Pentacle Theatre

Location: middle of nowhere.
Setting: personal, small venue that makes every patron feel a part of the show. The seating wraps around the stage like a half moon. The seats were incredibly comfortable.
Performance: these are amateur and volunteer casts and crews, but with that being said the last show I went to (Lend Me A Tenor) was fantastically put on. Several outstanding performances.
Price: moderate, I believe I paid 19 dollars a ticket.

This place is clearly a local treasure.
Please also read Jane S.‘s review that precedes my own. Well done.
I rarely go to a theatre. Really did not know what to expect. My girlfriend suggested we do something different. And it was. Very much so.
I love the building. The seating and stage allow you to be very intimate with the production and participants. The price was right but you better plan in advance.
We went to see Legally Blonde. What a pleasure to watch and a memorable experience. I got the opportunity to meet Tom Hewitt who I understand is one of the pillars of the volunteer acting force. What a talent.
Also met Robert Salberg who clearly is able to translate his energy and enthusiasm into the production as director.
All the participants did a great job. Keep up the good work

Some of the negative reviews here make me think y’all have never seen a community theater company before.
Yes, the quality of the performances at the Pentacle tends to be highly variable. That’s because the actors, directors, techies, etc. are volunteers working day jobs. Everything you see is a labor of love, and labors of love have a tendency to turn into soppy messes. It’s the risk you take when you buy a ticket — you might see something awesome, or you might see something lousy, or you might see something that looks like an art school drop-​out self-​combusted all over the stage. The only certainty is that you’ll see something that a lot of people worked really hard on. That’s just what local theater is like.
No, the productions are not above criticism. If John E.‘s description of Pentacle’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which doesn’t seem to be up here anymore) is accurate and they really did do a homeless-​themed staging of the play, then yes, please criticize that play. That really does sound problematic, and not because it’s a «modern dress» version of the Bard. I didn’t see it, so I don’t know. Anyone who’s been to enough Pentacle productions has been to at least one that just didn’t work. Maybe the right members of the local talent pool didn’t sign up, or the director’s instincts weren’t the best. Maybe all the techies had colds. But then you go to the next one, and it’s a different sort of play altogether put on by a different set of people, and you give it a chance. If you don’t come into the experience with your cynicism on your sleeve, you’ll probably enjoy it or at least get some satisfaction from seeing your friends, relatives, and neighbors put on a show.
If you’re expecting consistency from your theater experience, spend a few hundred bucks to squint at touring companies at the Keller Auditorium. And hey, local Unilocalers: learn the difference between being a critic and being hyper-​critical. Having high standards doesn’t mean you have to be a cynical asshole about everything. Read your Ebert.

First to review? My lord. I was expecting one hundred five star reviews for this place. OK, the location itself isn’t bad… as the theatre is pretty nice. It’s location is set amidst a sea of tall trees. It’s quiet and tranquil. And once you enter… the seating is comfortable and rather roomy for a theatre. BUT THEN THE SHOW BEGINS. But let me preface… since my partner is a theater nut — he’s dragged me to a bunch of plays over the years. I’m not big into theater, but I can recognize good theater when I see it… and this place is the worst of them all. How Salem continues to support this is beyond me. How can they tolerate this bad of acting? And the place keeps recycling the same old actors over and over and over again. I mean, come on… mix it up a bit with different people… as I’m sure there are better actors in the area. Gosh! So I’ve seen like a ½ dozen plays here… and I’ve only semi-​enjoyed one… The Cat and The Hat… last year… but even that starred a very gay cat and the hat. I’m gay myself so I know VERY gay when I see it as well. But that production was nice… besides the strangely gay cat. But all other productions have seriously been HORRENDOUS. No excuses. The plays themselves do not deserve this kind of treatment. Seriously. Don’t waste your money here… even if it is like 100 years old and a Salem tradition. The place seems like its run by people that have run it for years… and haven’t left the woods in awhile to notice that there are good actors out there. Seriously. OMG.