So I was here with a friend who wanted to watch RII. Â I'll have to admit that I'm not much into Shakespeare but I can appreciate the three actors who managed to portray different characters. Â You have to appreciate an actor and their craft when their set is at a minimal, and their costumes are as well and yet you can observe and appreciate the subtleties of character change with a slight mussing up of hair, an injured arm, a scarf that becomes an indication that the actor that was to be king is now queen, or the actor who was the uncle now becomes the priest or abbot.
The small theatre is small and intimate. Â The seating is comfortable and the place is well ventilated. Thank god as sometimes being at a stuffy place can be so unbearable. Once again, great venue and really great actors.
Just saw R II at a preview performance. Â Wow! Â Mind blowing! Â Absolutely fabulous production. Â Others will chime in soon after this play opens this Saturday.
I couldn't believe how easy the theater was to attend: Â Free parking within yards of the stage, tons of dining and fun around the venue. Â Come early and find a happy hour.
The performance was world-class in every way: Â marvelous script (by Shakespeare);
a brilliant and ambitious production that relies on only three actors to build the entire story;
intense modern lighting and staging ; Â
and finally, great performers who pull off a challenging and difficult spectacle with two of them playing multiple roles, and all of them presenting a dazzling spectrum of likenesses and feelings. Â
In one brief scene in the epic: Â Imagine a fortress castle being stormed by a vast army and its defeated guardian being executed at dawn by an usurping prince - all in three minutes with three people and sound and language on a stage the size of a tennis court. Â Yes, it really happened and I can't believe what I just saw. Â Head spinning.
I'm still shaking all over from the thrill ride performance of Richard II like I've never seen before. Â A must see for certain for anyone who loves Shakespeare.
I am a fan of the Arts, and the theatre is a particular delight for me. This place is the bananas foster of the Arts and I can't stop seeing them flambe their performances each and every time I come here. Sometimes, you just need to get lost in a different world and television and the movies just isn't cutting it anymore.
Luring me in with tales from Ancient Greek mythology with a fresh 21st century perspective of What If (Heavier than...) to more tales from Ancient Greece with a 21st century involvement (The Children) to a man struck by lightning and changing the lives of 3 people (Creation). The plays I've seen here are thought provoking and encourages praise, conversation and are just a delight, like a serving of bananas foster as if it was just made especially for you.
The staff is very friendly, helpful and very knowledgable about the center. There are seats in the lobby for people to wait around, converse, and mingle with others. The actual theatre is large, the seats are comfortable and the place isn't cramped at all. Ventilation is very good; it's cool when it needs to be, it's warm when it needs to be. Parking is freaking awesome, it's at the back and the lot is never full no matter how packed the performance is. You can also meet the actors and director when they exit the theatre and talk to them. I think that is just plain awesome.
I may have to drive here for almost an hour, but since Orange County is practically devoid of places like Boston Court, I don't mind the drive. With the quality of the stuff that Boston Court hosts, I actually look forward to my travels to Pasadena to watch a play from the awesome Boston Court. Now if they can only fix my name on their subscription list (they have me down as Alexandra), I'd be all set!
Creative theatre - classics, new works, everything. This place is what LA is lacking: A theatre that is doing theatre for theatre's sake. There are no scenes here from "When Harry Met Sally" in the hopes the actors will be discovered. This is quality professional theatre that you would expect in Downtown NY. I'm so glad there are places like this at least near LA.
Review Source:boston court performing arts center opened up about ten years ago and it was the product of a very large amount of money bequeathed by one man with a singular vision. at the time of it's construction, a lot of people in the theatre community were puzzled that so much capital (and it's quite obvious that boston court cost A LOT of cash) was being poured into creating this center rather than supporting some of the already existent and renowned theatres and/or performing arts presenters in the area.
personally, i have mixed feelings about boston court. i think that over time it has managed to carve out a distinct niche in the local arts community and the space itself is excellent with plentiful parking, a lovely lobby, a beautiful theatre with comfortable seating and the nicest bathroom i've seen in pasadena. they produce  a handful of shows a year and occasionally present nights of music performances and other various literary events. the center strives diligently towards fulfilling it's mission to present works that are creative, bold and daring while challenging the audiences of pasadena/san gabriel valley with diverse programs in an intimate setting but i continue to not be entirely won over by the center's programming.
i've seen several plays here, including the latest production: a modern day adaptation of nikolai gogol's 'the government inspector.' i bought tickets to the show because i'm a fan of the russian playwright and the advance press looked very promising so my enthusiasm was running high when the lights dimmed and the audience was immediately treated to a soaring song (featuring guest choreography by ken roht). it was funny, smart, very entertaining and when the curtain opened to reveal the lushly lit stage and gorgeous costumes awash with bold colors, i found myself smiling.
it all started out so well but quickly turned cliche with the satirical introduction of a plot point that involved an equivalent to the modern occupy movement and the idea of the 99%. this killed it for me and from that point on, what had previously seemed funny and insightful became trite and i couldn't wait to finally leave the theatre at the end of the night. although a majority of the critical press embraced 'the government inspector,' including the los angeles times, the pasadena star and the hollywood reporter, i thought it was awful. it was a poor attempt to be clever that left a bitter aftertaste and with that, it'll probably be a while before i return to see another show at boston court.
A beautiful and intimate local performing arts Center. A wonderfully modern design without being cold. And plentiful free parking in their own lot.
They have two theatres. The mainstage is a 99-seater with fully modernized fly in a stage configuration that's a partial, oval, raised thrust as opposed to a flat proscenium. A fairly unique arrangement. But the physical space is irrelevant in most ways. What one comes for is a great performance.
So special kudos to co-artistic director Jessica Kubzansky and her fascinating programming. As a director, her taste is interesting while accessible and when bringing other artists to the stage she gives them the room to create as they desire, while bringing in some fascinating collaborators.
The choice to commission Theater Movement Bazaar's Tina Kronis and Richard Alger was genius. Their production of Chekhov's The Treatment (an adaptation of his short story Ward Six) was a rare treasure like few theaters have the daring to produce compared to the normally venal and vapid selections on display In our city of Angels.
I've been to lots of small theaters in Los Angeles -- it's really a way of life here -- but I've never been in one like the Theater at Boston Court. Â Here you still have cheap prices and often professional actors, but you also have COMFORT. Â Stadium seating, comfortable seats, lovely lobby, clean restrooms -- I love it. Â Even better, it's technically an amazing venue. Â The sound, lights, stage, sightlines -- you can't find better anywhere.
I have no idea how they're paying for it....but I'm not complaining!
The plays they put on tend to be new and arty, and though I haven't loved them all equally, I can't argue they're not worth the money....and some of them are fabulous.
They also do music, but I don't, so I can't review that part of it!
If you want recommendations of nearby restaurants, then here goes. Â If you're:
-- an independent burger type, try Wolfe Burger
-- a fast-food sushi type, go to Midori
-- in the mood for Mexican, try El Metate
-- just wanting sandwiches, go to Subway
-- in the mood for Thai, go to President Two
-- open to non-pho Vietnamese, try Indochine
-- like my mom, there's always Coco's
Cara
"The Pain & The Itch"
8/2/09 @ Â 2pm matinee
A truly great addition to Pasadena. Boston Court is about 5yrs old, so the building is modern and top-notch. Never a bad seat in this 99-seat theater. Â Comfy lobby area w/ seating and a snack/drink bar (beware: the theater is too tiny and quiet to ignore the rules and eat your snack during the play....um, not that it crossed my mind or anything.)
A good value for cutting-edge theater, especially with the $5 recession-buster or pay-what-you-can specials. BC offers high quality, challenging programs. Support the arts and GO.
BTW...
Parking: they have their own lot; if you go south on Mentor, it's on your left (east) just BEFORE you reach the theater. Street parking can get iffy. Â
Post-theater eats: the surrounding area is Pasadena-but-Not-So-Nice, so you'll probably have to move the car if you want some dinner.
After coming here I want to see more theater in Los Angeles! Where is it?! WHERE?! I went to see "Courting Vampires" and got $5.00 recession tickets. And let me tell you, I needed them. $5.00 tickets! It was a 2 p.m. sunday matinee.
For some reason, I think (or thought) theater was boring (soz!). After seeing this play though, it sparked my interest. Telling compelling stories on stage? What is this?
There's a cute coffee shop down the street from here, as well. And everyone's talking about The Ice House (and by everyone I mean one of the other reviews on this list and the guy behind me when I was waiting in line - or is it on line? - at the theater). Never been though.
But yes! Boston Court Theater! Go there!
Boston Court is on the same street as the Ice House. They have their own parking lot which is easily entered if you were going straight on Boston Court (don't make a right onto Mentor as google maps suggested). However, since there was street parking, that's where I parked.
The box office is inside and I didn't receive actual tickets. Your programs acted as tickets and it apparently was open seating.
There's plenty of seating in the lobby. I checked out the concession stand and they had vegan cookies for sale along with some of the usual snacks. They didn't appear to have cheap wine for sale though.
The seats are a bit sunken in. The stage seems a bit too high up but I didn't notice after a while since the show was so fun (Rated RSO). I was a bit worried at first though when all that hardwood flooring seemed to have the sound bouncing everywhere.
I didn't use the facilities but I'm sure they're as nice as the lobby and stage.
3.5
i recently went to see Othello for a "pay what it's worth" day. so it's a free show and at the end of the performance you pay however much you think it's worth. i think it's a great concept!
it's a small intimate venue.
oh and you can park at the theater and walk down to any of the restaurants nearby. i would recommend el metate if you want mexican.
Any given weekend in Pasadena, you're likely to find at least one of the following: a new movie, great restaurant, hip coffee shop or slightly seedy bar. Â All those, it goes without saying, are wonderful, but redundancy kills even the most ardent of pass times. Â
If you've been to Pasadena, chances are you've never been to The Theatre @ Boston Court. Â It's only been around for a little more than three years, but it's a must for any theatre junkie or live arts fan. Â The venue itself is amazing; the lobby is perfect for pre-show lounging and the small, intimate theatre begs for high-quality productions. Â And, to be honest, the shows always come through. Â Far from the ordinary, The Theatre @ Boston Court does some pretty sweet shows that are not for weak hearts or minds. Â The shows are witty, smart, and edgy, breaking the mold of what you might expect out of a theatre. Â Casts are top-notch, and with deeply discounted events (pay-what-you-can shows and special music nights), there's not really much else you can ask for. Â If you're in the area and looking for something to do, definitely check this place out!
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