Campbell Theater

Our friends Mark and Sandy invited us to see «Shipwrecked» play at the Campbell Theater. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend a Thursday night show; it was our first time inside the theater and we had a blast!
Mark Cornelius was the star of the show — our friend had the lead roll! It wasn’t the first time we’d seen him act. We saw one of his previous shows at the Lesher Center in WC — so we knew we were in for another treat!
Things we loved about the theater: when you walk in there is an awesome bar/​reception area. The production company provided complimentary cookies and treats, snacks and candy, plus beer, wine, sodas and coffee. It was a very friendly group in the front room when we entered and we immediately found our friend’s wife, Sandy. She pointed us in the direction of the ticket window and we paid $ 12 each for our tickets. Totally affordable!
I went in expecting a one-​room theater with perhaps only a floor, no stage, and some seating thrown around. We visited Cue Live Productions! (theater in Concord) about a year ago for an Oscar Wide production and that’s how it was set up. But this neighborhood theater in Martinez’ is much larger than it originally appeared to us and was quite different, in a great way! There is private parking out front, and lots of nearby restaurants and bars for a bite before your show and a drink after. Come to the theater, sit back in the comfy chairs, relax and laugh! Great date night idea!
Once inside the play room, there are lots of comfortable seats and small tables staggered at different heights — meaning every seat is a good seat. First come, first serve seating. I brought popcorn with me in my purse (I have an addiction to the stuff) :) it was delicious! Call ahead to see if you are allowed to bring a food or drink. A very friendly woman on the phone answered my call and all my questions.
«Shipwrecked «was outstanding! The play itself was funny and good for all ages. The best parts were the sound effects and the lighting. A screen that made it seem like it was raining, or you were underwater, and some sort of projection set up really made it seem like the room became the place they were portraying. And the clever way the small cast produced sounds was really fun to watch and very impressive. We loved everything about the group, the characters, and the theater itself. Also, it was a very comfortable temperature inside. Perhaps the cold beer and warm coffee kept me feeling good.
Check out their calendar for upcoming shows and other events. The theater needs support, especially now as their lease is coming up soon and the City needs to see (and hear) from supporters of this place so important for community arts. Hopefully you’ll leave there after a great show, wanting to tell your family and friends to go check them out as well. Call or write to city officials and encourage them to renew the lease, guaranteeing all Martinez residents have access to low-​cost plays and performances. We can’t wait to return.

Nice and cozy theater. Seems like the locals really support their neighborhood theather. It’s nice and tucked away. Saw Christmas Belle and it was great!

My favorite Local theater! Really Bummed they closed.

I love this theater! They always have interesting and unique shows! I saw «Evil Dead: the musical» two years in a row and it was just awesome! If your in the «splatter zone» you went home covered in fake blood! (they warn you at the time of ticket purchase) it was so freaking sweet! Good staff, great actors and excellent drinks at the box office!

I’m looking to use this venue for a music series in upcoming months. I hope city officials can see the vision and aid in the support of the arts in this medium.

Community theatre is alive and well! I long for the days I used to see shows at small theatres in L.A. and I am so thrilled to have experienced the Campbell Theatre in Martinez. My awesome fiancé who knows how much I love Chicago took me to see the production at this venue.
The set up is like a tiered comedy club. It’s tables and chairs, not normal theatre seating. There are some chairs that look to have a nice cushion and ours unfortunately were the less comfortable bar stool type chairs. My back and rear were hurting a bit after the show, but it was still great.
The house staff was very friendly and you really felt a sense of community both on and off stage.
Bravo! We’ll be back to see what else the Willows Theatre Company will have in store at the Campbell Theatre. Oh, and THANK YOU for spelling theatre correctly! :o)

What is interesting about this theater compared to other small/​local ones I’ve been to is how their seating is handled. There are about 5 tiers, and each tier has tables and chairs. You order drinks/​snacks and they serve you during the show. I think this is a really cool addition to the theater experience. It really brings you back to a more interesting time. That being said, I wish it were better executed. There isnt much room for the servers to get in and out (so it seems), and there are 4 people to one little table. Our usher was very adamant about how my group sat. There are 4 people to a table, and we had a group of 3. She wouldn’t let us sit next to each other, because there was supposed to be one more patron «who had a seat in between you girls.» it made no sense to me, since it looks to me that the tables and chairs in the 5^th tier were scattered around, with none that are SET for a particular theater-​goer. That extra person who was supposed to sit in between us never came.
I went to see ‘Chicago’ today. It was a sold out show, and it was a great performance. Better than I thought it would be, seeing how small the space was. The cabaret style sitting suited this musical really well, but I dont see it working well for others.
I got my tickets through Goldstar. Since the tickets were so cheap, we got seats in the 5^th tier, in the very back, sitting on bar stools. This was alright and it wasnt a problem for me, but it probably wouldnt make a good theater experience for most people. It was difficult to see the stage in general, and during a show like Chicago, you want to see their fancy footwork. We also happened to be sitting next to the worst kind of theater go-​er: the one who knows the show by heart and knows all the actors so they have to sing and repeat all the lyrics/​lines, and say «WOW. JUST WOW» loudly all the time every time anyone did anything. literally anything. She did this the whole time, and it sadly ruined the show for me.
I suppose we got what we paid for.
I probably will not come back unless it is a show I must see, and if I get tickets that arent in the 5^th tier. I can tell that this is a really talented company who knows how to work around the limitations of their building. Support your local theater, not your local theater-​nut.
generals: easy street parking, there’s a Bank of America ATM nearby, many eateries nearby with range of cuisines and prices.

We were here this past Saturday for a very, very nicely done production of ‘Chicago’. A couple things to note:
— The table is super small so while it’s four to a table, it’s really two to a table with the other two seats are placed in positions that could never reach the table. I wish I took a picture as the pictures that are on this Unilocal page don’t really show what I mean.
— The food and drinks are not good at all, but I’m ok with that. I mean, where else do you get table service at a show?
Anyway, really, really nicely done. They kept talking about their theatre in Concord so I look forward to seeing a show there too as it sounded like this was the smaller, less attractive one of the two.
Lastly, some of my group were commenting on the big runs in the tights of the Chicago girls. I actually liked it as it made them all seem trashier — as they should be! ;-)

Sleuth
A Play by Anthony Shaffer
This play is receiving great marks from all the Bay Area theatre critics. Don’t miss your chance to see this amazing play in the Willows Theatre Company’s Campbell Theatre in downtown Martinez.
The show is a mystery that will keep you guessing throughout the entire production.
For more information and tickets visit
Hope to see you at the show.

I love this place.
It’s such a great destination in the East Bay and it’s so nice not to drive across a bridge to see quality theatre.
They recently updated their seating and now offer pleather chairs with high backs (so much more comfortable!), but it looks like they may have discontinued the free popcorn that used to lovingly adorn each tabletop.
The acting is great and the Willows Theatre Company brings so many unique plays to this venue.
I most recently saw Six Women With Brain Death. I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like it, but it was hilarious! The actors really made the evening fun and one of them even poked fun with some of the audience members.
This cabaret style theatre is so quaint that often times many of the plays begin in the isles. So fun!
I like that they serve drinks and snack items and the wait staff is really friendly.
One tip: Remove the pot stickers from the menu. I know that it sounds like a good idea, but they really don’t smell that great when they’re cooking. The smell of cabbage wafting into the theatre makes for an unpleasant olfactory evening. Tasty in theory, but smelly in practice.
I definitely recommend this theatre… and the restaurants near the theatre are also tasty… check out my review of Haute Stuff and the Lemongrass Bistro if you’re thinking about having dinner before a show.

Saw Avenue Q here. Avenue Q is a ⁵⁄₅ and a must see, definitely don’t miss out! The actors were all great, it was a blast.
The theater itself is a ⁴⁄₅. More food options! Other than that its a nice intimate, friendly setting with no bad seats. Perfect for Avenue Q.

We just saw this local production of AVENUE Q at the Campbell Theatre.
It was fantastic! The cast featured very talented local actors. They belted out the tunes with such enthusiasm.
The puppets were all designed by the Campbell Theatre staff. I liked the fact that Kate Monster was a bit furrier than the Kate I saw at the Orpheum a couple of years ago. The Bad Idea Bears were large and so much fun whispering bad idea suggestions to Princeton.
There was a note for Gary Coleman declaring a dedication to his memory in the program.
I was a little worried that the audience was older than us (unlike the majority of 20 somethings at the Orpheum) and may be shocked by the ribald contents. But the whole audience thoroughly got into the merriment.
Our son was sitting behind me and had to poke me each time I started swaying or mouthing the words to the music. Ah yes – payback for all the times he embarrassed us in his toddler years.
I ordered my tickets 2 months ago and got seats on the ground level for me, the hubby, our son and my best friend, C. The seating is cabaret style with tables and chairs on tiers. Each tier has a row of regular tables and chairs and a row of bar stool height tables and chairs. The seating is pretty «snug» so you may want to get seats on the ground level or at the end of a row.
The venue is small (125 seats?) so you don’t feel lost.
The ground level seats were perfect. I was worried that we’d have to crane our heads upward to see the stage but the seating was perfect since the stage is low’; we were on eye level. I was completely mesmerized. If you were at this show, I was the one with my mouth opened in awe and my eyes completely bedazzled.
The staff was very friendly, especially our server. There is a small food menu and lots of drinks designed specifically for Avenue Q using the characters’ names.
We ordered bottle waters, a root beer float and cream puffs! For $ 5 you get a plate of 8 mini cream puffs with your choice of chocolate, caramel or butterscotch toppings. We got all three toppings of course.
Tickets are $ 30
You may be able to purchase discounted tickets on
Avenue Q ends on August 1^st!
Go go go!
P. S. The music that is played before the show starts features songs from the mixed tape that Princeton made for Kate Monster! 8)

I went to see Avenue Q here. I loved how intimate the theatre is, and I really liked Avenue Q.
While I like cabaret style seating, I did feel a bit like a sardine (I was in section 101). So, I thought the seating was a bit too cramped. The food is ok, but not too overpriced, but also the tables are too small to have lots of food and drinks for 4 people.
The staff was very friendly, and checked in on you the right amount of times. At one point, a server tripped going up the stairs. I swear it was staged because it was right as they were starting the song Schadenfreude.
Parking is available next to the building, but I parked on the street as it was a Sunday. Goldstar often has deals for tickets to this place, but I wanted to sit closer to the stage so I just bought tickets from the online box office.

I went here for a musical today (Ave. Q) and I have to say that I really like this theater. It’s small to where there is no bad seat. The seating is what I like the best of this place. It is cabaret style seating (like a comedy club) on 5 or 6 different levels about each about 2 ½ feet higher than the other. Each table sitting from 2 to 4 people.
The appetizers are ok but priced right. Drinks are about $ 6-​$ 8 a piece. We had an appetizer and two iced teas for $ 10. Not bad.
My only complaint is the sound in this place is not the best. The sound system seems old and outdated (muffled sounds) and the acoustics are ok. But this is hardly noticeable to most people (I was a stage crew dork in high school so I notice these things).

I’ve been here three times now — and it started with the splatter zone. Campbell has an awesome habit of taking a campy horror film and creating something of beauty. The first two times were for Evil Dead: The Musical, where a prop man even comes out at the end and throws a bucket of blood and guts your way. I highly recommend the splatter zone, and even more highly recommend buying a poncho. Your exposed skin and clothes will be tainted red for life (well, at least until you shower a few times).
Recently saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Musical, which can’t hold a candle to Evil Dead, but the actors can sing and are fun to watch! They all seem to be great at hilarious facial twitches.
Go for the blood, stay for the acting. And the strong drinks.

Went to see «Texas Chainsaw, The Musical». Funny, corny and well. it’s a horror musical…
We love this theater. The actors were very talented and the singing talents deserve a round of hearty applause! Amazing really!
Altogether a fun and quarky theater.
Make sure you eat something before you go, because dinner theater it is not. Unless you consider microwave hot dogs and nacho cheese slathered chips a meal.
Other than that, we have no complaints!

Hubby and I scored front-​row seats for The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (tickets also purchased through Goldstar). What a fun quality production! As Emily J. describes, the cabaret-​style theater is just such a gem. And the performances really were terrific– this show was well worth the 75-​minute drive from San Mateo. Parking (street) was plentiful, free, and convenient (Saturday afternoon).
I’m so sad though to hear that the Willows might close due to the economic downturn. Please help save this area treasure!

This is a lovely local theater. We went here last Tuesday night for a preview of The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I found free (yes, free) tickets to the show on
and couldn’t pass up seeing a new-​to-​me show in a new-​to-​me theater.
I was a bit worried that we might have a difficult time parking in downtown Martinez but we found a street spot no problem (free after 6 pm) and there is also a small lot next to the theater.
We picked up our tickets at the box office and were able to request a table with a friend who had also bought a ticket online. The staff here were very welcoming and helpful. I really like the cabaret style, stadium seating. This place can definitely get cozy if the theater were full and if you were sharing a table with strangers. My view was slightly blocked by someone sitting in front of us but it wasn’t any worse then a ‘traditional’ theater.
The free popcorn was a nice touch. We ordered drinks but passed on the food since we had just had dinner. The spinach dip at the table next to us looked tasty. I wouldn’t anticipate getting a full meal with your show but they have small bites covered.
Oh, and the show was fabulous and funny. If you have the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend it.

I’ve been to this theatre several times over the past couple of years since one of my best male girlfriends lives down the street from the theatre — I saw ‘Altar Boys’ with him twice last season. We can walk from his place around the area — get something to eat — and then head to the theatre. Being a holiday yesterday, it was hard finding a restaurant open in Martinez, but we finally found one, La Tapitia.
Last night we saw ‘The Pageant’ at the Campbell Theatre. It was hysterical. Opening night is really this coming Friday night, but we went to the ‘preview’ where they ask the audience for feedback after the show to make adjustments and improvements. Although there were a few costume malfunctions and other slight ‘bugs’ that they need to work out, it made the play even more humorous.
‘The Pageant’ is a beauty contest where all the actors are men in drag portraying women. Sometimes you forget that they ARE men! The talent and diversity was truly entertaining. These guys had just 3 weeks to learn to walk and dance in stilletos! They certainly did a better job walking in these shoes than I can :-) The Pageant plays through June 21, 2009.
I tend not to eat here since it is not exactly health food, but my friend Kelly and I did have dessert… Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake which was very good… and very generous slices!
Each table sits 4 people and you become very intimate with your neighbor since the seats are so close together, but that is part of the fun.
The Willows Theatre in Concord is showing ‘Hair’ starting in August. I’ve never been to the ‘mothership’ but I definitely want to see Hair.
To purchase tickets for either theatre, go to
— then you can pick up your tickets at the ‘will call’ window. Great fun!!!

This theater is really cute and I cant believe its in Martinez. I want to tell everyone about it.
In order to go to a show here, its pretty confusing, because you have to go through the Willows Theater in Concord’s web site. Their prices are OK, there are cheaper tickets for the middle of the week but we went on the weekend.
They have a bar! I was so happy to see that because I dragged my husband to his very first musical and I knew he would need a stiff drink. He had the Mai Tai and he said it was good. They had many different types of mixed drinks at $ 8.00 a drink.
We saw The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Any musical that has the words «Cock Smoke» in the opening act is a good musical in my book. I thought I was the only one who used that term, now its made its way in to a musical. Who would have known?
The food was OK, we had Nachos. They were slightly soggy but the Guacamole was good so that made up for it. There was also two little trays of pop corn provided when we sat down. A refill of popcorn was $ 2.00.
The theater is small and cozy. I had a hard time seeing because I couldn’t see through the head of the woman in front of me. I took a picture of the back of her head so you can see exactly what I saw. The service was excellent. We couldn’t have asked for a better waitress.
Good musical, a lot of cussing and the singing and jokes were good. My husband didn’t make fun of me when it was over so he must have enjoyed it somewhat.