Peoria Center for Performing Arts

Very impressed by the production of Don Quixote. Excellent sound, lighting, acting. There is not a bad seat in the house. Staff is great too!

Peoria Center for Performing Arts
Very nice, clean, modern facility inside, nice clean grounds outside with lots of open area and cemented wide walks – but the entire parking lot holds no more than 20 cars! Additional parking is on the adjacent lighted street and across a busy street and also on several dimly lighted streets beyond. Their small black box theater seats about 80, the larger theater holds 250 seats, add the staff. .. No high math skills needed here to see a problem.
My group of 25+ people attended a Saturday night comedy show there and many asked if there would be a bar (alcoholic beverages) open before for our usual social time before the performance. I called, was told that PCPA contracted out their bar service nut that it was hit or miss thing. The customer service person actually told me that for many performances there was no telling if or when the bartender and drinks would show up. Hmm.. . But PCPA did have a snack bar with water, pop and candy, chips. I arrived 50 minutes before show time and had to park on the street – the tiny parking lot was already full. Once in and greeting my group, the Will Call table lady couldn’t find my friend’s pre-​paid tickets – «No name on tickets,» she said. I went to the box office, retrieved those tickets and, suspicious of their proficiency by then, asked if they had my online-​ordered, pre-​paid tickets for the following week’s performance of «Man of La Mancha.» Nope, no record. What’s the confirmation number? Well, it’s at home on my computer. .. She told me to bring the confirmation in when I come for the performance, «.. .we’ll get you in, «the box office clerk said. Can I trust them? Hmmm…
At 7 p.m., 15 minutes before show time and after many of our group had lined up to go into the theater for seating, some in my group went to the «bar» for refreshments. We had a choice of wine and possibly other beverages – all served straight up at room temperature because the bar had no ice or mixers. And we had to pay exact cash – the bartender had no cash box (or tip jar, though he would probably be stiffed anyway). At 7:05 the bartender said, «There’s my guy coming in now!» Sure enough, a man was barreling though the doors carrying stuff – ice? cash box, mixers? I couldn’t wait to see, the show was about to start.
Oddly, PCPA has been touted as «the West Valley’s Destination for Performing Arts!» It’s a good destination maybe if a cab or bus drops you off. PCPA’s ‘s vision statement claims themselves to be a «preeminent community theater” – but that remains just a vision. If you want to relax over a cocktail while supporting community theater, and if you like knowing you will receive the tickets you paid for, my suggestion is to go elsewhere, anywhere that has better management and
customer service. PCPA is preeminent disappointment to local theater patrons and that is a disservice to the talented performers on their stage.