The Citadel Theatre

I enjoy seeing shows here. I’m a live theater fan, and these tend to be well done productions. The facility and seats will need some love sooner rather than later, but overall it’s a nice theater. Parking is available and accessible from the library, with evenings and weekends being discounted. You can also take the LRT to the Churchill stop, and it’s a short walk across the square. Normands is located in this building for pre/​post-​show food/​drinks, with specials.

I’ve seen a concert and recently, A Christmas Carol, in the Maclab Theatre at The Citadel. We picked up our tickets the night of the show and arrived shortly before 7 and there was no line up at the Box office and we quickly got our tickets. The show started at 7:30 and there are 2 sets of doors that opened just after 7. The area around the bar can get crowded as it’s also close to the washrooms (better to use the ones upstairs by the Box office to avoid line ups at intermission).
There are ushers to help people find seats which is appreciated. The seating is fairly comfortable and it’s nice they allow bottle water and ice cream to be consumed at the seats. Our seats were LC and a few rows from the top and they provided a good view of the stage. The production had a great large cast in sync with the singing and movement of the props on and off the stage which was smooth to move from scene to scene. It’s was a good show to get me in the spirit of Christmas.
Line ups at intermission for the washroom, bar, and Second Cup can get long but in the 20 or so minutes, everyone seemed to have enough time to consume their drinks and make a pit stop. We parked in the Library underground lot for $ 5 and it’s cash only. There was only one exit so it can get busy leaving.

I love rapid fire theatre! If you’re into comedy… This is the place to be! Every Friday and Saturday… reasonably priced tickets for a cheap night. $ 15!

I’ve seen two productions in the Shoctor Theatre this year — Kim’s Convenience, and more recently, Avenue Q. Both times, I’ve scored a great deal with price level C tickets at $ 30 — BUT here’s the awesome part — I was in the first 2 rows!!! Row BB is the best for this (second row). I don’t find it too close (it’s not like my neck is permanently creaked up to watch) and my head is at maybe knee level of the performers (definitely above the stage). The row behind me paid $ 80+ for their tickets, I’d call that a steal :) Book early for best seat selection, and obviously, weekdays are less busy than weekends. The theatre is big, clean, and not too hot/​cold.
Zeidler Hall is also the new home of Rapid Fire Theatre’s shows. I prefer the more intimate nature of their old venue, the Varascona, but it’s hilarious as always.
I’ve found the theatre seasons at the Citadel hit and miss for my taste (I personally prefer the offerings from Broadway across Canada at the Jubilee), but when there is a play that I want to see, I’ll happily come to the Citadel. Both plays I have seen have been very high quality and promote Canadian talent. The theatre is LRT-​accessible too! You don’t even have to go outside from Churchill station.

I’m obviously a little biased here, I went to see Arcadia because a few of the cast were friends of mine. But Honestly, the venue is beautiful. The sound is excellent and I really don’t think there’s a bad seat in the house. I spent extra to get seats in the middle.. . but really could have sat anywhere and been happy. They sell Ice Cream outside in the lobby and let you bring it in!!! Easy to Find, Great Experience, a little Gem hidden in Downtown Edmonton. I’d go again.. . when in Edmonton.

My wife and I were at the MacLab Theatre for the Randy Bachman concert last night. Love it here — classy, spacey, comfy and soundtastic (new word of the day). It’s the kind of theatre you want to pronounce as ‘thee-​ah-​tuh’. You know you’re in a classy environment when well-​dressed staff members materialize out of thin air to tell you «no pictures!» It’s a top-​secret environment to be enjoyed by privileged insiders only. Just like the executive bathroom on Family Guy.
It’s a great venue for live music. There’s not a bad seat in the place either. The seating is arranged in a semi-​circle around the stage allowing for an awesome view of the performance regardless of where you’re sitting. The acoustics of the ‘thee-​ah-​tuh’ allow for quieter moments too. Bachman tells a lot of stories in between songs and he’s kind of a soft speaker but he was easy to hear because of the venue’s great sound quality. If this show had taken place in River Cree’s hemorrhoid tent as it was originally scheduled for, all of the between-​song musings would have been lost on the audience.
You’re allowed to bring beverages inside which I found surprising as many auditoriums and theatres (the Jube) do not allow drinks in the seating area.
The only negative I can think of for the MacLab is the numbering on the seats. The numbers are small and are stamped on the *bottom* of the chairs for some reason. If you crawl down the aisles you can see the numbers easily but if you’re standing, they’re a little difficult to see. When I first walked in I thought there was an Easter egg hunt going on with so many people hunched over looking under seats.
In closing, I want to thank the River Cree Resort and Casino for violating building codes at their concert venue thereby forcing all their scheduled shows to move to superior venues such as the MacLab

Life Death and the Blues was wonderful last night! I must admit that I was feeling disappointed when it started out with a lot of talking rather than getting down to the music. Don’t worry… it’s worth the wait and the story telling is an integral part of the music and the evening. Rahul Bhaneja is a wonderful story teller! The highlight of the evening… Devine Brown’s inspired gospel song — what a voice! It’s only on for two more weeks… don’t miss it! Oh, and did I mention, it’s cabaret style so you are welcome to enjoy a glass of wine while you watch:-)

Caught the annual production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ in the Maclab Theatre in the Citadel. This was my first time ever seeing this play. The production was surprisingly good and creative. It’s amazing what they do with such a small space. The acting was superb, the story a classic and the spirit it bring is galvanizing. I would definitely recommend you catch this show to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Our seats were at the very edge of the theatre at the side of the stage. The seating is shaped like a half circle. You still could see most of the play from the side (though not all of it), although it probably isn’t the most ideal spot to view it. Anyhow, I really enjoyed the show.
Note that they only let water and ice cream in the theatre. So if you order drinks be sure to consume them before going in.

Yes! Another year @citadeltheatre’s production of A Christmas Carol — one of Edmonton’s favorite Christmas traditions! I love seeing the regular cast, but also the newest cast members — such a great show! #GodBlessUs #Everyone!

Back in the day, when I was a high school English teacher, I would take the entire senior high for a field trip for some live drama.
The Citadel caters to these trips — which is great. They set up day time matinees for all their shows and if you are quick (and here is the key — you have to be QUICK to get your school in) you can book a big chunk of the seats for your group — at a student price!
The kids love it. The Citadel puts on a professional production and will even have the cast/​crew answer questions (time permitting).
As a teacher, I really appreciated how accommodating they were.

British farce theater! Need I say more, physical humor, improve, and great music. Lots of laughs, sight gags, and a couple of surprises (if you’ve seen it, you know).

As a 5+ year season ticket holder for The Citadel, I can tell you that I really love the selection of shows that they put on every year. Some are of course better than others, but everyone has their own opinions. Personal favourites include The Forbidden Phoenix, Next to Normal, Hanna’s Suitcase, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins, but there have been so many excellent productions here.
The great thing about having season tickets is the ease of changing dates for a particular show if I can’t attend due to things that have arisen. Sure there are other benefits too, but I adore that aspect. It also forces me to get out and do something for myself: see awesome theatre! While my tastes tend to be more for ensemble casts, musicals, and other larger scale productions some of the one person shows here have also been pretty amazing.
Each of the stages in this venue provide positives and negatives depending on your seats, the production, your eyesight etc., but I like sitting relatively close to the front.
The Citadel also offers good parking and LRT access (it is attached to the pedway system and to a parkade), and there’s a great indoor garden and waterfall as well as the many events that happen in The Club. You can also rent venues here for special events, and Rapid Fire Theatre performs here too!

I used to go quite a bit years ago and I just started going again and its still as good as ever. Every show entertains and leaves me happy I went. Definitely worth the money I might go and grab season tickets for next year.

Mary Poppins was amazing!
Felt like I was 10 again!
Excellent acting, singing, and casting!
Can’t get the songs out of my head!
Recommended for people of all ages!
Bravo!
Glad I am a season ticket holder will be renewing for fall 2014

I’ve gone to the Citadel a handful of times over the past few years to see different shows. I always enjoyed the experience and found the entertainers to be extremely talented. The stage and props are always well done. The plays are pricey but it’s money well spent.
Over the weekend, some friends and I went for their Rapid Fire improve show. This was a first for me and I didn’t go in with many expectations. I didn’t know how funny it could be since they didn’t have material and were working on the fly with random shout outs from the audience. Well, I definitely underestimated them. These people were talented and I was blown away with how quickly they can create the funniest skits. Overall a great experience and I would certainly go again!

I went to the Citadel the other night to see a Rapid Fire Theatre show with my friend. I hadn’t seen an RFT show since they moved from The Varscona to The Citadel. I’ve been to The Citadel several times before, but RFT shows are at Zeidler Hall, and I’d never been there.
First let’s be honest. The Citadel is a fine venue, and the shows there (at least the ones I’ve seen) have been great, but the décor — the lovely orange façade on the outside is a bit dated. Their website says the current building was finished in 1976. It probably wouldn’t hurt anyone if The Citadel went through a makeover. Fun fact — MacEwan University’s Centre for the Arts Campus on the west end (also a «lovely» orange building) was modelled after The Citadel.
That being said the inside of The Citadel is nice. It’s very concrete looking, but I love the atrium on the inside with all the plants, and the theatres themselves are lovely. Being in Edmonton means not seeing greenery for several months in the winter. It’s nice to walk into The Citadel and sit on one of the benches enjoying the greenery. Bonus it’s free. There’s a Second Cup at The Citadel, but I think it’s only open during the day. There is a Normand’s Bistro restaurant as well for pre and post-​show dinner and drinks.
Like I mentioned before I’ve been to The Citadel, but not to Zeidler Hall. This used to be where Metro Edmonton was, so it’s a movie theatre, but there’s also an elevated stage. Unlike some of the theatres in The Citadel (I’m looking at you Shoctor) the seats at Zeidler Hall are quite comfortable. The improv show was about 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission and at no point in time did my butt fall asleep, or did my back start to hurt. I’m 5ft 10inches tall, with long legs, and I hate seats that are so close together I have no leg room. The leg room here was really good. There’s enough space in between the rows you can walk past people going to or from your seat without bumping into anyone.
Another bonus about seeing a show at Zeidler Hall is that you can bring in food and drinks, although they don’t have cup holders. Volunteers for RFT sell a few drinks outside the theatre, water, pop, Steam Whistle beer, etc. They also sell Twizzlers for 25 cents, which is nice way to use up some spare quarters.
I thought there was another show at The Citadel going on when I was there, but the starting time must have been later, or maybe earlier than The RFT show. The lobby wasn’t crowded with people, and during intermission there wasn’t a lineup for the bathrooms. There is nothing worse than spending all intermission waiting in line for the bathroom.
The show itself was entertaining, but I always enjoy seeing RFT. They open up with the free improv players telling some jokes, and then goes into theatre sports with the regular RFT players. It’s hard to review an improv showing, seeing that every show will be different, but I’ve never gone to an RFT show and left bored or frowning.
Tickets to regular Citadel shows usually start around $ 45, which isn’t a bad price for live theatre. I always love going to The Citadel; their productions are professional and well done. RFT tickets are $ 13.29 and are sold through EventBrite, so they’re even a better deal. Instead of going to a movie, for around same price you could see some great live improv. Plus there’s no way you’ll be able to get Twizzlers at the movies for 25 cents.
The Citadel is close to the Churchill LRT station, and if the weather’s bad you can just use the pedway and avoid being outside at all. If you decide to park at The Citadel parking is a $ 5 flat rate after 5pm — cash only.

I love the Citadel. It’s a nice venue for live shows, but I find the layout of it kind of odd. In any case, it’s easy to get to by LRT and close to all the amenities downtown, which is a perfect reason to make a play part of an evening out. A few years ago I also attended a New Years party here, with Shout Out Out Out as the main band. My friends & I had a great time, even though the food was really poor. I love that there’s always wine & cocktails available before a performance, but I wonder why they let the Second Cup close. Sometimes I wouldn’t mind a latte during a play on a cold Edmonton winter night! The Citadel gets 4 stars from me, because I want to support the arts, but I also want them the facility to get a little more modern.

I’ve been to a number of events at the Citadel… theatre, concerts, speakers. The theatres here are great and I love the indoor garden, especially in the winter.
As much as I love going to the theatre, it’s not cheap. The Citadel offers rush tickets at 50% off, and they also have pay-​what-​you-​can Sundays for the first performance of each show. I love that they do something to make the theatre a bit more accessible.

I fell in love with theatre and musicals at an early age and the citadel has been a big part of my growth and love with theatre all the way along. Over the years they have done several upgrades to the facility but the theatres have remained the same.
First there is the Shoctor Theatre. This is the most traditional of the three with the stage in front, room for an orchestra pit, and then the seats rising at an average incline out in front of the stage. In general this one is used for the bigger productions (like My Fair Lady, Oliver, Beauty and the Beast, etc.). I like that the seats are not too close together — there is lots of room for knees and elbows! My favorite seats are rows B-​D numbers 12 – 22.
Next there is the more contemporary Maclab Theatre. When you walk in you are at the top of seats of the theatre and everything is below. The seats are at a very steep incline (the next person’s head is at your knees) and then the stage is flat at the level of the first row’s feet. If you sit in the first row your eye level would be at the performer’s waist. There are entrances for performers from behind the stage and then two wings that disappear into the audience but not the traditional side entrances. My favorite seats are LC or RC row B-​D any numbers.
Finally there is the smallest, most contemporary Rice Theatre. I have only been in this one once so I cannot accurately describe the overall feel and set up. When I was in it the seats had more of a bleacher feel to it. So you walked in on the stage level and then up into bleachers. The stage felt like a «black hole» and actors almost appeared out of nowhere. As I am not experienced with this venue I cannot recommend seats.
I think the ticket pricing (around $ 60 for an adult ticket) is really fair for the value (considering a ticket for a Broadway Across Canada performance is over $ 100). I really enjoy that all of the productions are professionally done and support the arts in Edmonton.
So far this year I have seen ‘Hunchback’ in the Shoctor and ‘The Three Musketeers’ in the Maclab both were phenomenal and I can’t wait to see ‘Little Women: The Broadway Musical’ which is the season closer. They have already announced the program for next season and there are at least 4 productions that I will be attending!

I can’t say I’ve ever had a less-​than-​stellar night out at the Citadel. They host a great range of performances, from The Wizard of Oz (great, but Toto kept running offstage!), to Studies in Motion (a very well-​done, but extraordinarily nude production) to last night’s Hunchback.
I love getting dressed up and coming here for a date or with a couple of friends. The quality of theatre is always high, even though the prices are, too.
Treats and drinks are available before the show and during intermission, including ice cream! Delicious.