Big Idea Theatre

Last night we went to a play here-first time. Intimate and delightful location. No frills and great seats! Play was about 5 women in different stages of life-each having their own life experience, and all interrelated. My comment is about Lonely Betty. She tore my heart out. A great actress who made me relate to her, cry for her when the voices in her head (a hand puppet) told her to just do herself in, and cheer her on when she fought back and became a roaring lioness at the end. Sorry I didn't scan the program so I could see other plays she is in. I'm looking forward to going back in September for their next show.

We took our teenage daughter to see a pair of One-Act plays at this theater in January 2023. It has a square stage about 25 feet across with stadium seating on two sides (about 5 rows each) - says it seats 60. Located in an older part of Sacramento, a warehouse/street store area, with only about 10 parking spots - most people will have to find street parking. Bathrooms in building are shared by other businesses, and were clean enough when we visited. They do offer snacks, and we bought a bottled water. Temperature was comfortable. Actors were pretty average, a bit of "over-acting" by some. Still, it was a fun experience and tickets were only $15 each, so we would go again.

Another update!I feel it's important to update again because BIT has changed more than any other theatre in Sacramento. They've gone through many Artistic Directors in the past couple years because the Artistic Directors tend to become important commodities in the greater theatre world. Similarly, the company members rotate frequently as they move on to bigger things.This fact does benefit the audience, though, because now more local actors are willing to do shows here, which means a bigger pool to choose from. In the past, the more roles a show had, the more iffy actors you'd be seeing onstage. Lately it seems even smaller parts are filled with better actors than what they used to get. And play selection has become more interesting also. While you won't find fresh-off-Broadway shows - their last show was the 20+-year-old Wit (which was excellent) - you will find more recent plays sprinkled throughout than in past seasons.My only real complaint - other than their questionable space and annoying location - is their lack of a solid subscriber base. They are easily the best theatre for the money, but rarely do they get the audiences they deserve. It'd be nice if they got somebody on this, so they could grow... into a better location!

This community theater is an appropriately named little bastion for big, bold artistic ideas right off of Del Paso Boulevard. They choose their productions wisely, whether they be something more obscure or a unique take on an old classic. Between the acting and the artistic commitment of everyone who works here, this is a theater every local supporter of the arts must experience. I came down to watch "The Exit Interview," a "philosophical comedy" and mostly two person show. The setup is small and the theater seats roughly 40. You'd never know how small it is once the production begins because the expert staging, set dressing and acting make you feel like the venue is much larger. The show was a hit and received a standing ovation. Mama Kim's, an acclaimed restaurant I have yet to visit, is located right in front so you could easily make an evening out of dinner and a show. The theater entrance is a little hard to find; it's back off the street through the restaurant patio.

Quality theater is often hard to find. Theater that provides diverse, unexpected, mind blowing products is even harder to find. This theater offers up that and more, providing Sacramento with exceptional productions. I thoroughly enjoy coming here and couldn't recommend their shows more. Every aspect of their products, from the house management to the actors are of amazing quality. Plus they have Thrifty Thursdays, where tickets are only $10! They make theater affordable too!Help support Sacramento theater!

Well, it's a downright shame. Let me explain.We've now been to three shows at Big Idea Theater ("BIT") and each has been absolutely wonderful. In each case, spirited, superb, fully competent performers have put on a unique and truly entertaining show in a small theater with an intimate, neighborhood feel. We love the grand productions at the big stages in Sacramento and Folsom--and there are several--but the small theater at BIT is warm and rewarding. The ticket prices at BIT are, in any comparison, an incredible value allowing us to see several performances a year which would otherwise be unaffordable. And, we think a "live show" in a pleasant theater is far more rewarding than another night of TV or fighting the crowds at a local movie theater. But, I digress.I cannot overstate our appreciation for the fine performances we have seen. In fact, after seeing As You like It (Shakespeare set in Sacramento and our second show at BIT) we were so impressed we purchased "balance-of-the-season" season tickets. We just saw Private Eyes which brings a five member cast to the stage in a wonderfully intricate and thought-provoking story line ("do we really want to know the truth about those whom we are in a relationship with"). The cast presented the story without a fault; we absolutely loved the show. Besides the show itself, the theater is small and comfortable promoting a sense of involvement in the presentation.So, what's the shame here? At the end of each show the actors take their traditional bow. My wife and I (and we sensed others) wanted the cast to take a second and third bow but the applause of twenty or so people could not sustain that. The shame is that these hard-working actors and actresses and their performances should support much more attendance than they do and therefore provide for them increased reward for the their work. Yes, BIT is out-of-the-way and not in a location where you might expect to find such quality acting and interesting plays so BIT remains, for the present, a "hidden gem." But, with a world-class restaurant and an art gallery in the same building it's not as out of the way as it might seem.We love BIT and if you like good acting and interesting plays in an intimate theater I'm all but certain you will too.

There is no way I would've ever discovered this place if it weren't for word of mouth and with the further help from Google. I've purchased tickets this past week to see "Killer Joe". I've heard about this from my theatre arts professor and was dying to see it. I've never been to Big Idea Theatre before and really didn't know what to expect.First off, for someone extremely terrible with directions, I felt like this place was fairly easy to find. They do have their own private parking lot although there are many other parking in front of the buildings. Not necessarily their own, but there are a lot of slots from the nearby stores. It is 2 hour parking for most of them; but it's free after 8PM. Big Idea Theatre is in such a dingy and ghetto neighborhood with many old and abandoned buildings down its street. I was early for my show so I decided to park my car in front of the theatre and walked around for a bit. I was trying to find a diner to try out and about two blocks down, I started realizing that it was a mistake. There were crackheads walking around the neighborhood. High school kids kicking it in the parking lot. A lot of stores I did not recognize and many weren't even opened. A lot of the buildings looked tore up. There was only one diner called "Lil Joe's" almost right next to Big Idea but it looked sketchy (plus I of course yelped them and eh...nothing impressing). Overall, I DID NOT FEEL SAFE AT ALL BEING IN THIS AREA. Soon, it was show time and I entered the theatre through the black gates. You can do so on the side as well which is supposed to be the main entrance, but either one will do. I entered the small room where there are big comfortable chairs and a window with a very sweet cashier verifying my information of the purchase of the ticket. There are also snacks & beverages to be purchased there; most are a dollar each. I bought a bag of skittles, accepted my program and went into the actual theatre room to pick my seat. I saw that there were a couple of reserved seating, but the audience got to pick our own seat for the most part. The layout of this theatre is what they call an alley theatre with the audience on two sides. Shapes like an "L" is the best way I am able to describe it. I love this set up. I feel like I could've sat anywhere, and even for a tiny person, I'd be able to have a very good and close up view of the play. Which I most certainly did. There were different levels of the seating like in a big movie theatre room (even though it is nowhere nearly as big as that). The seat raises as you go up the steps and the main stage is down below on ground. It bothered me quite a bit how their seats do not come with cup holder. Where are you supposed to put your snacks and drinks???Overall though, a great theatre. "Killer Joe" was a tremendous show that I'd totally watch it again if I hadn't gone to the last show. GREAT CAST. Everybody played their part so well and they've captured my attention all the way through. I didn't even want the 15 minute intermission! I just wanted to keep watching them. Amazing.

I have to admit I had relatively low expectations of "As You Like It" at Big Idea because I had never heard of the theater. I am a transplant to Sacramento and I was looking to get out there and see what the city has to offer for live theater. I stumbled across Big Idea's website and figured for the low ticket price I would give it a try. I have to say I was VERY impressed with Big Idea Theater.First, the actors were sensational. I've seen Shakespeare done on bigger stages and more prestigious venues and this production was in so many ways better than those productions. The theater is so small that there are no bad seats. The size means you can really see the actors and, because they were so good, you get sucked into the story with ease.Another perk, there is a great restaurant in the same building that will give you a drink in a plastic cup to bring into the theater. There are no assigned seats, so now I can invite all my friends to join me at the next production and we can sit together without a reservation.After seeing only this one show, I bought season tickets. I have no idea what the other shows are about, but I am confident after seeing this production that they will all be worth seeing. If you haven't been to Big Idea, give it go and see if you don't get hooked, too!

DANGER. Unless you move fast, you will miss a drama that stops the entire audience's breathing. Several times. "THE PILLOWMAN"A flawless cast creates life, stark and brutal, in a discomforting story of a man trapped in a hellish fascistic situation. Martin McDonagh's play is subtlely and artfully produced by Big Idea Theatre. Tonight we gave a standing ovation. See it....you'll do the same.

The three of us went to see POTUS and for two hours we could barely draw a breath we were laughing so hard. The play is FANTASTIC!!! The seven actresses are so full of energy and enthusiasm and acting ability that it is a miracle they don't drop from exhaustion! And hilarious does not begin to cover this experience. We were laughing and chatting with strangers during the intermission and after the play --- actually, "former" strangers, because by the end of the play everyone in the audience is bonded. Where do these seven women get their energy? From whence cometh their full devotion to their characters? How did this miracle happen? And how in the world can people act on a stage four feet in front of you and manage to keep their theatrical distance from the audience while grabbing their audience's sensibilities and entertaining the living heck out of them?I am going back again for more!!! I advise you to do the same, before this play gets carried off to Broadway and costs $200 a seat plus air fare!!!