Irvine Barclay Theatre

Even the seats in the very back are good for musical bands, theatre and ballet/dance. Well-designed hall with comfortable seats, great acoustics and a wonderful sound reinforcement system with skilled operator... You will hear everything in great detail. The band is the Irish group Danú.

The Barclay Theater is intimate. We had second row seats in the right column. Based on the ticket selection diagram I thought we would have good seats, I was wrong, they were great seats! We were literally 40 ft from the performer on stage. It appears they put a portion of the stage over what may have been the orchestra pit. I don't know if they rearranged the stage for other types of production that would change what I mentioned above but it seems like most of the seats in the place would be excellent.

Wonderful well kept theater. I went there to see Rene Marie's Jump in the Line, tribute to Harry Belafonte. The theater was well maintained, clean, and had a good selection of beverages and snacks. The seats were comfortable and the music sounded very good. The staff was very friendly and there was plenty of information available for upcoming events. Can't wait for the next concert!

Parking is $10 cash. We went to watch Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8pm. The doors to the main building didn’t open until 7pm and then the doors to the theatre, didn’t open until 7:30pm, so lots of waiting! I did not appreciate getting there early and waiting outside in the freezing cold!! So i recommend staying in your car if you get there early. The students who staff the place are really friendly and helpful. The theatre itself is nice and has lots of bathrooms! The performance by Preservation Hall was outstanding and they let the fans come on stage to take pics and videos with them after. What an unforgettable experience!!

I had a great time attending the SOUTH BAY CHAMPIONSHIPS... The theatre is small but has enough space to be comfortable walking around between seats and hallways... It's very clean... Including restrooms... Event parking is paid indoor parking don't park at mall area you might get towed...

What a great venue. We truly enjoyed our experience at the theatre. We are thankful to have had the opportunity to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans. We look forward to other shows here in the future.

Excellent venue. Great parking, clean facility, and a great auditorium.

Beautiful venue and easily accessible. Comfortable seats, but angle could have been a bit more to help with line of sight. Acoustics and lighting were very nice as well.

We were in Irvine, CA this past Sunday, 10-19-25 to take in the charitable Onco-Ballet. Performed at the modest sized Barclay Theater, located on the beautiful campus of UC Irvine. The Onco Ballet is supported by the non-profit Onco Ballet Foundation. Providing low to no cost ballet classes to cancer patients and survivors. Stressing movement as a healing form of expression. Founded in Southern California and now branching out to other areas like New York City, Chicago, Seattle, and Houston. All performances are done by cancer victims. Some professionals able to continue their careers, others by participants making their first public stage performances. Which brings me to the one minor letdown. Being that this was a fund raiser, there simply were not enough ballets. Much of the time was spent with a panel discussion of cancer professionals. And a documentary sneak peek that should be out next year. But the dancers may have performed only four times I believe. And for mostly first-timers, quite well! There was a goal to raise $100,000 this night. Much of which would be donations sent in later. The theater only holds 756 patrons. The foundation's goal is to remain completely tuition free. Onco- Ballet Foundation, a worthy and moving charitable group.

This is a lovely theater on the UCI campus! The seats were very comfortable!!! There were drinks and snacks available both downstairs and near the balcony area upstairs which were nice. My family and I saw Michael Carbonaro here and he was absolutely amazing!!!

I have absolutely loved my experience with the Barclay Theatre. I was able to attend The Nutcracker show this year. The staff is so welcoming and kind. I can tell that they're all very well trained in guiding the patrons. The show ran seamlessly. The transitions between scenes, the sounds, announcements, etc. The space was just wonderful and beautifully decorated. I loved all of the beautiful holiday decorations. It truly added to the holiday spirit. Thank you for such an awesome time!

Easy to navigate and great seats at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. First time here and the students were very good about guiding us from the parking structure to the theatre. Very similar to our small city theatre, but with a more impressive calendar of events. Looking forward to seeing more shows here.

I always love seeing any performance here because it's close to the Irvine Campus and there's lots of good food choices to get before the show and the theater itself is amazing. It's a small theater and I love it because it's small and intimate. Any seat is a good seat and has a good view on the stage. We saw a unique show, hypnotizing and improv. It was great. Some parts were a little too fast but overall I had a good time.

Very nice theater. My seat was excellent, balcony center. Very good view of the entire stage. I watched the Festival Ballet Theater perform the Nutcracker. They did an outstanding job! I definitely recommend and I already plan of going again next year. I usually see the ABT perform the Nutcracker, so I wasn't expecting that much from a local group, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The Festival Ballet Theater brings in world class ballet dancers to dance the roll of Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. I saw Tiler Peck and her fiancé Roman Mejia dance. Wow! Talk about blowing everyone out of the water! The other dancers were really good, but you can't compete with world class talent, principal dancers of the NY City Ballet. This much be such a thrill for the young dancers. The ticket prices are super reasonable.

I've been working for UC Irvine for over a year now. I haven't had a chance to check out a show at the Barclay Theatre. A friend was having a concert there and I decided to check it out. Getting tickets was no problem with the staff discount code. If you're staff, you're expected to pay the full price for parking at student services. The structure not too far of a walk from the Barclay. I liked the service from the ushers. The venue is small but I felt no matter where you sat you could see everything and I don't think you can go wrong with whatever seat. The acoustics were really nice too! I also liked we had complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby Overall, I had a good experience here.

Thoroughly enjoyed The Makaha Sons performance here. The venue is nice comfortable facility with great sight lines. The sound engineering could have been tweaked a little to balance the music and the singing. I felt the music drowned out the singing. Other than that, the show was very good. The adjacent parking structure was a bit confusing if you didn't pre-purchase parking. However I would gladly see other performances here in the future.

Parking is $10 cash. We went to watch Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8pm. The doors to the main building didn't open until 7pm and then the doors to the theatre, didn't open until 7:30pm, so lots of waiting! I did not appreciate getting there early and waiting outside in the freezing cold!! So i recommend staying in your car if you get there early. The students who staff the place are really friendly and helpful. The theatre itself is nice and has lots of bathrooms! The performance by Preservation Hall was outstanding and they let the fans come on stage to take pics and videos with them after. What an unforgettable experience!!

Thanks to a dear friend, we had the absolute pleasure of attending a lecture here by a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Dr. David MacMillan! We had a fantastic experience - surreal and totally amazing to say the least. The theater is a moderate size, but it does have a balcony area. It was very clean and the acoustics were excellent. Entry was simple and efficient. Staff are all very helpful and friendly. I asked one of the staff at entry if my camera was allowed, she didn't know, but she didn't stop until she found someone who did! Everything was very clean and they are extremely organized. They offer concessions at very reasonable prices considering it's a theater. The only rule is you can't bring anything inside the theater itself except water. There's plenty of parking in a garage right next to the theater. It's in the heart of the campus and there are plenty of signs to guide you - it was very easy to find. Everything is handicap accessible. Parking for the event was $10...but it was free for students I think. They have a website with a huge list of upcoming events and you can buy tickets online. UCI really did an awesome thing for their students by arranging this lecture - was SO INSPIRING!! Dr. MacMillan is a UCI alumnus. His lecture was about his life and his work- from childhood in Scotland, to graduate school in California, research work at prestigious institutions all over America, to winning the Nobel Prize! I was completely enthralled! Dr. MacMillan is extremely intelligent, inspiring, enthusiastic, and a total comedian!! We even got so lucky as to be able to shake his hand and have a (very, very) brief conversation afterwards. And Dr. MacMillan is so generous he even let my husband hold his Nobel Prize for a once-in-a-lifetime photo op! A truly unforgettable night for us at this theater! Will definitely be keeping an eye on their event schedule - what an awesome experience!

Great performances! In 2019, we watched NTL: The Audience, a recording of Helen Mirren as the Queen. We also watched an a cappella festival called AcaLove. We have bought tickets for our next visit in 2023. Park in the Student Center Parking next door. Then walk east along Campus Drive to the theater. Or walk east along the footpath parallel to Campus Drive. It would help to have signage inside and just outside the parking structure, stating "To Barclay Theatre". In 2019, they did not have clear guidance on when the doors open, which we needed - to know when to arrive. Outside, there was a duck relaxing upon a fountain clearly labeled No Climbing :). Good hot chocolate during intermission. After the show, some cafes and restaurants in the University Center are still open: most fast-food restaurants, Cha for Tea, or Eureka. Go there via the Watson pedestrian bridge across Campus Drive

I have been to this theater many times and never had a problem before, but last week when I went to see Swan Lake ballet, I was really surprised that a man two rows up from me, I was in grow E, he was in row C, was holding up his phone and video taping much of the time throughout the performance. At intermission, I asked an usher to please speak to the man and remind him of the rules, but nothing was done and I couldn't enjoy the ballet. I was disappointed, and I think the handling of this will keep me from spending 85 dollars for a seat there again

What a fantastic time we had here! We saw The Nutcracker and it was a BEAUTIFUL show. We came with RCOC for the "Sensory Friendly " experience and we cannot wait to be there again next year! The dancers were phenomenal and we even got an opportunity to meet with the performers after the show!

I was so excited when I landed tickets in the second row for my daughter's dance recital! However, I received an email an hour later informing me that the site had issues, so all tickets were refunded to launch a new sale date and time... UGH! During the new sale, I had the same seats ready to go at checkout and I could not get past the checkout screen, the site stopped working and then it put me in a queue so I lost my seats!! Now we are sitting in the 7th row versus the 2nd row. I am extremely upset!! I expressed my disappointment in an email, and I've received nothing. These recitals are not cheap and I was so excited that I was able to get seats close to the stage this time so my daughter could see us in the crowd and now that is not going to happen.

Love this place Great venue. Ushers great, parking great. Love the performances and selection of performers.

First time here, came for a Contemporary Jazz concert. On the campus of UC Irvine. Parking garage right next door. Theater holds 750 people, no bad seats. Acoustics are great, seats are a bit dated. Beer and wine available and some snacks. At this writing, masks and vax cards were mandatory.

It was a awesome time looking at this group playing music they are good. Also the workers are very friendly and helpful on any questions you have.

So happy my husband and I both got to see Jake Shimabukuro perform at this theater tonight! He was amazing on the ukelele! I had heard of him from MasterClass and then he came to Irvine for a live performance, what a treat! He played 1 hour 45 minutes or so, and it was just himself in the beginning and then he added his friend Jackson to play bass guitar. The theater is cozy and only has 2 floors. We had great seats for the price we paid, and they checked vaccination cards upon entry. Fun times!

It's our annual tradition to see the Nutcracker ballet here every year. We've been coming here since the beginning. But this year's Nutcracker was beyond disappointing. It was dramatically shortened, missing many of the best songs & choreography. Sad to say, after 30yrs, we wont be going back. Too many corners being cut

Small venue but view from every seat is relatively good! Parking is easy with a less than five minute walk to the place. Workers were very nice and the restrooms were clean!

Came here on a Friday night for a friend's choir performance. It's basically on the UCI campus so it can be a little tiring to get to. I think I heard there was a structure nearby but I met a friend for dinner before so we parked in the parking lot across and took the bridge over. It's a VERY small theater w/ a tiny lobby where there were tables and booths set up surrounding. There were drinks available but there are so many restaurants nearby that I would probably give those a pass. The theater is very small but it does actually have a balcony. I took a star off because although I was super covered up, I was uncomfortably freezing... like it was actually inhibiting my ability to enjoy the performance because I was so freaking cold... and I wasn't the only one. I didn't see an option for blanket rental and honestly, renting a blanket doesn't sound fair either. I guess I have just learned my lesson that sitting in the balcony means you are directly under the AC vent and for me, that nearly ruined my experience. So anyway, cute theater w/ good acoustics/lighting supporting the arts and my friend by freezing from a $40 seat in the balcony was an A-OK experience. The proximity to the restaurants nearby for a pre-/post- drink/eat was a plus. I'd come back again...

1. Awesome performances at a great price is the reason for my rating. I applaud the artists and bookings staff. 2. Sound quality isn't great. Definitely poorer quality than before their remodel. Quality changes radically depending on where you sit. For example, we sat near the stage and couldn't hear the instruments, only the drums. But then we sat near the back and it was better but the overall volume was low. They need sound checks throughout the theater before showtime. 3. Inadequate bathroom facilities for very short intermissions. Expect to wait in a long line and be late returning to the theater. And no, you won't have time for a drink and snack and bathroom break. 4. Very good parking situation. Overall location and facility is very very nice. 5. Poor air circulation. Wear lightweight clothing. It's very stuffy and warm.

My kids, both of them, grew up hearing the musicals of the 60's and 70's. The best, Man of La Mancha, is still one of our favorites. We still all know most of the words to all the songs. I know I am supposed to be reviewing the theatre and not the musical, but I cannot thank the School of the Arts, University of California in Irvine, enough for bringing this funny yet dramatic play back onto the stage. I had no idea how decent a production they could present. And so, with one of the cast members being a personal friend, we had to go. I was not sure what to expect except for her contribution. The cast were all students, the sets were beautifully done, the staging excellent, the orchestra outstanding. And although I was sometimes critical of the lead, Don Quixote, each character had very strong points. For me, some of the highlights were the character roles and ensemble numbers. The barber and Sancho developed such fun characterizations. Thank you to the Drama and Music Department for bringing back great memories and doing it with finesse. Based on this production, I would have to say you will be most impressed with the school's productions held here at the Barclay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsNJtTKdUec

Great intimate venue. Varied programming. Unique for sure decor and lobby layout. A great alternative to the standby performing arts centers that surround the OC area.

Real nice venue. Easy to get to. Easy parking right next to the facility. Irvine campus is a nice place. I went to see an artist that I often have to go to LA to see, this was much better.

LOVE the Irvine Barclay Theatre!!! When I lived in Newport Beach, The Irvine Barclay Theatre was a great alternative to the Orange County Performing Arts Center...or having to drive to LA in order to see sophisticated entertainment. Now that I live in Long Beach, I still think that it's a great place to go. The Irvine Barclay Theatre offers a wide variety of entertainment throughout the year. From music, to dance, to opera, to a variety of plays. The theatre is located on the UCI campus, conveniently between the 73 Toll road and the 405 Freeway. The theatre has a large parking structure just feet away from it's doors, and the theatre itself is small, modern, and very beautiful. If you haven't been, check them out online, look at their calendar, order your tickets online, and enjoy!

Returned to the Barclay tonight for first theater experience in almost two years. I was so pleased that the theater required proof of vaccination. An important move to keep audiences and performers safe. I commend the Barclay's leadership!!

My daughter is a ballerina and wanted to see a professional Nutcracker this year. I researched and found a theater that checked vaccination cards and masks were mandatory, so we went. IF YOU HAVE TICKETS TO THE IRVINE BARCLAY NUTCRACKER, GET A REFUND. 1/4 of the people took their masks off as soon as they sat down, the ushers didn't do anything!!! I even got into an altercation (for the first time ever) because I asked a family to wear their masks near us since I am high risk. A hideous woman started going into a tirade about it is a mandate not a law and said she didn't care about me or the theater's rules. It was ugly and the theater didn't do anything. We left and tickets were expensive.

Fantastic concerts, Easy parking and to get there. What a wonderful venue to have in our area of Irvine. Great programs. A+ Huge orchestra coming and a latin jazz group.

Wonderful evening here with Linda Eder. We purchased the VIP tickets with pre-show drinks and post-show meet and greet that included desert and munchies. Small but intimate the theatre has no bad seats. I am tall and my knees hit the seat in front of me but I adapted and loved the show. The area around the theatre gas plenty of shops and places for a bite to eat as well. Overall great evening.

I definitely recommend everyone to check out the Barclay if you're in town! They have a variety of shows for people of all interests, from Jazz to Dance to Country to World shows and even film screenings. If you're a student, they often have student discounts as well as group discounts so that's always a plus to use! The tickets are all decently priced so it's definitely worth it. They also have special packages online, so if you like a specific genre, might as well buy multiple shows and get those special discounts! For their NTL events, they screen British theatre productions with award winning stars such as Benedict cumberbatch, Andrew Garfield, Patrick Stewart to name a few... Since the theatre is not enormously big, every seat in the house is a good seat. There's perfect acoustics all around as well as a good view of the stage! No need for binoculars! Friendly staff, clean environment, enjoyable shows, the Barclay is the place to go! Bring your friends and family for a night to remember :)

Tiny but very neat theater! I watched Festival Ballet Theater's firebird and it was one of the best performances I've ever seen. I will come back in the future for more events.

So I remember coming here for a performance once when I was still at UCI, but don't recall what. But the most recent time I went here was with my friends to see Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which was an African a capella group that we went on a whim on seeing live since we were watching Mean Girls. Long story short they had mentioned that group in the movie, found out it was real, and then booked our tickets to go see them. The place felt kind of like a theater, so we felt a bit under dressed. When inside to sit down for the performance, the rows were a bit tight and the seats got really uncomfortable after sitting on them for a long time. But the acoustics were wonderful and it felt so intimate considering it was a small venue. They do serve snacks and drinks, but you need to order beforehand to ensure they have enough before intermission begins. Parking was a bit complicated since the directions given were poor and we had to park in a specific structure and get a specific pass l, but luckily the driver amongst my friends and I figured it out.

When most people hear the word "Cirque," what overwhelmingly--and inarguably--follows is "Soleil." But there's another. Smaller and lesser-known, another Cirque--one that is choreographed for the theatre instead of the big top--thrives within the shadows of the behemoth that is Soleil. It's name: Cirque Éloize (sirk el-waz). Yes, there are definite correllations between the two. In fact, it was because of their partnership--and Soleil's support--that I first realized Éloize and their upcoming "Cirkopolis" performance at the Barclay Theatre anyway. ("Totem" was breath-taking, by the way!) Nevertheless, both are Quebec-based, originating from Montreal; both share the acrobatic genius of Jeannot Painchaud (having first performed with Soleil, now Éloize's co-creator and artistic director); and both are no-holds-barred, nouveau circus troupes bent upon transporting audiences into the surreal and the dream-like. A devoted fan of Soleil (in all facets and forms), I knew at the onset that I wasn't necessarily attending Éloize's "Cirkopolis" for its acrobatics. (Soleil, without shame or apology, monopolizes.) What had interested me was Cirkopolis' promotion: that which is derived from the "comic book world," that which promises visual tantalization of "imagery and illusion." Without doubt, Cirkopolis delivered. The 3D projections--vivid, immense, and heavily inspired by the aesthetically industrial distopias of Lang's "Metropolis" and Gilliam's "Brazil"--were exceptionally beautiful. Oppressed by the monotony and by the dreariness of the giant gears and dark portals, Cirkopolis' citizens rebel, in hopes of finding individuality, finding poetry, finding themselves amidst a world that they had ultimately created and come to be enslaved by. For this--their design, their stage presentation, and their depiction of the human spirit rising up against adversity--I applaud Cirque Éloize. It was a visual feast.

This is the second time I have been to the Irvine Barclay Theatre. It is a great venue at UCI where a variety of shows such as musical acts, performance art, comedy, etc., have played. The place does not have a bad seat in the house because of it's pretty small size. Even at the back of the theatre, the seats are good. It is easy to find and parking is simple. Got our tickets online and breezed into the lobby 30 minutes before the show. They had a bar in the lobby for pre-show drinks. We were there to see Stuffed and Unstrung by the Henson Alternative. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Pnkyub-x1cI6T-tk7gxRQw?select=ESSnPIzJxZmUCvelxBiGJg It is an adults only improv show involving 80 Henson puppets, 6 comedians and improv skits based on audience suggestions thrown at host, Patrick Bristow. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Pnkyub-x1cI6T-tk7gxRQw?select=KleI9UdOd48-inXYAfn03w Note: These are not my photos. They are stock photos. Pictures and filming are not allowed in the theatre. The show is running at the Barclay through Sunday. http://www.stuffedandunstrung.com/tickets.php It is a crazy fun show and not for the easily offended. Even though these are Henson puppets, this is not Muppet material and definitely not Sesame Street. Very 18 and over content but nonetheless hilarious. Hope to be back to the Barclay soon to see what other great shows they have to offer.

I rarely go to theaters or the movies but Yelper Aaron L. had an extra ticket to go see the Muppets Stuffed and Unstrung so how could I refuse? It's hard to turn down a free evening with the Yelp crew. The theatre is conveniently located on the UCI campus and near the parking structure but you can avoid parking fees by parking across the street and walking. It's a short walk and good exercise. Inside, you'll be greeted professionally. It's a smaller theatre but still spacious enough for a crowd and elegant. There's a bar area with a few concessions and alcohol. Once it's time for your show, you'll be given a brochure and walked to your seat. Since we were a social bunch, we were seated in "tweet seats" which are far enough back to allow us to use our phone without interrupting guests and also in a decent spot to view the show. That was pretty cool. Despite my hesitations about the show, I actually really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. I was laughing out loud the whole time and tickets are actually affordable here.

It's not fancy schmancy like the Segerstrom in Costa Mesa, but it's a lovely quaint theater. Every seat has a fantastic view of the stage, you can see the sweat droplets and ripples of every abdominal muscle from the contemporary dancers. Parking is easy-- garage off corner of Campus and West Peltason. Seats are close together, so you "make friends." I was late by 30 min and was still allowed in by the ushers. Signs on the sidewalk direct you to the Barclay theater. Box office to the left of the entrance doors & easy Goldstar ticket pick up. Wine and beer cash bar in lobby, you can't take the drink into the theater, but you can leave it on a table & write your name on a cocktail napkin covering your drink. It's still there at intermission. Casual wear or bohemian style dressers. After the show, finish your date night at Ruth Chris 2.3 miles away.

This is an awesome little theater located on the campus of UCI. A few friends and I loaded up to go to the theater to attend Henson Alternative: Stuffed and Unstrung for a CYME that Ryan C. planned. The best place to park (although you have to pay) is the parking structure located near the theater. It's nice to have peace of mind that the car won't be towed and you don't have to jay walk across a busy street. The staff, from the box office to the theater manager who greeted us were great. FYI - they sell refreshments including wine inside. You just can't take it inside the theater. The place is super clean and lovely. I know they have great shows, but if you have a chance, you need to see Henson Alternative. It had my ribs hurting.

Came to see Jake Shimabukuro. Comfy seats. Intimate Theater. 3rd row from back in the balcony area still afforded a good view and the sound was great. Lighting was nicely matched with the songs. Parking: OMG, $10 per car in the structure. However, I think they charge you less if you're not there for the concert. Food if you're hungry: University Town center is across the theater with In-N-Out, Taco Bell, Jack In the Box, Peet's, Yogurtland. Chek out: http://www.shopneighborhoodcenters.com/NeighborhoodCenters/Center/University_Center.aspx

Drove 1 1-2 hours to see a play tonight with my son. We had been looking forward to this for weeks. When I bough the tickets there was not one single mention of Covid vaccine or negative test requirements. I read every last word of my tickets to make sure. Showed up tonight and was not allowed in. Never received an email that they supposedly sent out notifying me of those requirements. I was in tears and no one cared. My son was very upset as well. Teenagers are running the place. What was supposed to be a very special evening for my son and I ended up a very sad evening in tears.

This is a very small and intimate theater. The parking is convenient and close by. Going up to will call and finding our seats was a breeze. The only downside, for me, is the seat covering material. It's some sort of long-grain fiber that actually hurts against the skin when moved against the grain. Seeing as I was wearing a dress (as usual), my legs were uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was a nice evening.

Overpriced tickets for a subpar venue. Going to see the same jazz performer at the Northridge center for 1/3 the price... and the Northridge center is far superior for acoustics and viewing.

To help ring in the holiday season, a friend and I decided to see a production of The Nutcracker here (thanks Goldstar for the discounted tickets). Didn't really know what to expect but as far as venues go, it's pretty good. It's much much smaller than Segerstrom which is nice. We were actually in the back row for this but didn't feel like it all because of the size. It definitely isn't as fancy as Segerstrom and is a little worn and dated in places but because you're paying less for a show here usually, it balances out. You can park for $10 in the on campus lot that's closest to the Theatre (their website gives you good directions on how to find it). It's definitely worth it to not have to walk as far. I noticed a lot of people parked across the street and just walked over so there must be somewhere to park that doesn't have a fee attached. The production itself was good. It was all ages and probably the most diverse ballet I've ever seen which was great. The acoustics were decent, though I'm pretty sure there was no live orchestra and the score was just a recorded track (at least for part of it where you could hear the muffle of the track in the background). Most of the ushers are nice. There is an elevator to get to the 2nd floor if you're mobility impaired. If you want to avoid stairs though, get seats in row AA on the balcony level. Otherwise you'll be going up/down steps to get to your seat. They have designated wheelchair seats on the bottom level and the balcony level as well. I definitely think I will be back here for some future cultural engagements!

I love going to this theater! It's intimate, and you can easily park across the street at the University Town Center to avoid parking fees. Watched 2 amazing shows here Cirque Alfonse (lumberjack circus) and A Simple Space (another acrobatic type show) There's really not a bad seat in the house. I'm looking forward to Stunt Dogs and more acrobatic/circus type shows here! :)

Better late than never, as they say. I'm so behind on writing reviews that I'm afraid I'm going to cycle back around and recheck all those places I was supposed to review but haven't yet lol So I got these tickets to see the Hanson Alternative Stuffed and Unstrung, courtesy of Yelp! and Mr Ryan C. Thanks! Billed as a sort of naughty muppet show, I was excited to see it. The Barclay theater is located on the UCI campus, and for the privilege of parking onsite, we forked over $10. Not too bad. The theater itself is nice, no frills really, but it's not like I had box seats, which was fine, since the theater is not overly large, and the muppet/puppet show was shown on two large screens anyway. The seats were fairly comfy, and I do not think I stepped on anyone's toes on my way to my seat :) The show was fun and funny, engaging the audience and rotating cast members frequently, though I agree with Boyfriend in that improvisational acting can definitely be hit or miss. I still thought the show was great, and I would happily see it again :)

I had tickets to attend the Henson Alternative: Stuffed and Unstrung show at the Irvine Barclay Theatre last night. The venue is easily assessed via walkway from the parking garage. Inside, there is no bad seat in the house. We sat in the 2nd to last row and was still able to enjoy the show immensely. Just an FYI, the back 2 rows are the "tweet" seats where you can tweet the show on your Twitter feed. Photography and recording is still prohibited due to copyrighted material. The show was hilarious and inappropriate. 18 and over only for the Henson show but you should check out their schedule throughout the season. There is an awesome lineup. The tickets are fairly priced since this theatre is on the UCI campus. Great show, great venue.

The Irvine Barclay Theater puts on some of Irvine's best performing arts shows in town. See, there's more to me than just music your mom would abhor! Like many, I tend to forget about the Barclay, being that its much larger, big brother the "OC Performing Arts Center" is just minutes away down the 405. However, if you check out the website, you'll find that the Barclay offers every bit of a diverse performance, from seeing the American Ballet's rendition of "The Nutracker" to seeing "Pink Martini" on their latest tour for "Hey Eugene!" UCI's performing arts department (dance, music, etc) also puts on their shows at the Barclay. While tickets aren't any cheaper, I appreciate the more relaxed and laid back setting. You won't feel out of place among women wearing their fur coats for the evening. I have seen a number of performances at the Barclay, from ballets as well as the UCI symphony. My last excursion was for the "Nutcracker", and I found that the small venue also added a certain kind of "warmth" you don't usually get at the stuffy Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in LA, for example. Note: Parking usually runs around $7 in the UCI lot. There will be signs that say that you will be towed if you park in the UCI marketplace lot across the street. HOWEVER, I personally haven't had problems doing that, especially if I make sure I have my In-N-Out burger after the show.

I love the Irvine Barclay! It's a small theatre, but it's well taken care of. The parking structure charges $10, but it's a close walk to the theatre from there. I came to see the Nutcracker and it was beautiful, I will definitely keep an eye on the Irvine Barclay's calendar to see what else will draw us in. If you have small children, this is a great layout, because you can get in and out quickly if you need to.

I came here with a friend to watch West Side Story with a friend. We got the very last 2 tickets. I always knew about this theater but had never seen a show here until tonight. The first thing I noticed upon entry was that there was a whole lot of elderly people. Not sure if it was this particular performance or something about this particular theater that attracted them here. The next thing we noticed was that all 4 drinking fountains were shut off or "broken". Money making scheme to make you purchase bottled water at the concession stand. Everything else about the theater make it feel very new and clean. From the carpets, to the walls, to the restrooms, everything was nice and tidy. At first our seating seemed pretty good because we could definitely see the stage clearly. But after we sat down we immediately noticed a pretty big issue. The aisle rail in front of us was obstructing our view of the stage. I had to either lean forward to look over or slouch down to look in between two poles. Although they did make a good foot rest. Another random disturbance that has nothing to do with the theater was the guy sitting next to me. He kept singing through the "I feel so pretty, oh so pretty" song. Then he was sniffly near the end. Yes the story was tragic but having a snotty snorty dude next to you ruins it. The Irvine Barclay is the place to be If you're looking for a show, there's so much to see The interior is so pleasant and nice to me Wait what the hell, I have to pay a parking fee? Yes, parking is $7 or risk parking in the University Center.