurants. The tickets are reasonable, and getting there is so much less of a hassle then getting into NYC.
I really loved this theater. Get ticket for one of the musicals you will not regret it.

Loved, loved, loved my experience at the Papermill Playhouse.
I went with my family to see Newsies, the new Disney musical, in Fall of 2011. It was a perfect day… we were able to walk around outside the theater for awhile, and noticed there was a really nice restaurant in a Carriage House right there. We made a mental note for our next trip!
This theater is gorgeous, with spacious seating, a lovely lobby, clean and ample bathrooms, and its very accessible to NYC. I took the train out and was able to walk over to the theater from the Millburn Station (it only took 10 minutes).
The show was incredibly professional, and I was just overall very impressed.

What a great theater!
It’s located in the quaint town of Milburn, NJ, not too far from New York. It’s a nice theater that seats about 1200. The tickets are reasonably priced since you can get a good view from all the seats in the orch level starting as low as $ 25. And the show was phenomenal!
Plus, everyone there was so nice– from the bar tenders, the workers, and even the people living there!
If you live nearby and love the arts, visit the Papermill Playhouse and see one of their shows! They’re great!
Note: The show I went to didn’t start on time (started about 7 minutes after) which is good if you always run late :)

I have always heard great things about this place. I went last night for the first time to see Les Miserables.
Show: I have seen Les Mis more times than I can count. I’m a hardcore fan… so was excited when I found out that it was coming to Paper Mill. But I have to say, I was VERY disappointed in this production. VERY far from Broadway quality. I don’t want to be too harsh… the cast was all very talented compared to me, but this was the first time seeing the show where I was kinda hoping it would just end already. And I never feel that way watching Les Mis… just the opposite. The pacing of the show felt off, scenes felt rushed and lacking. The one notable exception was the actor who played Javert… he was top notch.
Venue: I had rear Orch seats and felt very FAR away. I felt quite removed from the «energy» on the stage. The place felt very large and cold… not what I was expecting from a cozy venue in Milburn.
Parking: $ 8 bucks and completely unorganized (in the back lot at least).
Overall, maybe my expectations were too high, but I will not return.