Palo Alto Players

Excellent organization, both as patrons and performers.
As patron: tremendous production value, and they attract amazing actors/​actresses. The theater is so small, it doesn’t matter where you sit. Truly lovely live theatre experience.
As a performer: they hire accomplished musicians, directors and crew. They are all local talent, very supportive and helpful to anyone who wants to push their level up.

I’m giving PA Players 5 stars due to their superior customer service.
There were some issues with my debit card when I recently changed my address, which led to difficulties processing my ticket purchase with PAP, and I was worried about losing the seats I wanted. Susan and Andrew were a tremendous help and extremely patient while I resolved the issue with my bank. Everything was sorted out within a day or two of speaking with them, and I even received my desired seats. Couldn’t be happier with how smoothly they handled and processed everything.

Best little theatre in the Bay Area

Is it fair to remove points on a VENUE review when you have issues about the production that was being played there? I sure won’t.
But it does help that the show I saw here was great. First time here was to see «In The Heights». I had no expectations and did not realize what I was in store for.
The place was fairly easy to find. I did not have a problem finding parking, but I could see it being a problem if the show I went to wasn’t a preview for family and friends. I did not drive around the vicinity to see if there were additional parking spots. I could imagine the lot I parked at to easily be packed.
The entrance to the theater was simple and expected for a community theater. However, step inside and the stage was more grand than the outside would have you believe. They have a pretty legit setup here. The chairs were comfortable and nicely spaced. I wouldn’t call them first class roomy, but nothing I could really complain about. The orchestra was out of view as they were in «the pit»
Now I have to commend the sound. This could be either the venue’s work or the production and the sound tech who was running it, but you could hear every actor clearly. It sounded natural – simply amplified to be louder. I’ve been to many productions and a lot of times although they are obviously amplified through the sound system, for the most part it always sounds muffled. What point is loud if it is not clear? But here, at least in the production for «In The Heights», the sound team or just the sound setup was great. You could make out every word that was spoken. The acoustics of the venue may also help, but what theater isn’t built without that in mind? So I had to give my props there.
As for the show I saw here, «In the Heights” – it was awesome! I would have to be my favorite show I’ve seen and I’ve seen a good handful. I’ve seen shows that had a much higher budget and I still enjoyed this the most. The music, singing, rapping, dancing, acting. it was all there. If you’re new to live theater shows, «In The Heights» being played at Palo Alto Players would be a great first show to see.

Amazing performance of «Looking for Normal.» I went with some friends to see this performance on the last day with no expectations. I was blown away and found myself crying several times through out the performance. The actors all were very convincing and made me feel how each character felt. I would attend a performance by the Palo Alto Players again.

Sometimes… the smaller the venue, the LARGER the talent!
Live entertainment whether it is music, singing, acting, or a combination of all three, is something that the average person just doesn’t see enough of! When it comes to large productions, I have to admit, I am no guru. But, having grown up in an unusual household that still touts «JAZZ LIVES!» wherever we go, there isn’t a genre of music or theater that I don’t appreciate. Whether its Shakespeare or Jonathan Larson, it’s both classics and modern productions that the Palo Alto Players bring to life with a finesse larger than the stage they walk across.
This troupe consistently puts on entertaining shows that speak and sing creative volumes. I can personally say they kick the pants off of some larger venues. And in the case of RENT, that’s not just figuratively speaking! Can I get a loud cat call with that, please?! In the last couple of years, I’ve been to several acts with my parents, who are die-​hard season ticket holders. At the end of their 79^th season, the PAP are going strong and they just keep getting better! When I stood up (of course my Mom who was one of the first to leap to her feet) with the rest of the packed audience, there was just one thought running through my head… More people need to know about this! I looked around me and the thrill of seeing so many people standing and cheering for these wonderfully talented artists, was purely exhilarating.
We CLAPPED for the artistic lighting, costumes and sets. For the voices that brought our hearts to theatrical ecstasy and the music from the orchestra that we heard beautifully, but could only see through a delicate frosted window. We CHEERED for the cartwheels and intricate dance routines. And we STOOD for a team of talented performers that, most likely, do it for the joy of creative expression.
So here’s a big Unilocal shout out to a group of artists that I hope more people have the opportunity to both support and experience.
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This review is dedicated to Unilocaler Puma S. who has seen Wicked more times (as in more than 25!) than anyone I know. You are the epitome of the perfect live theater enthusiast.

A friend and our two daughters (in their 20’s) went to see the production of Rent on Sunday. It was one of the best productions of Rent we have ever seen, and the best PA Players production ever (we’re season ticket holders). Between us we’ve seen Rent probably 12 times, mostly big Broadway productions. That this small venue was able to get the quality of talent and stage it so well is amazing. It was very emotional with superb acting and voices all around. Since we had seen it so many times, we were prepared to be disappointed but instead were totally impressed. All involved should be proud.

I’ve seen two productions by the Palo Alto Players at Lucie Stern Theatre. The whole experience from purchasing the tickets to the well-​acted production was great. The actors are totally professional and well-​rehersed. I’d defintiely see a play there again.
We attended the opening night «gala» event after the play, «Run for Your Wife» and found some unintentional humorous scenes as grandmas vied for the best cheese cubes and hovered over the lemon bar table. It only added to the community theatre experience for us.

My friend and I went to the Palo Alto Player’s gala opening night for «Run for your WIFE» play, it was hilarious!
My friend couldn’t stop laughing because the production and the play is really well done. The lines are so cleverly inter-​weaved and numerous play on the words makes this a very enjoyable comedy.
The play only had 7 – 8 actors and the stage was not fancy, never changed and no high-​tech production, but the comedy is very well done, all the jokes are in the lines or cleverly delivered by the actors… I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there tonight.
It’s a fairly small theatre and thus very intimate, every seat is a good seat in the audience, one has very clear view and sight line to the stage.

Wow! What an excellent, excellent production of King and I. And they’re doing Rent next year? I’d say that’s a hard feat to accomplish well, so best of luck to them! A group of us came to watch a few of our friends act (as part of the ensemble). I really wasn’t expecting much, but the acting was very well done. Anna’s voice closely resembled a young Julie Andrews… it was amazing! The King also had a good voice and played his part very well. And the King having so many kids, I was actually a bit surprised they had so many child actors too! Everything was very professional and well rehearsed. Unfortunately, the King and I run is already over, but this has definitely piqued my interest for future productions.
As for parking, I ended up parking on Kellogg, just a stone’s throw away from the community center parking lot. The theater was easy to find only because we arrived 20 mins to show time and a crowd was already gathered near the front of Lucie Stern Theater.

Small community theater tucked away in a lovely neighborhood… parking was completely full, but not to fear… street parking was ample. I believe there was a quincenera going on at the same time on the other side of the building so it was fun to watch all the elderly retirees comment in regards to the bass pumpin’ loud booty bumpin club music. The play itself was quite long being 3 hours, a bit slow during the first half and then picked up inbetween. Acting wasnt bad and the main female lead did stand out with her vocals. (had to remind myself this wasn’t broadway)
Post show, in another room were snacks buffet style. I was amazed at the prowlness of the geriatric grandma/​grandpas. They dove right in, not wanting to lose a finger… I grabbed a celery stick and got out of the war zone.
All in all, it was a great and different way to spend a saturday evening. I tend to go to alot of big commercial arts or SF plays and forget about supporting the local community arts. This was a good reminder and a lovely way to bond with my sibling as well.
Much appreciation to Connie C. and company.

I enjoyed a wonderful evening with the Palo Alto Players last night as they performed the musical «The King and I». The actors were spot on, and I was particularly enamored of Anna’s lovely, lovely voice. :-)
The Lucie Stern Community Center is a medium sized theater that allows for an intimate theater experience even though it seats about 300 or so attendees. I would love to come back here for another show in the future since it’s close by and I now know that there aren’t bad seats in the house.
Thanks for the free tix, Connie and Unilocal!Loved it! :-)

I took my teenaged daughter to see this production as a Unilocal Elite event. I’m a fan of «The King and I» and saw it live with Yul Brenner as the King before he died, so I have to remember to put that aside when it comes to cast size, etc. That said, this production really impressed me!
Some truly gorgeous voices, good acting, delightful kids, and Don Masuda is captivating as the king. Yes, there is a lot of Yul Brenner in there, but he still brings a lot of difference to the role and makes the character compelling. Oh and the telling of «The Small House of Uncle Thomas» was *fabulous* Better than the movie version, IMHO. :)
The theatre is lovely, with comfortable seats and even though our seats were to the side, they were not blocked or «bad» seats by any means. Very classic in feel, and well suited to the size of the production. I’m looking forward to seeing more shows there. (That said, more clear signage on the street frontage would help out-​of-​towners figure out where the theatre is and where to park!)
I had only two complaints — one is that the orchestra was much too loud at times, overwhelming the spoken dialogue and even sometimes the singing. The other is that for the reception after the show the cast all changed before coming out to mingle. While I understand that the costumes may not be comfortable, they are somewhat critical to a crowd that has only seen the actors in those costumes/​wigs. My daughter only recognized the wives in those actresses who didn’t remove their face makeup before coming out from backstage, and Masuda, who has a distinctive face. The children all blended in with the kids who had been in the audience (if in fact I saw any of the kids from the show) and I never did figure out if Kerie Darner (Anna) came out before we gave up and left.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a community theater show and the Palo Alto Players blew me away. I set my expectations going in that I wasn’t stepping into a Broadway theater/​cast.
That said, we had an awesome time last night at «The King and I». The theater was nice and cozy and there wasn’t a bad seat in the house. The cast was brilliant, from the kids cast all the way to the King himself, they kept us entertained and enthralled through the whole show. Speaking of the King (played by Don Masuda), his chemistry with Anna (played by Kerie Darner) was on point. Both characters were captivating and kept the audience glued to the interactions and tension between the two characters.
It’s good to see that community theater is still thriving and drawing crowds. Places like these give us a chance to see shows we wouldn’t typically get to see and give us a glimpse of what musical theater is all about. I brought my girlfriend along and she got to experience her very first musical theater show. Community theater is a great introduction for theater newbies to get their appetites wet and give them a glimpse into this vast and exciting world.
Thank you Palo Alto Players for a great performance! Bravo!

Thank you Connie and Unilocal for the tickets to watch King and I yesterday. We had a great time!
Arriving the Palo Alto community center it was a lil confusing on where to park but since we were running late, I decided to take the first street parking spot I could find. The theater itself is kind of small but I was impressed at the performance that was put on. The costumes were beautiful, especially the ones for Anna and the sets took you to a different time and place.
The first half of the play seemed a lil long and drawn out but I loved the second part, especially when it had the performance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the «Shall We Dance» sequence.
The opening night reception after the play was great, they had a nice selection of fruits, drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic), chicken satay skewers, eggrolls and vegetables with dip. Also at the reception it was fun to see many of the actors in the play mingling with guests and their family/​friends.
Overall a great way to spend a Saturday evening!

Thanks Connie and Unilocal for tickets to ‘King and I”!
I was able to watch the Palo Alto Players perform ‘King and I’ at the Lucie Stern Theater, which is at the community center. There is plenty of parking spaces on the street and at the parking lot. After entering the community center, people should walk past the main hall in order to get to the community theater.
I arrived at the theater a little past 7pm, and the box office was already open. Since I was early, there wasn’t a line to get my tickets. =) When I got my tickets, the person working at the box office informed me that the doors will open at 7:30pm.
When the doors opened, my boyfriend and I went to our seats. There were ushers handing out programs and guiding guests to their seats, too. The concession stand was also selling cookies, candy, drinks for $ 2 each.
I really liked how ‘The King and I’ information were displayed on the wall. For example, there was a wall with pictures of the cast. A small prototype of the set was on display. There were pictures of the costume design, too.
I found the play to be very entertaining. Everyone did a great job acting out their characters. There were some funny moments, too. =) I was really impressed with the set design.
When the play ended, I was surprised at the time, since it was around 11pm. When I was watching the King and I, it didn’t feel like a 3 hour play.lol.
I think its great that people can watch such great plays at the local community center!

Considering the Palo Alto community center is a community theatre, the cast and crew are bound to entertain you with great vocals, set designs, and costumes because they take their work seriously. You’ll enjoy an evening of classics with this performance group with friends and family.
I’ve seen «Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf» and the «King and I». Both times, I’ve walked out with a few chuckles and been amazed at the quality of the acting given the expectations of a community theater.

It is fantastic to have more local theater and I hope to see more of the PA players. King and I looks promising.
The performance was nicely polished and had its moments but «Virginia Woolf» is a very dark comedy and not my typical theater selection of lighter humor plays.
The traditional staging of the play was nice but could have been more engaging if they went outside the box and updated the characters or setting. I like smaller theatrical companies because they usually put their own spin on a production.
I look forward to future productions and hope they begin taking artistic liberties to enhance their work.

Thanks to Connie we spent our Saturday night away from the bar, instead spending it watching the Palo Alto Players’ version of Albee’s well-​known play, «Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?»
As the lengthy play drew to a close and the actors bowed onstage I had to ask the ridiculous question…
So, after all that they didn’t even have a son?
It was a good time and a nice deviation from the standard modes of entertainment.

Thanks Connie. This review does not reflect your choice. Just my opinion of the play itself.
The actors were great. The play was very lenghty I agree with my fellow Unilocalers. Three hours of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is about enough of any fighting I could stand for the whole year. It was like watching your uncle and your aunt squabble!
The venue is a community theater in a sleepy section of Palo Alto. Parking was relatively easy for the 8 pm show. The Will Call Window wasn’t easy to find but the lady behind the glass was very friendly.
The theater itself was warm enough so your can actually take your coat off. Bathroom was clean with about three stalls. The refreshment section could be better though. Not enough variety. Water and coffee and some cookies. That’s it! I wanted a sandwich and some soda to go with it. Maybe some tea as well.
The actual location to the theater itself wasn’t clearly pointed out. Since this is a community theater this place is shared I guess with people who wants to use the place for parties.
We had to walk around looking for the theater and will call window passing some really rowdy teenagers.
Overall I see this as a new experience and would continue to enjoy Connie’s choices.