Avo Playhouse

I wish there were a lot more little theaters like this around the county.
Granted, it is not the newest and most updated, and the sound system had some kinks, but overall we had a very good experience here. It’s an intimate setting, but still decent sized.
Parking was easy and free, always a plus!
I will definitely be returning.

I just have to say Les Miserables was Incredible! Last night. I was blown away
The Avo playhouse was easy to find off the 15 freeway. The main street reminds me of a quiet Hollywood. If you don’t already know, that’s where I’m originally from. There were a lot of free parking spots Yay! Dont have to worry about paying. My hubby was concerned about them letting us in, since we were running 10 minutes late. Fortunately, they gave us our tickets & lady told us it just started.
. We sat at the back behind the orchestra. Which btdub was amazing as well! The cast had awesome voices and could really hold the note for a long time. Being in choir for more than 5 years I know how difficult that is. Some of my favorites were Makena Merrifield, Ryan Burtanog, Kit Fugrad & Evan White. Very Impressed!
During intermission they had refreshments & raffles going. It got a little crowded, however it is a small place so I’d say there were over 100 people there. Also there was a line for bathroom but it moved fast. There were two sweet girls who came buy & asked us if we wanted buy raffle tickets. Only $ 1 each & before they started Scott Kolod came on stage to auction of autographed posters.
There was a standing O at the end. Well deserved! All and all an amazing date night with my hubby

This is yet another review where I’m between 3 and 4 stars… sometimes I round down, but this time I’ll round up.
Avo Playhouse is a repurposed movie theatre in Vista… a very cool revitalized area with quite a few restaurants and at least 3 breweries within just a couple blocks.
We saw the Beatles tribute band «Ticket to Ride». Our tickets were reasonably priced and the venue is small enough (seating for under 400) that there really aren’t any bad seats.
As a bonus, I was really happy that the bathrooms were large and clean. Only real disappointment was that there were no refreshments. It would be nice to have something simple, maybe just water, coffee, and tea?
Definitely worth going back! BTW there’s lots of free parking nearby.

Although I only watched one play at the Avo Playhouse, I have to say I’m a fan of the establishment. There’s plenty of parking in the back and it’s close to a variety of local shops to wander and see. The play that I watched, Sondheim on Sondheim, had a great cast. There was live music and a total of six very talented actors and actresses in the play. It’s true that the playhouse felt small but it created a more intimate setting between the audience and the cast. The audio was good and the audience was in the slightly older crowd but overall, the scene had a good vibe and I will hopefully be back when they open the belching beaver next door :)

Tonight was the second dress rehearsal of Agatha Christie’s «The Mousetrap,» the longest running play in modern history (started in 1952 and has been playing somewhere ever since). There was one Equity actor and the rest were players from the San Diego area.
I admit it: I looked up the play on Wikipedia (before they blacked out) so I knew how it ended, and it was easier to follow the story, knowing what happened.
The sound wasn’t the best, some of the actors didn’t speak up enough to be heard in the back rows. The acting was pretty good and the sets were very good and it was an enjoyable experience. It’s not Broadway by a long shot, but it was a fun community event.
The theater has been around since the 1920s? 1930s? and looks like it. The seats are old and very narrow and the walls are very plain. But still nice to have a historic theater on Main St in Vista.

Is it possible to have a vibrant theater scene without a vibrant audience?
I swear I can hear the collective hum of pacemakers.
Regardless, quality shows! I would go back again. The student rush tickets are not hard to get.

My star rating does not reflect the show we saw — which I thoroughly enjoyed!
The theatre itself could use some updating. The seats were small and very close together. There wasn’t much for refreshments, only a water fountain and coffee available. I didn’t use the bathroom, but my husband did and reports that they are clean and in good working condition.
Overall — a good time was had by all!