Playhouse on the Square

I had no idea that places like this existed in Memphis outside of the Orpheum, but I was pleasantly surprised. My wife and I enjoyed the performance of "Your Arms Too Short To Box With God", last night. This will be the first of many performances that we will enjoy here! I highly recommend a trip for a performance. You will not be disappointed.

Well, I wish there was a way to review individual shows, but I guess that doesn't make sense since the productions are temporary. So, I will comment on the venue itself up here and place a block below for specific shows and will update that block whenever I see a new one! I'll put the run dates in the title line so you know whether or not to pay attention to it.Venue ReviewMy wife and I absolutely love live theater and I think we've been to most of the theater venues in Memphis. We've seen many productions at the Playhouse on the Square and it is just a fabulous place to see a play, or even the ballet. It is not a huge venue so when I say, "There isn't a bad seat in the house." that is dead on. The seating is comfortable. The facilities are clean. The staff is always nice. And the productions are always top-notch! One thing about Playhouse and its surrounding theaters is the pricing for their shows is usually very reasonable compared to the competing theater across town.We always come in from the North, down Central and usually, we park in the parking garage near the square itself. This last time it was raining and we noticed there is actually a parking lot on the East side of the building! It is a nice parking lot and it is, of course, a much shorter walk than the walk from the garage! However, if you plan to eat before or after a show, the garage might be a better choice.Production Reviews BelowCharlie and the Chocolate Factory - 1/19-2/18/2024I am a HUGE fan of the 1971 film, Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder (who isn't, right?). I think we all would like to forget the 2005 remake of the story with J. Depp, so to say I'm dubious when it comes to the treatment of this story is probably an understatement.Knowing I am such a fan of this story, my wife surprised me with tickets to this show. I've never seen it done live and I was excited but trepidatious because some of the stuff I loved about the 1971 movie, the special effects, the sets, just couldn't be duplicated on a live stage. That said, because I knew that going, in I was a bit forgiving and might have been a little excited to see how they adapted it.I was not disappointed one bit! Of course, the main storyline was the same, but there were nuances of modernization. The names of the children were the same and the core of their bad behavior too. However, their backstories and the style of their ultimate demises were slightly different. I won't give critical details away as I don't want to spoil it for you, but just as an example, Mike Teevee's problem is still sitting in front of a screen too much, but his addiction is to the Internet and video games rather than classic television. Clever.The young star of the show, Drake Shehan, was incredible and an absolute delight to watch! The young man could sing, and dance, and his acting quality was that of someone 10 years his senior! The rest of the cast was great as well, just a super ensemble.This was one of the best shows we've seen at Playhouse and they did a fantastic job of adapting this to the stage. You have a little more than a week to catch this and you should before it is gone!

Not a bad seat in the theater and the renovation has comfortable seats. If you prefer a more intimate live theater experience, then this is your place!Rated as a 3 since water bottles for sale ran out and I don't drink soda and there was a huge line for the women's restroom. More women stalls or another restroom is needed if intermission is kept at the current time.

I don't worry about water bottles or bathroom lines so I'll leave an honest review. Great place. I'm 6'5" and there is enough room. Great actors.

Playhouse on the Square is a wonderful gem tucked into the corner of Union and Cooper in Midtown and the Square. The location is wonderful, but it makes for atrocious parking ... and that's really my biggest complaint.Something needs to be done about this; figure out something with nearby businesses or areas to acquire parking during their off hours. That and (I say this about any and every theater), stick to your policy about not letting people in after the show starts or at least until the first break.Otherwise, neat space and nice folks.

Playhouse on the Square's new location and facilities are spacious, beautiful, comfortable, and there isn't a bad seat in the house, so far as I can tell. The production choices are top-notch while being a bit risky, and the regular troupe of actors are some of Memphis' best. I only take off half a star for the horrible wine selection and temporary parking situation. "Red" and "White" are not types of wine, ladies and gents! I don't drink anything there after my first two shows, because I usually have a sulfite headache before the second act has even begun. Parking at Overton Square is currently under construction (Later in 2013 a 435 space garage should be complete) and it can be difficult to find a reasonable space, so do arrive early.Restrooms are clean, and hallways are flanked with gallery walls of artwork from local artists, making conversation before and after the show flow naturally. Love a business that supports local artists!

My wife and I were in town and decided to watch "Kinky Boots". We could only get seats in the last row in the balcony but it was still a good view and not a problem watching the show. It was a beautiful theatre and nice quality sets. It was a good production. Very impressed.

I am so impressed! I have never been drawn to Overton Square from the confines of Collierville for a show before. When some friends raved about Rock of Ages I knew we needed to go. We saw the Broadway production 6 years ago and we loved it. The local company here is so good I was just as entertained as I was on Broadway. The small theater and the lack of parking/ ticket/ dining hassle is refreshing. I feel like our entertainment dollars were well spent.

No seats in the lobby for waiting audience members. Show has strobes and was not posted.

Always enjoy shows at Playhouse and Circuit Theatre. We attended Torchsong this past weekend. Was fabulous! Interesting, great acting, loved the sets. FYI- This coming from a 60 year old consevative couple. Get yourself a season membership and enjoy great Memphis theatre!