Hartford Stage

I’ve been to the Hartford Stage a few times here and there throughout the years. But this year, I’ve found myself there more often and it’s a great experience every time.
It’s a really great theater and there isn’t a bad seat in the house. Prices range depending on the show you’re seeing and the day of the week you’d like to go. They recently ran a Black Friday special for Christmas Carol tickets, for 25% off tickets for certain shows. Then there was Rear Window, where I paid $ 125 per ticket, which was totally worth it to see Kevin Bacon! So they do a good mix of more budget friendly shows, and bigger names/​bigger prices. They also have subscription packages that you can purchase for additional savings.
One thing I learned on my last visit is that you can purchase parking vouchers at the box office, prior to the show starting. The vouchers cost $ 6.50, and it’s definitely a good value. We did not purchase one, and ended up paying $ 10 for parking when we saw Rear Window. That was a relatively short show, if we had seen a longer show, it would have ended up costing more. So do yourself a favor and pre-​pay for that voucher if you park in the garage! I will definitely be doing that next time.
Another tip: the upstairs bar is FAR less busy than the downstairs bar. So if you’re looking for a beverage or a snack pre-​show, head upstairs for less waiting and more room to move around. It’s a short set of stairs to get up there, and there is also an elevator.
If you’re thinking of having lunch or dinner before or after the show, check out their website before you go. There are several restaurants in the area that offer discounts between 10% — 20% off for ticketholders. This makes a great deal for a date night, with dinner and a show!

Wow! The newly renovated Hartford Stage lobby really blew my hair back. The play we saw was excellent. The stage design was complicated and very Inception-​like. The acting was superb and loved seeing Kevin Bacon! I would most definitely come back here to see another play.

I am not giving a 5 star rating because of the less than optimal customer service. The productions at the Stage are usually quite good. How ever it seems that with the infusion of new money into renovations and structure they seem to have lost their commitment to customer service. There was a mix up in our subscription that need to be resolved. We were on hold for ½ hour before a customer service representative could assist us. Comcast does better than this. Well, i am sure we will enjoy the performances, but not with a good feeling about the overall service lever.

Love how intimate this space is! After living in the Hartford area for a majority of my life, I finally experienced Hartford Stage and I was thrilled! The space is great for many plays/​shows, the price was decent for your seating and they have adequate amount of bathrooms for the patrons– never seen a women’s line go that fast!
I saw Kiss Me Kate, the show was great. Our seats did limit us to the viewing of one scene/​5 seconds of the show, no a biggie.

As a self-​proclaimed theater fanatic, I’ve been to many theaters and have seen my fair share of shows. Hartford Stage ranks among the best of the best when it comes to regional theaters.
My first encounter with Hartford Stage was seeing «Kiss Me, Kate», and, wow, what a firecracker of a production. My near constant exposure to theater over the last few months has made me very sensitive to less-​than-​perfect productions, especially when it comes to seeing «actors on stage» rather than «characters in a story.» This was not the case at all for Hartford Stage’s latest production, which rivaled most musical productions I’ve seen on Broadway. The actors had conviction, the set design was beautiful, the pit orchestra was on point, and the direction was crisp and clear. I guess I shouldn’t expect any less from Director (and Hartford Stage Artistic Director) Darko Tresnjak, who led «A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder» from the capitol city to a Best Musical Tony in New York just a few years back. How fortunate we are to have him in our hometown.
What’s also great about Hartford Stage is the fact that they make high quality performing arts affordable and thus accessible. For students, you can get a $ 20 ticket (+ no ticket fees!) for pretty much any seat in the house except the most premium section. For those no longer in school, the $ 25 super saver seats are a (relative) steal. Not sure about rush tickets, but you can always ask — the staff there is very friendly.
As for the theater itself, whether the stage is in proscenium or thrust format, every seat has a great view of the stage. There’s no nosebleed section here, so you needn’t worry about buying that cheap seat and not having a good theater experience. The lighting and sound design in this theater are also seamless, which indicates that Hartford Stage takes its craft very seriously.
The only downside I can think of – and what plagues most theaters — is its bathroom situation. Both the men’s and women’s bathrooms are a bit inadequate for the size of the theater. They’re passable, for sure, but still inadequate.
Overall, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from visiting Hartford Stage.

I saw Kiss Me Kate last eve and it was phenomenal! The singing, the dancing, the acting, the costumes, the set– Broadway quality. I did not see it (well– I saw it but didn’t ‘see’ it) that the actresses were all of the same size and height, as were the actors. My friend that I was with who performs in community theater that this helps the visual flow. No disruption to the eye. And it is visually a stunning performance.
I have only seen the movie, never the show live on stage. I was enthralled through the entire show. It is a long show, 2 hours 45 minutes, but never felt long. Classic music and great with kept it moving right along.
The theater itself is lovely. Comfortable seats, great acoustics. Easy parking in the garage next door. I’ll be back!

The Hartford Stage definitely takes the Shakespearean adage, «The play is the thing,» and runs with it. It’s a no-​frills building and simple arena style staging with nothing glamorous or glitzy about it. But, there isn’t a bad seat in the house (I don’t think I’ve sat in ALL of them, but I’ve sat in quite a darn few of them!). And they strike a terrific balance between presenting classic theatre pieces and contemporary/​new plays. They are also the only theatre I know of in Connecticut that devotes as much of their line-​up to Tennessee Williams’ plays (both his classics and his more unknown avante garde work), which I heartily applaud. I’m a huge Williams fan, and don’t think I’ve missed a Tennessee Williams play in production for years — since I moved to CT in 2000. Technically, the theatre is outfitted with a terrific light and sound system, and the designers always seem to come up with a first rate way of presenting 1^st class settings and art direction in a small space. I rate it right up there with Goodspeed Opera House and Yale Rep for New York quality theatre in CT — and at CT ticket prices!
I read a review further up before I posted this one in which a woman describes what sounds like a pretty lousy management personnel issue she had. I feel badly for her — however, I have to say, they have never been anything but polite, helpful, and accommodating with me.

Absolutely delightful place to see a show! Their productions are top notch and there’s not a bad seat in the house. The staff is friendly and helpful.

My husband and i just saw Hamlet at Hartford Stage 11/​16/​2014. It was spectacular. The actor who played Hamlet was wonderful! I’ve loved every production I’ve attended at Hartford Stage over the last 20 years. A Philadelphia Story was a favorite. Excellent acting, one feels drawn into the experience as only a truly great production can do. Top quality production, actors from the best drama schools and experiences. Amazing lighting, sound system and scenery! I always sit in section C… excellent seating wherever one sits. Easy access parking. All plays I’ve experienced are every bit the quality of a Broadway production. We’ve taken to attending A Christmas Carol as a family tradition over the years. I would recommend any production at Hartford Stage as an experience you’ll remember!

I’ve always come here for A Christmas Carol every year and they never disappoint. Never a bad seat and always a good show.

I’ve loved this theater for most of my life.
I returned here recently, nearly on the spur of the moment, for a Shakespeare performance. The production was up to the standards I’ve experienced every other time: sparkling at the heights, dramatic at the depths. As a one-​time theater major, there aren’t a lot of surprises in a Shakespeare script, but there was plenty to hold my interest in this production.
The theater itself is comfortable to sit in, and the three-​sided stage means everyone gets a good view. Concessions in both the upper and lower lobby add to the comfort.
Fairness compels me to note two personal connections to Hartford Stage: a friend of mine is on the staff, and many years ago, when I was in high school, I spent some months backstage as a production intern. I read with pleasure that Hartford Stage remains committed to working with students in area schools.
Hartford Stage is celebrating their 50^th anniversary this year. May it celebrate 50 more!

Happy 50^th Hartford Stage! We’re in our second year of season tickets and enjoying every show. We really appreciate the liberal policy for changing our tickets to another date. Please don’t hesitate to support this local gem!

This is perhaps my favorite theater in Connecticut. The theater is very intimate and there really is not a bad seat. I used to love when they had the 10 Spot option where a limited number of seats were available online for $ 10. They offer a very eclectic mix of plays and feature both timeless classics and more modern plays. Their production of a Christmas Carol is one of my favorites and always puts me in the Christmas spirit. I enjoy supporting them because of their strong commitment to bringing the arts to the community and showcasing up and coming local talent. I am looking forward to seeing what the 2013 – 2014 season has to offer.

Tickets typically cost more than I really budget for, but I find myself stretching my limit when they lure me in with actors like Mikhail Baryshnikov. *Sigh*
There are ways to get cheaper seats, like finding tickets the day of, but you might not want to gamble like that if a show is about to close.
In the wing, I had an obstructed view for about thirty seconds. That’s a fair trade off for not spending over $ 100 on my ticket. They’ve apparently added a closed captioning screen though, which is annoying and distracting. I don’t know if they run this at all performances now, or only at ones when someone has requested it. I sure hope it’s the latter.
I’ve never left disappointed.
I usually just walk here, but on a recent visit with a friend, we parked in the Morgan Street Garage for $ 4. It’s only a few blocks away, and let’s be real, if you’re able-​bodied, your ass probably needs some exercise and you’re going to be sitting still in a theater for the next hour or so anyway.

What a fantastic space.
If you haven’t attended a production here, I’d highly suggest it. The theatre is «black box» style, which gives the audience an intimate, close-​up performance. I came here for the production of «A Christmas Carol», which was amazing. We really enjoyed our night out – and coming from a theatre background (degree and all), there is nothing I like better than to see a quality production. Lighting was balanced, creative and effective in setting the mood; staging was well thought out and I appreciated the use of the space given, especially with the trap and flying actors in on cables; sound was perfect; costumes were period appropriate and «steampunk» (my hubby taught me that one!) and acting was excellent.
I plan on attending many more productions here. Seeing amazing live art like this makes me wish I was still doing production work! Anyone wanna hire me? :)

It’s true, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
I attended a production of Hedda Gabler (my favorite play) at Hartford Stage tonight and bought a cheapo ticket, which put me on one of the side wings. I was initially apprehensive, thinking that I’d be in an awkward viewing position, which absolutely wasn’t the case. Sound and lighting were impeccable, and the overall performance was just brilliant.
As it was my first visit to Hartford Stage, I didn’t expect the theater to be so small — but it’s an intimate setting that really lends to the power of the productions. There’s a bit of metered street parking, as well as an adjacent parking lot. For a two and a half hour production, the lot ran me $ 6.50. Not terrible, but it’d obviously benefit you to get there a bit early and circle around for a street spot, as evening parking is free.
Definitely looking forward to attending future productions, especially Twelfth Night in May!

Went to see «A Christmas Carol» for the fourth year last night. The people working at the Hartford stage company are always friendly and helpful. There are no «bad seats» and the lighting and sound are great. If you have never seen a live production, the Hartford Stage is a great place to start.

I have limited experience with theater, but I rather enjoyed the showing of «The Crucible» the lady-​friend and I went to see.
The theater is small but they make due with clever use of a combination of trap doors, hydraulics and overhead catwalks. Due to it’s smaller size, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
The sound system and lighting is excellent.

Excellent, innovative theatre at affordable prices. Not a bad seat in the house!

Most realistic 3D ever!
With the recent rise in 3D movies, and their subsequent rise in ticket prices, spending the time to see an actual theatre production makes more sense than ever. For generally the same price as an IMAX 3D movie ticket you can spend a few hours of your evening being entertained in the worlds oldest 3D format, live performance.
I saw Hartford Stage’s production of «Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer» last night and it was everything I’d hoped it would be. Though small, this theatre manages to make the most of it’s space by focusing on the art of theatre, entertainment, and 2 «bars».
It’s refreshing to spend an evening being entertained without the constant barrage of advertising and marketing.
So for anyone considering what to do with their evening, whether it be a date or a family outing, Hartford Stage is worth a reservation. Oh, and did I mention you can bring your drinks back to your seats?
Bön spectacle !