AVO Playhouse

This is a great place to hold school events such as plays or other performances. My daughter just had a play their with her school. The stage is large and well taken care of. Out front and backstage was very clean, including bathrooms. Definitely recommend this place for a variety of events.

We have so much fun every time we go. Friendly staff and wonderful shows!

I love seeing my niece in plays here and I am saddened that she just turned 18 and it will be the last time she gets to do youth theater. Very fond memories of this place!

Nice, intimate theater in a cute downtown setting with great restaurants.

Small Town theatre with high quality productions. I've been to the youth theatre here and the plays are really high quality. Kids audition from all over San Diego. It's the size of a big movie theatre so every seat had a pretty good view.

First time here and saw million dollar quartet. Great small theater and seating was roomy especially for legs and feet. An old movie house from the 40's transformed into a stage theater and it's great because it's small community theater. We'll be back for sure!

Saw "Million Dollar Quartet" here and it was AWESOME! Recommend this show if you enjoy a great story and 4 early 50's famous musicians performing some of their own music.

Million Dollar Quartet was a musical that I was so happy to see. The whole production, all of the actors and singers, the stage setting felt like you were there in the studio with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. I will definitely go again if they come back. A special "Shout Out" to Ben Van Diepen, he stole the show as Jerry Lee Lewis. Applause for them all!

We were Looking for something fun to do with the kids, we came to the Avo in Vista and watched Junioe B. Jones. The musical was really well done with an all kids cast. We all enjoyed the performance and were glad we gave it a try. We look forward to upcoming performances.

There are a lot of things that have changed in downtown Vista but the Avo is not one of them. This place brings back a lot of memories for me; I can clearly remember watching Fievel Goes West in 1991...but I digress. After it's life as a one-room movie theater it was taken over by Moonlight and turned into a playhouse. I have seen a few plays here over the years, most notably Annie. Such a great place with a fascinating history. A landmark establishment that everyone should visit at least once. Staff is always nice, productions are top notch, and there is a very nostalgic feel when walking inside the venue.

This is yet another review where I'm between 3 and 4 stars...sometimes I round down, but this time I'll round up. Avo Playhouse is a repurposed movie theatre in Vista...a very cool revitalized area with quite a few restaurants and at least 3 breweries within just a couple blocks. We saw the Beatles tribute band "Ticket to Ride". Our tickets were reasonably priced and the venue is small enough (seating for under 400) that there really aren't any bad seats. As a bonus, I was really happy that the bathrooms were large and clean. Only real disappointment was that there were no refreshments. It would be nice to have something simple, maybe just water, coffee, and tea? Definitely worth going back! BTW there's lots of free parking nearby.

Million Dollar Quartet was absolutely AMAZING! The cast captured the essence of the era these legends lived and shared their music in. The performances were incredibly authentic, talented, and true to life renditions of these artists. If you like the music of Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Elvis, or Jerry Lee Lewis, you simply can't miss this show!!! So much fun, and what a bargain! Will certainly check out the Avo again soon, and stop into downtown Vista for lunch or dinner. :-)

We watched our nephew here for his recital for School of Rock's rendition of David Bowie songs. We came in exactly 6:40 and they were already starting. I've been to so many shows except this one was special because it was the nephew and all the other kids are very talented. The lights were on point and the sound could have used some help. The sound boards were on stage so the School of Rock teachers or stage hands would have to adjust the sound here and there. Overall it was really good. I've seen my good friend Alex play a part in the acclaimed "Lion in Winter" here and he and the rest of the cast were more than amazing. The director played the king so extra talented. Also Dagmar Fields was extraordinary. It's in the heart of Vista and there are restaurants walking distance from here so afterwards, you can grab beer or eat some pizza. Support the local theater. If you're in North County, no need to drive down to fancy pants San Diego and the Parking issues and traffic and such. I recommend this place.

Tonight was the second dress rehearsal of Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap," the longest running play in modern history (started in 1952 and has been playing somewhere ever since). There was one Equity actor and the rest were players from the San Diego area. I admit it: I looked up the play on Wikipedia (before they blacked out) so I knew how it ended, and it was easier to follow the story, knowing what happened. The sound wasn't the best, some of the actors didn't speak up enough to be heard in the back rows. The acting was pretty good and the sets were very good and it was an enjoyable experience. It's not Broadway by a long shot, but it was a fun community event. The theater has been around since the 1920s? 1930s? and looks like it. The seats are old and very narrow and the walls are very plain. But still nice to have a historic theater on Main St in Vista.

My star rating does not reflect the show we saw - which I thoroughly enjoyed! The theatre itself could use some updating. The seats were small and very close together. There wasn't much for refreshments, only a water fountain and coffee available. I didn't use the bathroom, but my husband did and reports that they are clean and in good working condition. Overall - a good time was had by all!

Although I only watched one play at the Avo Playhouse, I have to say I'm a fan of the establishment. There's plenty of parking in the back and it's close to a variety of local shops to wander and see. The play that I watched, Sondheim on Sondheim, had a great cast. There was live music and a total of six very talented actors and actresses in the play. It's true that the playhouse felt small but it created a more intimate setting between the audience and the cast. The audio was good and the audience was in the slightly older crowd but overall, the scene had a good vibe and I will hopefully be back when they open the belching beaver next door :)

I just have to say Les Miserables was Incredible!! Last night. I was blown away The Avo playhouse was easy to find off the 15 freeway. The main street reminds me of a quiet Hollywood. If you don't already know, that's where I'm originally from. There were a lot of free parking spots Yay! Dont have to worry about paying. My hubby was concerned about them letting us in, since we were running 10 minutes late. Fortunately, they gave us our tickets & lady told us it just started. . We sat at the back behind the orchestra. Which btdub was amazing as well! The cast had awesome voices and could really hold the note for a long time. Being in choir for more than 5 years I know how difficult that is. Some of my favorites were Makena Merrifield, Ryan Burtanog, Kit Fugrad & Evan White. Very Impressed!! During intermission they had refreshments & raffles going. It got a little crowded, however it is a small place so I'd say there were over 100 people there. Also there was a line for bathroom but it moved fast. There were two sweet girls who came buy & asked us if we wanted buy raffle tickets. Only $1 each & before they started Scott Kolod came on stage to auction of autographed posters. There was a standing O at the end. Well deserved! All and all an amazing date night with my hubby

A cool, old place in the middle of downtown Vista. It's a great and different outing idea, just make sure you go to the type of play or musical that your family is interested in.

Is it possible to have a vibrant theater scene without a vibrant audience? I swear I can hear the collective hum of pacemakers. Regardless, quality shows! I would go back again. The student rush tickets are not hard to get.

I wish there were a lot more little theaters like this around the county. Granted, it is not the newest and most updated, and the sound system had some kinks, but overall we had a very good experience here. It's an intimate setting, but still decent sized. Parking was easy and free, always a plus! I will definitely be returning.