Hippodrome State Theatre

Love this theater. Never had a bad seat and always enjoy the performances. The building is unique — be sure to take the elevator for a special treat.

Oh my goodness. Oh. My. Goodness.
I just got home from the hippodrome after going for the first time, and I won’t be returning again. The show I saw (witnessed? some verb that suggests I watched something dreadful) was absolutely terrible. I would rather be violently ill than see another production there. I would rather clip a strangers toenails. I’d rather have been tasked with sweeping up the entire place before ever seeing something there again.
Awful, awful show, and not for any reason that you might expect (and subsequently accept) from a local theatre. I don’t know if I could even pinpoint the most awful aspects, because rest assured it wasn’t only the horrendous acting (there were some, very few, highlights, but it only made the bad acting more apparent), or poor production value. I could decry the place for days and still feel like I wasn’t doing my own misery justice.
For one, we went to see the «All-​Girl Frankenstein», which was like a bastardization of anything that you’d assume when you see a poster with that name and a photoshopped image of a lady-​stein. It was just a bunch of women playing men, much of which was just… totally unnecessary? as well as a totally deceptive (definitely not what was advertised). And rest assured, if a bit of mendacity from the production team isn’t alarming, know that the play itself had enough bizarre, uncomfortable, and sometimes almost pedophilic, sexuality to make sure the whole family is running out screaming.
Throw in some awkward, absolutely cringe-​inducing interpretive dance, and you’ve got what has to be the worst play I’ve ever, in my life, experienced.
Oh! Also, we bought a chocolate bar from their concession stand while walking into the theatre, which we started to eat in the twenty minutes before the show started, only to be quite literally yelled at across the theatre by an employee handing out playbills. There weren’t any signs, and they Sold It To Us! Only to be yelled at like schoolchildren? Extremely, extremely unprofessional and rude.
And at such a price! The play was bad (and rapey) enough for me and my girlfriend to be traumatized, but maybe if we weren’t sitting here feeling bamboozled we’d maybe perhaps consider at least returning to the venue for a film. No chance, whatsoever. Won’t be stepping into the Hipp ever again.

I find this theatre to be quite fascinating with a lovely ambiance that helps me escape from reality. Once you walk in you forget that you were just downtown. The theatre looks more like a Roman building and is quite small and homey. It is located near some nice coffee places and definitely has a vibe going on about it that fits in quite nicely with what is downtown Gainesville. They have great and unique productions and allow other organizations to rent out their venue. I’ve been there multiple times for shows, competitions, and festivals. Go visit the Hippodrome and see a play or musical or whatever is showing if you have nothing going on at night :) get a drink from their bar which serves beverages relating to a theme for whatever show they’ve got going on and then grab dinner after with a coupon that they’ll probably have on the back of your theatre stub.

We had a great time last night at «Peter and the Starcatcher,» a fast-​moving, well acted and very funny play. This was our first experience in the Main Stage, so I reserve the right to update later. We enjoyed a movie downstairs a few weeks ago, and found it equally rewarding. The selection of movies is a great addition to Gainesville.
As to the Main Stage, I’m always a little nervous attending a performance on the 2^nd floor of an old building, where you have one narrow stairwell for the entrance/​exit — but once you get seated and the performance starts, it’s clear the quality of production outweighs any venue-​anxiety. There isn’t a bad seat in the house, in this small theater-​in-​the-​round venue. The acoustics and lighting capabilities are outstanding. (Hint: we found the seat-​backs uncomfortable, so if you have any tendency to back problems, you might want to bring some kind of cushion.) We also arrive early and lucked in to parking across the street. $ 10 for parking means somebody was making a good living — but what the heck, I don’t mind paying if it means I get only ¼ block walk.

What a treat the Hippodrome is! I couldn’t be more thankful for a regional theatre that takes big risks and provides opportunity for so many actors, designers, and more. If you are in town, make sure you stop by and see a show at the Hipp. You won’t be disappointed. #alwayshipp

I saw a free UF student stand up comedy show at the Hipp. The theater was full, so I sat on the floor outside the theater space and watched from stage right. The Hipp has floor plan that creates a classic and historical feel. The actual theater seems to encourage a black-​box experience which is appreciated for the right show. Tickets for Hipp shows are slightly expensive, so I see it as a bit of a luxury good, however, for the right show, I’d come again.

Having worked at the Hipp and having been a patron for years before/​after, there is not a single bad thing I could say about it. The shows are spectacular. Director Lauren Caldwell does such an incredible job filling the space with something magical and breathtaking again and again, show after show. The employees at the Hipp work tirelessly to create a perfect getaway for audiences. You won’t love every show, but that’s the beauty of the Hipp: there’s something there for everyone. It’s not «one kind of theatre»… and it’s also not stuffy, so if you’ve never been much of a theatre person, just stop by and check it out. You can even wear jeans and sneakers if you want to… judgement free zone!
The Hipp does such a wonderful job at holding a mirror up to its audiences. It is Gainesville’s theatre, and whether you’re browsing through the art gallery filled with a local artists’ work, checking out an indie film it its award-​winning cinema or experiencing a show in its brilliant thrust main stage, you’re seeing something that is 100% our community. Long live in the Hipp!

We arrived tonight just before curtain call and they would not sell us tickets. I am disappointed in their customer service as they continued to sear other clients who had tickets. Just saying it only would have taken 3 minutes to sell us tickets.

This place is classic. It tops the charts because there’s no other place in town that can compete with it.
It’s a historical landmark, for pete’s sake!
But seriously, every show I’ve been to there has been out of this world, AND cheap.

Neat theatre in Gainesville. They play indie movies and usually have ongoing plays performing. My experiences in the Hipp have only been in their movie theatre.
My first time was during the flex film fest. The theatre was small but cozy. All of the seats were taken so my friends and I all sat/​reclined on the floor. Picture quality and sound were pretty good.
The second time at the Hipp, I saw «Troll 2», often heralded as the best worst movie of all time, only this time I was able to get a seat. The movie was as expected, the best worst movie I have ever seen. The chairs were comfy and and they sell wine and beer which is always a nice perk.
Tickets are cheap, even cheaper if you’re a student. Get there early if you want a seat and check their website to stay up to date on their shows.

Great place for a movie (indy) and really good black box theater. If you are on a budget, and want a drink, I’d suggest going to the pool hall next door for a cheap beer rather than the expensive prices they charge for their drinks at the Hipp.

Hard to believe this little place is really in Gainesville. We have been going, on a subscription, for almost three years now and only one production was a clunker (Dracula if you must know).
The theater is intimate yet professional, with lighting and sound capabilities which put larger theaters to shame. But the staging is magnificent … possibly better than any Broadway or West End production, on a consistent basis. It is amazing what they can do with that stage and how the entire theater transforms itself into a different venue for every production.
And the acting retinue is as superb as it gets. Loaded with theater educators (two universities in town), advanced students and a very competent handful of Equity talent who pass through, there has never, ever, been any personal performance which was below a 9 on the scale (not Unilocal’s 1 – 5 scale, but the usual 1 – 10), and the 9s are few and far between.
And the house staff i actually over competent. They treat us season ticket holders like last century, and that is a good thing. Forget your tickets? no problem, they can quickly verify and give you passes. End up being out of town on «your» night? no problem, when do you want to come and we’ll hold the new tickets at the front door. Fast, friendly, flexible, efficient and probably a few more superlative adjectives.
Can’t believe they do not fill the house for every performance. So go, you can get seats.

I’ve been used to the larger Chicago or New York venues. When I first walked into the HIPP I was skeptical.
But the HIPP has won me over. There’s not a bad seat in the house. You can get very good deals from time to time.
Anyways, just wanted to give a big thumbs up to the HIPP.
If you live in Gainesville and haven’t been here you should go, and if your coming into town to visit give it a try. Now I can’t be responsible for the play you see (so pick wisely) but the HIPP itself is a WINNER !

What a weird little movie theater.
Worth going to this hybrid real theater/​movie theater for a movie due to their interesting selections and decent prices. The movie theater itself is tiny. not kind of tiny… REALY tiny. The sound was bad… REALLY BAD. The seats were comfy and the projection was good however. The snack bar also was a bit rough with surly service and weird tasting popcorn. The strangest thing was the ticket taker/​usher lady sat down in the middle of the floor to watch the movie once it started. VERY STRANGE.

The Hipp is one of Gainesville’s cultural centers, offering independent films and live action plays/​musicals.
All of the plays and musicals are allways well produced, directed and performed. The setting is very intimate because of the stage setting — you almost feel part of the performance (don’t worry! they won’t single you out and objectify you like a comedy club! :-)).
The movie theatre is small but they show films you wouldn’t find anywhere else in town. There’s a bar right outside the theatre where you can get coffee, sodas or alcoholic beverages.
Additionally there is a small gallery with rotating artists displaying their art.
Whether you’re in Gainesville for a day or if you’ve moved here permanently you need to go to the Hippodrome.

The Hippodrome is a Gainesville historic landmark. I have been to many events here, such as independent films, great plays, art gallery openings, and even hosted a fashion show here in the cinema room. They have done nothing but been extremely supporting of the arts. Parking can be tough, but if you live in Gainesville, you have to go here at least once for the experience.
A great cultural outlet for such a small town. A great chance to dress up and go on a date with beautiful scenery. Being here, you would think that you were in the big city.

It was V-​day, I was in G-​ville with my boy, and we were looking for something cool to do post-​dinner. We asked the lovely hostess at The Top if there were any cool indie theatres around, and she sent us in the direction of the Hippodrome. And a great recommendation it was!
In addition to the one movie that was playing, there was a special Valentine’s poetry reading taking place; we opted for the movie instead. It certainly wasn’t a loooove movie (as it was called «The Pope’s Toilet»), but it was a good movie, an entertaining movie. The theatre itself is cozy, but cool.
We didn’t get anything from the snack bar, but I noticed that people had alcohol and fresh cookies, and what else can you want with your movie really? Plus it’s cheap, at only $ 7/​ticket (less for students). We don’t have any theatre this cool in Boston.

The stage productions I’ve seen have been sort of rubbish, but they always get good movies.
Extra points for having a bar.
I just remembered I had my first kiss here during a screening of Donnie Darko Director’s Cut. Huh.

The Hipp is one of my favorite places to be in Gainesville. Located right in the heart of down town by Maude’s and Starbucks its a historic building which has been converted to a theater and cinema. I’ve not seen a bad show in the Hipp, I’ve seen some that are better but they always pretty good.
The theater is upstairs and there is not a bad seat in the house. Its almost a theater in the round, that would, I suppose, make it a theater in the U. You always feel like you’re part of the action in there intimate off-​Broadway plays.
The cinema plays films that you can otherwise not see in town, mostly indie and foriegn films. The building also hosts a bar that allows you to bring a cocktail into the theater or cinema and there is an art gallery that houses rotating painting and pictures by local artists.

I went to the Hippodrome in June to see the Great American Trailer Park musical. The musical was really funny in itself, but the actual content of the show was not what I was enamored by afterwords.
I fell in love with the hippodrome.
I just love the idea, for one, of actually making use of such a great historic landmark in Gainesville in such a fun way. They could’ve done something boring with it, like make it into a museum that history buffs and students doing research might attend once in awhile. However, instead they did something great with it so that you can enjoy a piece of history and some beautiful architecture without really seeking it out.
The staff was nice, and the hippodrome is really easy to find — which are both really important for central locations like this. But really, the inside of the theatre is beautiful. It’s the perfect size, I had seats at the side of the theatre and noticed that I still had a really clear view, and that it looked like in every row you could possibly be in we still would’ve had a pretty good view of the musical. Definitely no opera glasses necessary here. I would love to see a concert or movie in this place, and I’ll make sure to visit again the next time I am in the area.
I really could not stop talking about it when I left. I loved the bathrooms, and the molding in the hall ways, and the lighting in the theatre, and the shape of the stage, and the pillars outside. Seriously, I just loved this theatre. If I live in Gainesville it would be the first movie theatre listing I’d check whenever I planned on going out to see something, just because I love the space so much.
The concessions were a little crazy, but like all good things it was worth the wait.