Orlando Shakespeare Theater

I’ve been here a few times, and I’ve never been disappointed. Most recently a family member had a CD release party here in one of the private rooms. What’s really nice is that the private rooms have their own restrooms. That’s a rarity in my experience. I’ve also been here for a play in a nicely sized theater. Not too small, not too large. It was the perfect size, as the actors interacted with the audience up close.

Fue una obra de teatro muy entretenida. Una historia que te hace pasar de la comedia a la reflexion del mundo actual. El personal del teatro es super amable.
Una gran oportunidad para distraerse.

Son took classes and I am impressed!!! He enjoyed it greatly and he learned a lot… it is highly appreciated and we will be back!

I came here as a chaperone on a field trip since I am a high school teacher. We had a wonderful time watching The Tempest. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast, theater amenities, and the play itself. Though the theater is small and lacks extensive special effects, the actors are innovative and creative. They add a bit of humor and self-​expression which modernizes the play and allows students to relate. The staff were wonderful in engaging the students. After the show, they hold a Q&A session where students are allowed to process what they just saw. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to grow and assert themselves in an academic environment.

Amazing little gem of a theatre. Must see Dancing Lessons, totally blown away by the writing and the actors! Venue is gorgeous, staff friendly, actors fantastic. Highly recommended!

Perfect theatre in the Orlando area in my opinion! Awesome show productions, musicals are fantastic, always something going on here, Open House festival once a year, and the famous Fringe Festival takes place here. I’ve been coming here for about 2 years now.
The staff members here are always nice, friendly, attentive, and welcoming. The Fringe Festival is out of this world extraordinary excellent with various productions and parking is free. The theatre is located in a great cultural location of another theatre, museums, and the Science museum.
Prices are very reasonable for productions here. I highly recommend this theatre. Check out their website for the latest happenings. You can also sign up to volunteer here as well. Perfect great fit for the community in Orlando.

Lovely customer service at the Will Call & Ticket Box Office — all my tickets were in the envelope (hey don’t laugh — I have had previous mishaps with missing tickets and so now always check at the box office before walking away!) and the folks behind the counter were super lovely and nice and answered my all questions about upcoming shows.
My tickets for this theatre were to see a preview performance of a show called «Dancing Lessons» (part of the Theater’s 2015 – 16 program) and I was really impressed by the amazing production values of the show, and especially the comfy seats! My tuckus was happy and comfortable in those seats, which was a very good thing as there was no intermission in the 2+ hour play. BTW, this is my only minor gripe of the evening as wish that the usher or the stage manager who come out at the start of the show, had told us about this lack.
BTW, the «Dancing Lessons» production values so impressed me that I actually plan to go and see their adaption of The Tempest. Almost 10 years ago, I saw a brilliant and gorgeous production of this play which portrayed a very visually striking storm effects. That production used real water during the initial shipwreck and a waterfall for the grotto scene, and since then other productions just haven’t lived up to that theatrically, so it been ages since I attempted to see another stage production of the Tempest! But Orlando Shakespeare Theater company won me over, even if I did think the hero of Dancing Lessons took a little bit of a lazy approach and just recreated Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory in his portrayal of Aspergers. However I am now digressing to a review of the play I saw rather than of the Theater, so getting back on track in next para :-)
Lots of loo stall in the ladies means another plus for this theater, and they were nice and clean! Parking was a bit of a challenge as we went on the same night as the Orlando Science Museum’s first Thursday night gig, but we did find parking towards the Rep Theater Lot.
Will definitely be back!

Got tickets for Spamolot for hubby although I hate Monty Python. Surprisingly, had a blast! Great actors, fun place, friendly employees. You can order drinks to be ready at intermission, which is very cool. Parking is a hot mess, though… so plan ahead!

My first experience here was being part of a production held at the Margeson theater. It’s quite a lovely venue, a comfy lobby bar area where you can get a drink or light snack in between acts, clean and comfortable. The staff who helped us during set up and strike were wonderful!

5 Stars for consistently fabulous local shows as well as a venue that supports the arts in many iterations!
I’m so lucky to live near Orlando Shakes! It’s conveniently located across the parking (yup– dedicated parking) from the Orlando Museum of Art and a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Menello Museum– forming a trifecta of art!
I’ve seen musicals, a one-​man-​show, Fringe Festival shows, and a literary reading in these theaters and each experience was lovely and intimate.
As an added benefit, the many unique spaces are available for event rentals and can accommodate sizes ranging from a board meeting to a wedding reception.
Pro-​tip: don’t miss out on checking out the terrace out back. It leads to the Firehouse Museum which houses some pretty amazing old firetrucks!
Yay for local arts orgs!

I’ve been coming to «The Shakes» for a few years now & I’ve really enjoyed the very professional productions. In addition to the Shakespeare plays, they have Broadway plays & musicals. I’ve also attended the Fringe Festival for a number of years which I’ve really enjoyed, there’s never enough time to see all of the shows I want to see! Order your tickets now! ;-)

Orlando Shakes has a great thing going with all the summer camps they provide for kids, season passes for theater-​enthusiasts, and some of the best performances in Orlando. You’ll enjoy everything about this place, from the scenic location, to the courteous staff inside… please don’t miss this opportunity!

A great professional theater company that caters to the community of Orlando. High quality productions at an affordable price. The acting and production value of every production is superb and comparative to any Broadway production.

If you like culture, this is the place to be, it is nice to support the art’s but make sure you eat beforehand Because food is NOT available, snacks are for sale for a small fee oh and if you are a beer enthusiasts like my self you are $@&! out of luck. They do have 4 beer choices for the non beer snob. Hey you can always sneak a flask in, just saying, you may make the person sitting next to you your new best friend. Happy Holidays

We come here quite often Niki and me. So much so that we donate every year so the shows can go on. We enjoy the high quality theater and works by Shakespeare in this intimate space. From time to time they perform works like Dickens Nicolas Nickleby or Les Miserables which is currently on stage. This is theater at its finest and fun for the whole family so bring the kids too. They will love it.

I was introduced to this venue recently when I attended a matinée showing of Les Miserables. I was SO blown away by the performance and could not believe that this little venue was hosting productions of this calibre in our «little» city of Orlando!
I am a season Broadway show ticketholder of Bob Carr which has transferred over to the Dr. Phillips performing arts center. While I love the big productions, I love the intimacy of this venue and that you can enjoy a show on a smaller scale but the performance is still Broadway worthy. We had seats up high but I honestly think there are no bad seats in the house. There are even seats on both sides of the stage so you’re really getting a front row experience. I especially loved that there was an exit back behind us at the top of the stairs so we didn’t have to go all the way down the stairs.
One cool thing I noticed was that after the performance, the headliners were just hanging out in the lobby chatting with guests .I was a little starstruck… no diva behavior there! :)
I didn’t really spend too much time in the lobby but did notice the gift shop and that they were doing some sort of ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ raffle. They also sell refreshments but only drinks are allowed inside the performance. Parking is shared with the Orlando Museum of Art so get there early as it fills up fast. You can also try parking off street on Mills or in the Orlando Science Center garage (probably for a cost).
Had such a great time I’ll be looking into tickets for my husband and I to attend in the future. I urge you to check this place out when you get a chance. You won’t be disappointed!

I have seen several plays at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater over the years, and it is a fantastic place. There are several different theaters in the building to accommodate different performances. Even in the largest theater you will have the feeling of being in a pretty intimate space.
Last weekend I took my family for the annual open house. This is a great opportunity to go behind the scenes and learn about the costume shop, set design, lighting, and all of the things that go into putting on these great shows. This event was free so we decided to buy some raffle tickets to support their fundraiser and we won tickets to an upcoming show. Yippee! We had a great time and will be sure to go back next year.
I have seen a wide variety of shows here. We have gone to several of the kids shows, which are always tons of fun. Since they are the Shakespeare theater you can count on a couple Shakespearean plays per season as well as some classics. I like that they always add their own twist the the Shakespeare plays, so even if it’s a story you already know they will present it in a new way.
I really appreciate having a theater like this in Orlando. This is one of the many arts venues that makes Orlando great.

I am proud to say I will be an Acting Intern here this coming season 2014 – 2015! Please do venture out to this theatre for an evening (or afternoon) of some really spectacular entertainment. Not only is this theatre beautiful when you walk in, but it’s neverending with several stages ranging from the most intimate to the largest proscenium/​thrust! My favorite thing about this theatre by far, is that they have something for everyone. This year we will be doing a classic musical that everyone knows and is sure to be a showstopper– Les Miserable. And last season, the theatre took a risk and put on the incredibly large, long, and fantastic journey of Nicholas Nickleby (a two part show with marathon weekends that consisted of both parts and dinner In between).
Let’s not forget their namesake as well! They truly put on some unique and innovative versions of Shakespeare plays such as Julius Caesar, Taming of the Shrew, Titus Andronicus, & Othello (all done in the past two yrs or so). They also produce some other classics like Sense & Sensibility, have fun theatre for young audiences shows throughout the season (such as the recent Rapunzel), & host playfest where they perform works by up and coming playwrights.
I cannot say enough about this theatre. They have great ticket prices, season passes available for purchase, they have a lovely snacks/​drinks/​wine concessions area, beautiful gift shop, decent parking if you come on time, and you’re sure to have a wonderful night of artistic enlightenment and culture! Please support the arts and visit this theatre routinely. Oh, and this gives us a reason to dress up fancy! Who doesn’t enjoy that? :)
Enjoy the show and look out for me this season in your playbills and on stage!

A local theater, what’s not to love? I really don’t take advantage of this being in my backyard as much as I should. It is located in Loch Haven Cultural Park in Ivanhoe!
It’s a great venue that hosts a variety of plays and event throughout the year. They are all about celebrating Classic, Contemporary, and Children’s Plays. You can purchase single ticket shows or passes.
I have been here plenty of times but most recently was last month for a one man play: Dracula: The Journal of Jonathan Harker. WOW! WOW! WOW! What a performance. And what a fab venue to see a one man show. It is intimate enough to feel every piece of the action yet not stuffy or any feeling of being claustrophobic. For lack of better words, it’s a perfect balance.
This play used Stoker’s original text of journal entries, letters, and newspaper clippings and it definitely was jam-​packed with plenty of thrills and chills. It was perfect for the season and not only was it captivating and haunting, it was also touching. The passion from the actor really shined through and he had my complete attention through both acts. The stage production was top notch as well, I really did forget I was sitting in a theater at points.
Everyone that works here and the community behind it should be proud of themselves and every production they put on. Bravo!

Rarely do I get the opportunity to write a review with such pleasure, as even when five stars are deserved, rarely so much as this Theatre.
I must begin with the Theatre itself. It is not only a pleasure to get to, quite easy, but parking is abundant and gratis. This was a surprise to me, as in my former city parking at the theatre would run anywhere from $ 5 to $ 20. The staff are helpful, warm and quite informative and the theatre — there are actually more than one inside, a smaller and a larger — was clean and quite comfortable. They sell beverages and snacks at reasonable prices and have space to consume them pre show or in intermission.
We were led into the smaller theatre and I was quite excited as we had wonderful seats, yet anywhere you would have been is intimate and cozy. I do not know how many people this particular theatre held, but I would surmise maybe around 200.
The stage was beautifully and expertly designed, they truly did a wonderful job.
Now I must say that the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre deserves many stars, but what truly took it over five for me, was the incredible quality of the actor in «Dracula: The Journal of Jonathan Harker». Please let me explain something. I love the theatre and have been to many shows in Chicago, Miami, Louisville, Bogota and now here. On occasion one can expect an excellent performance from a professional troupe that unfortunately falls flat, or expect an amateur performance from volunteer actors that is quite nice. I didn’t know what I was about to enjoy (or not) from John P. Keller. As he was the only actor in the play it could have gone either way.
Once he came out and began to speak, goosebumps began to erupt on my arms. Dare I hope that it will continuously be as wonderful as his opening? Would he wane and fade as the performance continued? I was most definitely not to be disappointed in his amazing and nothing short of award deserving acting. I can honestly say that in no theatre ever, have I seen such incredible acting.
As he narrated the journal, his expressions, intonations, and pauses were absolutely perfect, and I must say that each time he went to speak for Dracula that he transformed into the monster himself. His Vlad Dracul was absolutely perfect and incredibly disturbingly evil. Then with a blink of his eye he would transform into Jonathan and later Quincy, Van Helsing, or Arthur. His transformations into said characters including the different (and perfect) accents were so absolute, so complete, that I left feeling a whole troupe of actors had been on that stage.
After seeing Mr. Keller perform, we spent the next two days commenting on how amazing he truly had been. My only regret was that we saw the play on the penultimate day and couldn’t come back to experience it again.
Orlando Shakespeare Theatre has proven to be of utmost quality and can hold its own next to any in NYC or other theatre town.
I heard Mr. Keller will be the lead in «The Life & Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby», a play I will now see only because I would love to see his performance. (Note, for anyone wondering… NO I do not know the actor personally, he isn’t a friend, relative, acquaintance or friend, relative or acquaintance of anyone I know either. He was just THAT GOOD).

I had the pleasure of seeing Dracula: The journal of Jonathan Harker at this theater last night. What a great show. The leading actor John P. Keller was magnificent in his roles. I always thought one man shows to be incredibly boring but this show was anything but. I was amazed how fluid the transitions from character to character were. Dracula was eerily amazing. The actor’s contortions and voice along the set’s lighting made dracula other worldly. The beautiful set was wonderfully used to put you in the scene — to feel what he was feeling throughout. He gets spooked and so do you. Amazing show.
I have been at this theater once before for the fringe festival to see a more light hearted show and was fairly pleased as well.
I am excited to come back to see Shakespearean plays in the future.