The Living Room

I've been to The Living Room for two shows and had a great experience each time.

The first show was held in the big upstairs area. It was kinda neat - go up a couple of creaky old staircases and then you're in a nice, intimate setting. They serve popcorn, PBR, and select other mixed drinks as well as water. It'd be a fun space for a reception.

The second show was in what is considered the living room. It's more of a blackbox style theater, four rows of living room furniture arranged so that every seat has a good view of the action. Some of the seats were the glorious, sit-down-and-sink-in type but others were the mashed-down-and-feels-like-thin-cardboard type. It's open seating so get there early and try a few spots to see what you like.

TL;DR - intimate venue with unique seating.

After casually saying for months that I'd make it to The Living Room for a play, I finally did it. Tonight I saw Buckets of Blood. The play itself was OK-ish, but really...this is more of a review of the venue.

Personally, I think The Living Room is a fantastic space! Having heard that it was named in honor of their multiple couches and easy chairs that are available for seating, I assumed it was going to be a seriously teeny-tiny, and thus bare-bones production. Well, it's not. There actually  aren't all that many sofas available for sitting, and most people will be stuck in run-of-the-mill folding chairs (but cushioned, so comfy!) I'm not complaining, my point is simply they fit in a larger audience than I had anticipated. To go with it, the stage was also significantly larger than expected. Including the band, there were regularly almost a dozen people on stage, and it never felt cramped. I imagine they have the space and the flexibility to do a wide variety of shows.

I do have a couple of complaints. First, the bathroom situation leaves something to be desired. During a 15 minute intermission, the line was frustratingly long. Additionally, I think it was pretty warm in the theater. I know it's unseasonably warm for April 1st, but it makes me question what a show in that space would be like in July.

Having only seen one show I can't speak for the artistic direction of this particular theater company. But reading over the playbill and learning of who all is involved, I am going to venture a guess that The Living Room puts on some of the more daring and original productions in town. Small companies and low budgets certainly create many constraints, but they seem to make it easier to gamble. I look forward to seeing what shows come through The Living Room next!

I saw Oleanna at The Living Room this past weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. If you're looking for something interesting to do in Kansas City, check this place out.

I'm the kind of person that loves going to the movies, so I was a little unsure of what a two-person play would be like, but I was talking about it for hours afterward. The setting is small and intimate, with 360 degree seating. And they serve coffee and drinks in the lobby, where you can wait on worn, cushioned couches.