rochester civic theatre

I have been to the Rochester Civic Theatre several times for spectacular productions.. One of the best features of this theatre is that it is small and intimate and no matter where you find yourself sitting it is easy to hear and see what is going on stage. If you are in Rochester and enjoy live theatre don't forget to take in a production here.

Rochester Civic Theater is supported by the Mayo Clinic.....we have excellent plays to offer....wonderful talents lie in Rochester. The Directors are excellent, and the choice of plays quite interesting.......you will NEVER be disappointed.....

We went to a great concert by a rock band, LP 45's ( I think). It was outside the theater. They were fantastic and so was the dancing! Such a wonderful way to spend our last night in Rochester.

So I honestly was not expecting much but we took in a great show. I saw laughter on the 23rd floor and it was a great take. The actors really got the accents down and had great comedic timing. I will totally check out another one of their shows.

I'm not an theater critic, but I go for a good experience.Attended the opening of "Grease" and we had a great time.RCT depends on volunteers and these folks seem dedicated to making sure we have an enjoyable experience. There were a couple of Mustangs on display. Friends can meet before the play and enjoy a glass of wine or just conversation.Keep up the good work!

The RCT continues to produce outstanding shows year after year. Not the big city with travelling broadway talent, but outstanding direction, dance, humor, and small venue. We thoroughly enjoyed recent production of The Producers. Laugh for laugh, song for song, great value.

I am a Rochester native and go to the theater at least once a year. Each time I come away asking myself why did I suffer through another play, sometimes leaving halfway through like in "A Christmas Story." I get it; it is a community driven, volunteer company. The latest debacle is "Beauty and the Beast." Belle was great, the rest were a shaky group of actors. I would not recommend this attraction to people coming in to town looking for a theater experience - they will come away disappointed. (Go to the Hassler in Plainview or the Commonweal in Lanesboro.) or even the Rochester Rep on 7th street (if you are in the mood for something different.)

There are only a few places with live theater in Rochester, and this is the most prominent one. It is a "volunteer driven" community theater, meaning there are about 8 paid staff and everyone else is a volunteer (actors, set crew, ticket office). Therefore, the talent level can be hit or miss since most people are locals with an interest in acting and not professionally trained. The venue is great, renovated in 2001, and seats around 250 people with ample stage space as well. The shows are generally family-friendly: there isn't anything cutting edge or avant-garde about RCT. That said, the shows are usually pretty well done, from costuming to set design to directing. Some shows I've seen had complex, extravagant sets that evolve and interchange and seem like professional quality (but since then the resident set designer retired). Musicals are the biggest productions of the season, so they go all out and usually pull it off. I've seen some good smaller-scale dramas that managed to assemble a great cast (Of Mice and Men is notable, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof), and some not-so-great comedies with bad timing and questionable vision (As You Like It). It really depends on the show, cast, and director, so I guess for $17- $22, you can take your chances. (Yes, WAAAAAY overpriced!). However, in a town devoid of any professional theatre, it's probably the best you can get.