SecondStory Repertory

Grabbed tickets to the Alice in Wonderland show on a Saturday afternoon for $ 10. The staff member at the ticket sales window was super nice and helpful. Great customer service! When the time came for the show, my friend and I grabbed front row seats and fell in love with the small, intimate set. We weren’t really sure what to expect, but the play apparently was based more off the book than the Disney movie. It was executed really well with a cast of 6, with 5 of them constantly taking on different characters. The talent was incredible. This show is geared towards kids, but my friend and I were thoroughly entertained and amazed at the talent. I can’t wait to go back for more of their shows!

This is quite an amazing theatre company that has strong performances. It’s what I would call off off Broadway, which is good. It’s meant to be intimate, not lavish and I keep going back for more. A while back they performed Rent and it was astonishingly good — doing a big production like that on a small stage and they were successful. Chess was also extremely impressive and my all time favorite, the very dark and not done very often, The Pillowman. I always enjoy seeing what they will do next. They’re a little surprise right in the Redmond Town Center — so plenty of parking.

Great community theater. We went to see The Love List and laughed all the way through! If you haven’t seen the Love List, you should go! Be prepared to be entertained!

I took my boyfriend to see The Second Story Repertory Theater production of the 1984 Broadway musical Chess. For such a small stage and a script without much physical action I was impressed by the creative way it was staged to keep the audience engaged. Most interestingly the quality of vocal talent cast from the local community was highly impressive. The casts renditions of Anthem and Someone Else’s Story where exceptional, even to to theatergoers such as my boyfriend and I, who attend Broadway shows regularly. This intimate theater experience is one I look forward to having again. Since it is such a small theater every seat is a good seat. Free parking and reasonably priced tickets as well. I hope they put on many more musicals for me to patronize.

I really enjoyed my first visit to this theater last night. Not a bad seat in the house, and I was very impressed with the performance of Chess.

Very good and honest productions
We’ve seen maybe a dozen shows here in the past dozen years, and they have all been good. The theatre itself is small and must accommodate itself to the space in the mall, but they have reconfigured it to provide more direct seating for all customers.
It is one of those scrappy, earnest, ferociously dedicated small theatres that puts on great (albeit small) productions of shows you know and love, such as «A Chorus Line,» or shows you might not have known about or seen before, such as «Picasso at the Lapin.»
One plus is that the theatre sells refreshments (such as coffee, tea, cookies, and a selection of wines) that you can bring into the theatre.
The only downgrade I’d give is the actual seats themselves are tiny and densely packed in order to get the most people possible into the theatre.

It was my first experience with this company and no part of it was a good one. I wanted to take my son to Little Red Riding hood on a Sunday. It was last minute as our planned had changed that morning. I went online to buy tickets, clicked on the show I wanted and stopped there as I decided to buy them at the box office. I called the office to see what they were next to in Redmond Town center and no one picked up. They did say in their voicemail that they were open 2 hours before the show on show days. So I get in my car and call again, still no answer… they do tell you that the best place to park is by Eddie Bauer. So I did and assumed it was on the second story by Eddie Bauer… not at all. After finally finding it. I walked in 45 min. before show time and no one was around… I walked in the back «saying» hello hello when 2 people emerged. I said isn’t there little Red Riding hood today? «On no we sent out an email», I said well I didn’t buy tickets ahead of time but just tried on your website and it allowed me? I was beyond frustrated and by no means a good first impression. They said they would give me free shows for the rest of the season… have I seen them yet? No. I think I will continue going to Kirkland performing arts center and the theater on Mercer Island for my kid’s plays.

I have been to the Redmond Town Center twice now. The first time it slipped my attention that the mall had a performing arts theater. Perhaps it is because it is more tucked away and not in the midst of all of the other stores there.
Steve caught on a flyer that came in the mail that the Mystery of Irma Vepp was playing here. He saw it back in college and loved it and insisted that we go. And so we did!
The play itself was fun. It was a two man show that was comedy, horror and a dash of the Hitchcockian. In fact the Master of Suspense himself made an appearance where he was announcing on a video screen upcoming programs coming to the theater.
The venue itself is small and intimate. Yet quite a few people were seated here. It was one of those theaters where no seat is a bad seat. The lobby was set up cute as well. This theater is by no means a frilly place like you may see downtown Seattle or other large downtowns in other major cities but it gets the job done nicely.
We are considering going back in the spring when the theater will be getting La Cage Aux Folles!

Best local rep company in the country. Period.

If you’ve never been the the Second Story Repertory Theatre, this is a «must go»! I saw «Forever Plaid last night and it was 90 straight minutes of entertainment, loaded with excellent music/​singing, laughs and great memories of years past. This is a small and intimate theatre where you feel like you are definitely in the middle of it all. All four of the performers were extremely good, full of positive energy and we were totally engrossed in this fun filled musical. This is a theatre on the eastside that is very affordable with top notch entertainment. They also have drinks and snacks. OH, did I forget to mention… it’s at Redmond Town Center where there is ample FREE parking. What more can anyone ask for on a night of pure fun!

We just went to Amadeus and loved the theatre! It’s the perfect, intimate size where you can see everything going on. I’m 5′ so ramp seating is vital. This is sure to become one of our favorite venues.
Tickets were reasonably priced for a great show. We both loved the cast, and were impressed with the directing. A great date night!

I went there twice, one time to see a play (A Doll’s House), another time for a juggling show (Brothers From Different Mothers). Very small theater, but I really enjoyed it, it is so relaxing to dress casually for live entertainment! Only issue I had was with a lady sitting behind me one time… she laughed super duper loud, it was like thunder, I was so afraid she will enjoy the show too much that she spit on me as she laugh, but good thing there was no assigned seating so I could move away from her.

Having read the previous reviews, I’m frankly surprised that the ratings aren’t higher. My husband and I are season subscribers and have attended all the mainstage plays for over 6 years. The acting and music are definitely of top professional quality and the sets (depending on who the designer is) are quite clever for the limited space available. I too must agree that the ventilation is poor and it is a small space, but my family has never been disappointed in a show we’ve seen there and feels that it is a local theater jewel – with great free parking! Well worth the modest price.
I happened to read the reviews again recently and just have to comment on several references to Second Story Rep as being «community theater.» The actors and musicians are professionals, not amateurs – and the quality of the shows reflect that! The space itself isn’t impressive or even particularly nice; the play’s the thing!

Came here to watch a play that one of my friend’s directed (Natural Selection).
The play itself was excellent and absolutely hilarious.
On the flip side… Who would have thought that there would be a theatre in the middle of a mall???
Ok, so there is a theatre at Redmond Town Center and I’m noticing that tickets for the majority of the plays are $ 25 each.
A little steep if you ask me since these are more community type plays, but I guess if you don’t want to drive all the way to Seattle (if you live in Redmond) and want a bit of culture, you’ll pay it.
I honestly did not get to experience the staff that works here, so I could not comment on that.
What I will comment on is the inside of the theatre.
Honestly, the way they have it set up perplexes me.
It seems to me that if the people that sit on the sides of the stage could not see some of the play if some of it was centered up stage since it seems like the walls they have separating things with would get in the way.
Otherwise, it’s a pretty small theatre and a great spot to go see a community production!

Hmmm… If I could rate the shows here I would give it 5 stars maybe even more because so far all the performances here were superbly acted, with a great cast and costumes. Also, their shows line up is just one of the best in the area (I dare to say — even Seattle!!)
However, the theatre itself is (how shell I put it gently) — horrible!!!
No, not just because of the bright yellow lobby, or the fact that girls who worked at the café had no idea what «will call» means (I’m not kidding — when once we got to the show late, we had to have the manager come out to explain that to them!). And not just because it generally lacks character, and the seats are pretty cramped.
It’s mostly because of lack of ventilation! We were there a few times and by the intermission time we sat there panting and sweating like pigs on the run.
God, can’t they install some sort of fans in that joint? I feel so badly for the actors under the lights, usually drenched and exhausted trying to play their part. Last time we went there, we decided on very skimpy clothes, and brought Chinese paper fans to help us make it through… We hardly did, and only the excitement of the play kept us till the end.
So, in conclusion… If I wasn’t such a theater lover, I would have never visited the place again!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a show at the SecondStory Rep; Redmond is just not a place I get to very often. But Bat Boy: The Musical was playing there and I had to see their production of it since I loved ArtsWest’s production of it last year. The outside of the theatre looks like a Duran Duran video very 80’s and made me want to break out in song:
«You gone too far this time
But I’m dancing on the valentine
I tell you somebody’s fooling around —
With my chances on the danger line
I’ll cross that bridge when I find it
Another day to make my stand, oh…
High time is no time for deciding
If I should find a helping hand, oh…
So why don’t you use it
Try not to bruise it
Buy time don’t lose it»
Oh sorry about that…
Anyways, the inside I’m told was recently remodeled but I wasn’t a fan of the yellow lobby but that’s because I don’t like the color yellow I was traumatized by it as a child.
The theatre area itself needs some help. The seats are really uncomfortable and provide little room for moving around plus there isn’t enough slant to the rows. Quite a bit of Bat Boy was performed on the floor of the stage and I had a person with a big head sitting in front of me so I couldn’t see what Bat Boy was doing for most of the first act and for my favorite scene in the second act. Granted the tickets were only $ 27.00 but still for $ 27.00 I would have liked to see the whole production. Also the rows have a ‘step’ to them and for someone clumsy like me this was not good because I can trip over my shadow, each row should be a solid floor not a half floor.
As for the production itself I’m not sure what they were doing, it must have been a different Bat Boy than the one I saw because I did not like it, it was like they were trying to make it campy but not at the campy parts and I’ll be nice and not talk about the actors but applaud the musicians the music was the best part of the show.
I won’t be heading back to SecondStory Rep anytime soon the theatre closer to me are much better and plus I’m not a big fan of trekking all the way out to Redmond.

On the eastside, this is a great place to see a show. For community theatre though, the prices are a little steep. Most shows start around $ 25 a ticket. For a cheap date, this isn’t the place to go. However, I have yet to be disappointed in the show; it has always been done well.