Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

Beautiful old theater. Balcony is a bit steep and a little difficult to get to seats. Drinks were wildly overpriced. With tip it was about $32 for two small plastic cups of wine. The site said they had food but it was just candy and small snacks; no popcorn or anything of the sort.

Came here for the Apocalyptica concert for our first visit and what a beautiful concert hall! Such a blast, staff was very helpful with seating. 5 stars! We will be returning here for more concerts for sure! Coming from Michigan, it was well worth the trip! Apocalyptica frikin rocked the house!!!

Among the most memorable events that I have attended since relocating to Chicago was last night's "An Evening With Roxane Gay & Sasha-Ann Simons" at The Ahtenaeum. This beloved venue is wonderfully welcoming & comfortable. The event was well-planned & well-organized. I was overjoyed & oh-so-proud to acquire a copy of Roxane Gay's new book! After the onstage interview, the looong line of her fans awaiting her personalized signature was well worth the wait!

Very nice place! We were there to watch Fábio Porchat show's. It was very organized.

Came here for the first time to go see a Kpop concert. The lady that was outside getting lines together did a fantastic job. She was answering all questions kept everyone informed. This venue was great I liked the old architecture. The sound was amazing too. There is parking at the back and plenty of street parking. I would definitely come back here.

Great vintage theater... Staff was awesome and bathrooms/ seats very accessible

I first visited here during the Chicago Architecture Foundation's open house years ago and had been wanting to come back and experience a show here. I finally got back and attended one of the DAILY SHOW tapings during the DNC. The theatre is as gorgeous as I remember, and the staff was kind and thoughtful, even through the chaos of a massive visiting show. It's not just a theatre, it's an institution -- a valuable institution. I'm looking forward to many return visits.

Heidi, Maria, Tasha, Sokoni, and most of all Mama T...THANK YOU!!! This was such a beautiful experience. Thank you to all who made this possible.

I went to see a dancing performance. The acoustics and lighting were great. The balcony seats had a fabulous view of the stage. The bathrooms were on the second level. It's a nice vintage theater.

Comfortable theater seating. Drinks were good. Sound was excellent. Nearby free parking.

Historic venue with lots of street parking and even a parking lot next door. Entry was easy. We were there for a concert and there was a merch line and another to enter the venue. Both moved quickly. Plenty of staff to direct you to your seat or the bathroom. The pitch of the balcony where we were seated is quite daunting. All seats are close-ish the stage because of this and you get a great overhead view. Overall we had a great time. Will return!

Beautiful venue! I went to a Chicago Humanities Festival event that was bring held here with author Ocean Vuong. The theater was fairly big, but still managed to retain its intimacy. Fantastic stage.

The show (Max Amelia) was great. The venue is very outdated and run down. Felt like at anytime you might fall thru the floor. Chairs are uncomfortable and seem to be original to the building. Poor max has a bright spot light in his face the entire show and couldn't see anyone in the crowd and even made comments about it during the show but nothing was done.

Purchased a ticket to see Roxane Gay be interviewed about her newest book and the event changed dates by a SIX WEEKS and NO communication was issued to ticket holders so if you showed up for your event on feb 19th you arrived to a closed building and NO notice or communication about the last minute change in dates for the event. I'm not sure if WBEZ or the theater or more to blame here and quite frankly I don't care as this experience assures I will NEVER attend an event here again. A total waste of time, money and patronage and automatically transferring tickets to a date 6 weeks later means many of us will no longer be able to attend this event as well. Shame on you Athenaeum Theater and WBEZ, I expect FAR better communication out of my local NPR station. You are in the communications business for God's sake. Do better...ALL of you!

Very troubled management. Chicago Arch Diocese should be represented by better management. Current manager has a serious problem with breach of contract and not welcoming people due to only what can be labeled arrogant, and not qualified. Larry Daufback, Executive director for theater. He's a photographer by trade. Nothing to do with theater.

Recently, I was able to enjoy seeing the play, "Who killed Joan Crawford" at this theater. I certainly did not know this theater complex was here in this part of Lakeview. The play was located on the second floor, in one of the smaller theaters. I felt the auditorium style seating was a little snug but the sound system was great. There was a concession stand located on the first floor with limited drinks and snacks. Overall, a great neighborhood theater.

Great space to see productions by a host of theatre companies. Wide stairs and slow elevator. Intimate spaces upstairs to see some good productions. The main stage is an example of "old school" theaters. You don't find these around much, except maybe Chicago. If you wanna catch CHICAGO theatre, look up the shows performing in this space.

Watched the Nutcracker here with my nieces. Prior to the show, while you wait, they have a large lobby area and an area where they sell drinks and snacks. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.. all the way to my seats! As you walk into the theater and get your ticket scanned there are people at every corner assisting you in finding your seat. My seats were in the balcony. As I made my way upstairs there was another small concession stand for drinks and snacks. I'm not sure if there is a bad seat in the house, not to mention they're pretty comfy. Although the place was a full house it didn't feel cramped or overcrowded at all. The show was great! (There is an elevator as well)

We sat upstairs for Chelsea handler and there is pretty much not a bad seat in the house. Their are a few seat above the walkways into the upper balcony that the people next to us were complaining the had to lean forward to see over the ledge. I really like the sound ... it sounded great. Some good places to eat and have a Cocktail within walking distance .

This building can best be described as decrepit, with holes in the walls and stairwells that look like they haven't been mopped in fifty years. But the facility is very large, with different stages, rehearsal rooms and offices. Of course, what matters is the show, and the one I saw, in a small third floor theater, was very well produced, with good sets, lighting and excellent performers.

I went in on a Saturday night to see a show. It definitely reminded me of a church but that's fitting because the Athenaeum church is next door. I went upstairs to use the bathroom and it was eerily quiet. There were two doors to get to the bathroom. The second one had a broken lock and the door handle was gone. I thought that someone that shouldn't be there could easily go into the ladies room that way. At least the bathroom was clean and didn't smell bad at all. I didn't think the theatre itself would be small, but it made for an intimate space. The seats were kinda close together which sucked because it's winter and we have heavy coats and people are allowed to bring their drinks in. There are no cup holders so you put it on the floor and things can get messy. The play "For the Loyal" wasn't really good at all. I was falling asleep and the chairs weren't that comfortable. I've been to better theatres and better shows. So I'd probably avoid going here if I can. I saw that they had Demetri Martin coming later in January. That's cool, but I just don't think I'd be comfortable at the theatre to want to go back to see him.

We kicked off my daughter's Spring Break tonight with a play here, and we had a great time. The theater itself is a huge old building with a main theater in the gorgeous lobby where the box office is, along with a bar/lounge that's really nice! It's a room around the corner from the box office where you can get very reasonable beer or wine and snacks, either before the show, or at intermission. It has tables, bar stools, and nice art that's for sale on the walls. Oh and they let you take your drinks in the theater! There are smaller theaters and other activities on the 2nd and 3rd levels, which are accessible either by stairs or by an elevator. The restrooms are on the 2nd floor. At first my daughter thought the building was "creepy" because it's old and creaky, but once we walked around and saw all of the various shows that they produce, along with acting and dance classes, she thought it was really neat. Our play was in the small (very small!) theater on the 3rd floor, where all the seats are good. The actors made the most of the also very small stage, and the show was very entertaining. We got street parking with no problem, although there is a reasonable lot next door that's shared with the church on the other side. Our tickets were inexpensive, as well, making it an all around nice outing. We look forward to coming here again!

It's a nice venue. Past glory days and need some upkeep. Still we enjoyed overall experience, because quality of the play is the main reason for our visit. We will come back and on that way support Athenaeum.

1. Seats had an obstructed view while being sold at a premium. Balcony or mezzanine should be avoided. Very disappointed in the cost/value. 2. When I arrived, as the show was starting I was having trouble finding my seat. When I asked an usher where the section was, as it was poorly marked, he told me "it's your fault for being late, asshole." And after looking at my ticket, he pointed roughly toward my seat, pushed me on the back towards it and called me a dickhead. Absolutely unacceptable from a venue. I'm livid.

Terribly mismanaged- it's ashame. Great space - very cool old theatre. Went to see a concert, spent $110/per ticket. When we arrived we waited in a 45 minute line for a water and cocktail - only to be told they were out of both! The show had not even started. I spoke to the manager and he told me "that's the way it is". Wow

The theater itself is really cool. It's big (about 1000 seats), kind of old, good sound, and great views from both the lower and upper seating areas. However, the theater is old and that means that amenities are outdated and annoying. I've been here only to see podcast tapings so I don't really know what goes on here for stage shows or concerts. Ladies, be warned: there's only FOUR stalls in this whole establishment for us. FOUR. If the theater seats 1000, we can presume about half of these patrons are women so that means around 500 people are using FOUR toilets. Heed this warning: the lines get LONG. If you can, go to the bathroom outside of this venue before your show. The lines for beverages are also insanely long because there's usually only one guy serving and they only take cash inside the lobby (there's a card-accepting bar closer to the entrance but it's far if you're in the balcony it's pretty far to go for a drink). This theater clearly wasn't built with indoor plumbing or beverages in mind. The seats are fairly comfortable and I've been able to see clearly from both the main level and balcony. I know that maintaining old theaters like this is difficult so I hope the Athaneum can get enough money in the coming years to make much-needed structural improvements (like adding more toilets). I like the ambiance of this theater and I've always enjoyed what I've come here to see. Everyone who works here is incredibly nice and helpful if you need someone to show you to your seats or answer questions. Parking is practically non-existent in their lot so plan on parking on the street. We've never had a problem finding a spot within three blocks of the theater on Lincoln or Sheffield.

This theater is in a lovely location, close to eating, coffee and walking around. I went to a production here and they were organized with getting us to the right place and having use seated promptly. The theater we were in, was setup with rows of chairs facing a stage of sorts (although you could easily get out of your chair and walk right onto the stage). There were two exits in the theater room, which was nice in such a closed area. Overall, enjoyed this location. There seems to be a lot of street parking down Oakdale and all around the theater.

We arrived last night for a play that started at 7:30. We walked up the two flights of stairs and walked up to the door at 7:33 (I checked my phone) and the woman told us we could not go in because we were late and that if we wanted to wait we could go in at intermission, when the play was half way over. Not even a 5 minute grace period? C'mon..... when people purchase tickets to see something at your venue you have to be more flexible than that. I will not go there again.

It is a very cute theatre but this place desperately needs some renovations. The stage looked dusty which isn't great for performers and the wall was peeling off the walls.

They closed the bar/snack stand during the acts. We were next in line and they closed it because the opening act was about to start. I understand wanting to fill the theater, but we had also just gotten off a flight and had not eaten all day. Specifically one man was yelling at people to go sit down, kinda ruined the vibe of the night. The employees that were about to serve us seemed to feel bad that they couldn't. The lines are also insane and it's nearly impossible to go between acts, unless you leave the opening act early which defeats the purpose of closing the bar to watch the act anyway.

Went to see the Nutcracker and was so excited as its one of my first outing since COVID (I am immunocompromised) - I felt comfortable since masking was required inside of the building and they were asking for proof of vaccine to enter. However, after the show everyone is leaving through this one hallway and i walk past two adult men with no masks - not pulled down just not even wearing them. I mentioned that they should have a mask on and their response was to cough. Please just enforce your own policies. Having that experience was a real crappy way to end a great night.

This is a pretty neat place to see a show. I attended a concert here and was pleasantly surprised. It's actually an old school. The bathrooms are small, so be prepared for a long line. But the sound is good and there's really no bad seat in the place. Plus, they serve alcohol and snacks (cash only).

I saw an outstanding comedy show here a couple of months ago, featuring Kyle Kinane and Tig Notaro. I thought that I was familiar with all of the small and medium-sized early-twentieth-century theaters on the north side, but this was a new one to me. Who knew?? It doesn't look like much on the outside, but inside is a simple theater with a steep balcony and pretty well kept walls, ceilings, and floors. There is none of the crumbling plaster and flaking paint that you see elsewhere. It's true that the seats are high-school auditorium style from your parents' generation, but I was comfortable. Also, they use an assigned seating system here, which I greatly appreciate: no worrying about getting there early enough for a good spot or else elbowing into a standing-room-only crowd. Anyway, the space was perfect for comedy. The sound was very good and we could see quite well from Row C on the balcony level. I wonder how an acoustic music show would sound in there. I waited in line about five minutes at the downstairs bar before the show. They have a nice selection of bottled craft beer but no ice for soft drinks. However, the bartender guaranteed me that the soda was cold, and he was right--ice cold. Kudos to you buddy; that frosty beverage really hit the spot on a hot evening. Last Sunday I returned to see The Empty Theatre's production of Richard III. This took place in the third-floor performance space, a modestly sized black box with about fifty or sixty seats. It's intimate theater, man, intimate. So there you go--the Athenaeum is a triple threat: music, comedy, and theater. What an asset.

I went to my first show in Studio 2, which is a tightly packed, intimate space. The show was Shockheaded Peter by the Black Button Productions, extremely clever theatrical dark show about bad, dead children. I can't wait to go back and see a show in the main theater, which looks beautiful. The seats were very close together in Studio 2, so much that one person could not go in the row unless everyone else got up and came out, which is a little unrealistic! God forbid someone had to leave during the show, but it was short. The front facade is new and modern, while the back has the feel of an old high school hallway, an interesting mix of styles. The staff were nice and they have a cafe area to get drinks to bring into the show.

We saw the show "Listen to Your Mother" at the Athenaeum Theatre this past weekend which featured 18 local writers/bloggers telling stories about motherhood in celebration of the upcoming Mother's Day. A friend from college was in it, so while I'm not a mother, I wanted to go to support her. First off, if you get a chance to go to one of these shows (there are 24 of them nationwide) I highly recommend it. You don't have to be a mother to find yourself on a rollercoaster of emotions--through tears, happiness and rolling on the floor laughter. The theater itself was really nice and one of those older types. We were at the main stage downstairs, but they also have acting classes and other theaters upstairs. We got there at 1 PM for a 2 o'clock show. Most theaters open their doors an hour early, but Athenaeum told us that the doors wouldn't open for awhile, so they recommended we chill at the bar. The bar had snacks for $1, as well as a fully stocked bar. The worst part of it was that they didn't even open the doors until around 1:45. I'm not sure if that's how they normally operate, but it doesn't leave a lot of time to get settled. One thing I should also note is that no one even checked our tickets. Since there was a set of double doors, I'm sure it was the case that the ushers at the main doors thought someone else had already checked them. Woops. The auditorium itself was very nice and the seats were unusually comfortable. I don't think that there's a bad seat in the house. We were in the 2nd row down Aisle 3 and could see and hear everything perfectly. I would consider seeing another play or show here considering it's very easy to get to from the highway and the tickets were very reasonable as well ($24 each.) Tip: parking is only $6 all day. They have 2 lots that they share with the Catholic church next door. We went early and just parked there all day while we walked around.

Went for the Joe Budden podcast and had a great time. Seats were a little tight but hey what more can you expect from an auditorium? Great area and lots of restaurants within walking distance of the theatre. Good luck on parking though. We lucked up and found a side street with a couple spots open. Early arrival suggested if it's going to be a sold out show

Small theater. Came to see the Nutcracker. This is more of a review for the ballet than the theater itself. The ballet was very disappointing. Would not come see again. Choreo was repetitive and simple. The costumes were simple and everyone wore the same thing. Dancers need to work on their technique. Many dancers were off count and not synchronized

Saw John Cameron Mitchell here on February 21 and it was amazing - the theatre and the performance. Lots of nearby street/lot parking and there is a bar with an ATM inside the theatre as well. Beer, wine and soda/water are sold to bring inside the seating area with you (cash only). Theatre is absolutely gorgeous and the staff was phenomenally helpful. We sat in the nosebleeds, but had a perfect view and the sound was some of the best I've ever heard thanks to the wonderful acoustics and sound system. Great place to see a show!

Poorly planned food stand with an absolute disgrace of an employee working the bottom concession stand-- a "gentlemen" with a ponytail was telling the bar to close although the employee wanted to serve us. We were next in line for concessions and this gentlemen chose to yell at the employees to not serve us. There is no time to get food in-between acts as the lines are ridiculous and if one wants to get snacks, they have to leave the act early. I am never coming here again and I highly recommend you to rethink coming to this place as this employee seemed relatively higher up on the chain.

Fantastic theater with many great resident theater and dance groups. Some of their facilities are a bit rundown though, and could use an upgrade (especially their bathrooms!). All in all, though, this place is terrific and definitely worth going to a show here. Not exactly a "hidden gem," but it is one of the better off-loop places to catch a show.

Intimate theater that really is hurting for maintenance although they are fundraising and I hope they get what they need. Very tiny parking lot - so plan on looking for parking.

I ventured here on Sunday afternoon for a matinee performance of Fellow Travelers. This was my first time seeing anything at this theatre and, it is safe to say, will probably be the last. The show was great, and I lucked into a decent seat as I was able to see everything on stage; however, the venue left something to be desired. Before I knew what I was in for, I was even mulling getting a pre-show or intermission libation, which I decided against, as I didn't want to run any risk of cracking my skull open on the numerous stairs that I would have to navigate post-performance. There was virtually no legroom (and I am short), a scarcity of women's restrooms, and, to make matters worse, the ushers were not directing people to the elevators. The seats themselves were due for a refresh, with duct tape visible in some cases, and are extremely close together. While I understand the need to preserve the integrity of these historical performance spaces, there does need to be some thought given to the comfort and convenience of the modern theatregoer.

I have been there yesterday with my man to see the " Blueberry Toast". Great show. Real black comedy. The place reminds me my university. High sailings. Old school hardwood floors and doors. There is also like a bar, like a place when you can wait for the show. You can have a glass of good wine or a beer or coffee.

Whoa, where did this place come from?! I've probably driven by it and not even noticed, since this tall building is next to an equally tall church (never mind that it has been here since 1911). Still with this place hosts just about everything, so I can't believe we haven't crossed paths before. Dance performances, plays, Improve festivals, World Dance festivals, cabaret, and even Miss Latina Illinois. The main theater is huge, like seating 984 people huge and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat (except maybe the ends in the balcony). There is some work need to the building, seats are comfy enough but could be better but the sound needs a lot of work. They have a box office but you can go online for easy tickets. Of course I'll be coming back for more performances. I came to celebrate 2012 World Dance Day and left... eh, about the performance. Tap dancers were cool, along with the Irish but that's about it.

From the outside this place looks like a modern office building. However, once you go past the newer foyer to the main auditorium you will swear you have walked back into the late 19th-early 20th century. There is a balcony as well as "box" seats that make this theatre resemble a mini opera house. I actually expected the Phantom of the Opera to jump from the ornate chandelier that was hanging from the ceiling into the audience! We saw the Victory Gardens Theatre auction benefit production of "Mame" here and it was a very enjoyable experience. Seating is comfortable and the sound is good. Every seat is a good seat, due to the small size of the auditorium. I would definately come back to the Athenaeum for another live performance.

They closed the bathrooms after the show because they scheduled performances too close together and needed to push people out in a hurry.

Customer service was outstanding! I was originally frustrated with a recent concert, that I was excited to attend. (Damien Rice) I had logged in at the selling date to be booted by the theatre's ticking system four times. I was not able to purchase a ticket. Out of desperation I purchased tickets 3x's face value from a third party vendor. Once at the concert, Damien had stopped the show and walked off stage telling the audience he was too ill to perform. They rescheduled the show to a new venue. The venue then was changed back to the Athenaeum theatre, but in doing so the third party seller had canceled all tickets purchased through them. The Athenaeum Theatre (Beth) had worked to obtain tickets to sell back to those who were bumped from the show because of this. In the end, I have been bumped to front row paying face value for the ticket. They did not have to do this, but they worked to make sure that everyone who was effected was able to see the show. Thanks again!

Beautiful theatre, and saw a great show! Reason this gets such a low rating is the staff... or maybe more accurate would be to say lack of planning ahead. I saw a show here at the old school but majestic looking Athenaeum Theatre. Once the show actually started the bar staff was so loud cleaning up outside that it was interrupting the show pretty consistently. After the intermission it was the same crazy game of who can be the loudest. If creating that much noise is unavoidable then perhaps the theatre should invest in something to block the noise like curtains before you enter the seating. If you think I'm just being a cry baby... the performer even stopped twice to comment about it.

Went to watch Six stories and up from Tellin' Tales Theatre and spent 40 mins trying to find legal parking , the lot filled up fast, street side none....went to a dance musical many years ago and remember the horrible parking situation. The Theater itself is old,staff did their best to accommodate us because we arrived late, but Athenaeum needs help to stay in the community. While the show was good, i doubt if i want make the trip driving there again, advisable to take the public transportation.

I was researching what to do for Hallows Eve when I came across a production at the Athenaeum. The event was sold out, but I called and spoke with someone at the Box Office. She was able to snag us tickets for the Birch House interactive play Dark Day. Immediately, I headed over to purchase the tickets . I was completely in awe of how beautiful St. Alphonsus Catholic Church is located next door. Upon walking into the Athenaeum, was like walking back in time. I love Chicago history and especially finding old unique theaters. I was so excited to attend the play the following evening based off the theater's ambience alone. The production Dark Day was phenomenal! While, I won't give away what takes place. Dark Day reminds me of my favorite interactive play Sleep No More in New York. The Athenaeum is huge with so many little theaters tucked inside. We enjoyed ourselves so much tried to snag tickets for the last performance tonight. Unfortunately, they couldn't accommodate us! I look forward to catching future productions at this true Chicago Gem.

If you talk in the hallway you'll get a demerit! Keep it silent or else! My suggestion to the theater is: get sound proof doors so you don't have to treat your guests like we're all in grade school! The theater in which we sat was nice and cozy...in a good way. The seats slightly reclined and were super comfy. There is a limited bar to wait for your friends and relax before the show.

Came here for the first time this past December for the Nutcracker and loved it. I mean, the play was alright. Wife and daughter loved it. I was stoked over the beautiful old time feel and decor of the place. They sold beer in the lobby too which helped guide me through. Definitely going back next year!

Cute black box theatre in an old school. Box office is open more than just 2 hours before a show. I forget the hours, but it was all weekdays for a good chunk of time. That misleading info and the lack of a box office # that isn't TicketBastard is why they lost a star. But I got to see Little Brother here and it was an excellent production. If they ever do it again, definitely go see!

Came here to see Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories a few weeks ago with a group of 6 friends. For those of you unfamiliar with Tim & Eric, go watch a few episodes of "Tim & Eric, Awesome Show, Great Job!" And thank me later. They're fantastic. Anyway, I'd kinda slept on getting tickets and when I went to order, saw there was only ONE SPOT LEFT in the entire theater where we could get 6 tickets in a row. I kept trying to order and the website kept failing. Since the tickets were moderately priced, I feared that I would be charging $200+ to my card over and over again with each attempt, and opted to call instead. I got an extraordinarily polite and kind woman who bluntly informed me the website doesn't work. Oh. Neat? In seriousness, had I known she would be so great to work with, I would have just called first, but a venue's ticketing website needs to be functional, no? I got there for the performance and parked in the life saving church parking lot next door - $6 for safe non-street parking and no hassle, SCORE! The theater is old but in no way dilapidated, though there's a whole bunch of stairs, so get your cardio hat on. Our seats ended up being quite awful, we were in the 2nd to last row in the highest balcony, and though I was impressed we could see as well as we could, I was uncomfortable. I am in no way scared of heights and even I thought the steepness of the seating was a little intense (my poor friend next to me held on to the armrests for the whole show in silent terror, haha). The staff who were assisting people to their seats were very unfriendly, but in their defense, I imagine that crowd was a little drunk and obnoxious, so I get it. I would most likely go see another show here again if it was a worthwhile act, but wouldn't go out of my way to return unless I had very good seats. Still, a nice old school theater that hardens back to a different time.

Tried all morning to get tickets to a June show, ready with presale code and the site crashed. Was then described as a "snafu" by management. I think it's called being ill prepared, not taking accountability, or making accommodations. Beware! Just mine and a friend's direct experience today.

Small theater with lots of history. Actors and actresses were well rehearsed and the play kept my attention.

Went to see the Drag Queens of Comedy last Friday with my husband and friends. We had bought the tickets months before for face value, $49.00 each. We had third row, center balcony, all sounds great right? Not! A couple with serious video equipment sat in the front row and proceeded to tape the entire show. The equipment moved as it taped, following the movement on stage, yet a further distraction. After 5 minutes I went out to talk with a staff person and was told that the people taping were from the Drag Queens and there was nothing they could do. Nice, hey? You sell me a ticket to sit behind someone taping, really? Later, on our way out we were to learn from another employee that no one had permission to tape. When we entered the theater we got in line on the main floor to get drinks. There were doors to another show that was going on, along the drink line, which was attended by a theater staff person who was telling everyone in the drink line not to talk, thus it would be disturbing for the show going on behind the closed doors. Suddenly another theater employee who appeared to be the manager, comes up and yells on the top of his lungs "there's another bar upstairs!" So all the while we were told to "shhhhhhhh" out of respect for the other show, apparently this does not apply to the staff. We headed up a flight and got in that line, only to find we were further down the line now and would be waiting even longer. After about 10 minutes in this line along comes another staff person shouting that there is another bar upstairs. Why wouldn't you give patrons a directive when you take their tickets? Is this your first time here . . . I have never experienced such a train wreck. I would never go back.