Mainstage Center For the Arts

★Kate&Carson Robertella

I have two kids in a play and was only able to purchase 1 ticket for 1 performance out of the two performances. My husband and I will have to decide who gets to see them perform and who doesn’t. No aunts, uncles, or grandparents will be able to attend. I am heartbroken. I haven’t told the kids yet that no one will be coming to see them at all for their first performance and only 1 person they know will be able to attend the second and final show: either Mom or Dad but not both. The money you pay this organization each month for your child to be in the play is no guarantee that you will be able to purchase a ticket to see them in that play. Shameful! This will absolutely be our last time enrolling our kids in anything MainStage does. Additional details: We were told via email on December 23 that tickets were now on sale. No warning had been given about when ticket sales would begin. Buying tickets was the last thing on my mind because it was December 23! When I tried to purchase tickets on December 26, tickets for the Saturday performance (1/31) were already sold out. Only one ticket was left for Sunday (2/1). I guess my “mistake” was focusing on Christmas activities instead of immediately buying tickets?

★★★★Sarah DiMarco

Let me start by saying this: I LOVE Mainstage and Summer Stage. The teachers are wonderful, the productions are fantastic, and my son has genuinely loved every single show. He's been in five programs now, and he has loved each one more than the last. I plan to continue as long as he remains interested, and I want (desperately so!) to be your stereotypical Mainstage family. Which brings me to my one and only complaint: communication is… lacking. Dealing with Mainstage sometimes makes me feel like a full-blown wine-mom trope. Like I’m the protagonist in a generic mom-culture movie with really bad music, rolling up to pickup with no bra, unwashed hair, completely unaware there’s a baked-goods sale happening, then panic-running to ShopRite. And that is SO not who I am in any aspect of my life. In real life, I’m the mom who works, teaches Sunday school, runs the church play, serves as an elected official, organizes PTA events, helps run town events, keeps a color-coded calendar copy of my digital calendar which is updated for the whole family, meal plans, drops off the teacher’s tissue request immediately, volunteers to direct the school musical, and organizes more fundraisers than Susan G. Komen in October. And yet somehow… Mainstage completely eludes me. I never know when class is canceled. I never know when there are parties. I never know where to find the homework. I never know when I’m supposed to bring gifts because it’s the last class before a holiday. I think it all comes down to an assumption that families are already part of the Mainstage culture. That everyone “just knows.” Even at the opening-day assembly this the tone felt very much like, “Well, you guys know the drill. Any questions?” Respectfully, I have 1,001 questions. I do not know the drill. I did not grow up in the program. I have one kid, who is wildly enthusiastic about the arts, and we just want to belong. I do receive some emails, so I know I’m technically “on the list,” but other communication just never seems to reach me. And before anyone assumes otherwise, my inbox is as organized as my calendar: folders for every committee, no unread-message chaos. I try to keep up with Facebook and I visit the Google Classroom, and I still feel like I’m perpetually a week behind. This level of disorganization is simply not who I am. And honestly, talking to other parents who feel the exact same way was a relief, because it confirmed that it’s not just me. Mainstage is something REALLY special. A little clearer, more consistent communication would help families like mine feel less like the frazzled mom in a made-for-tv movie and more like we actually know what’s going on. I want to get it right, to be involved, to contribute. Please just tell me how, with a bit of notice!

★★★★★Darrell Wood

This center offers amazing classes and has staff that is not only friendly but oriented to their students needs and success in the performance arts! I would recommend enrolling your child here for a great experience and to option friendships that will last a lifetime!

★★★★★Steve Kurtz

All of my three children went through multiple years of the Summer Stage program, about eight years in all. They always looked forward to and enjoyed their time at Mainstage. And the productions were ... well ... amazing, regardless of the fact that they put them together in only 6 weeks. Through the years, it impressed me how Mainstage always put kids first - it was important that the kids were having a positive experience. The programs focus on giving kids not just exposure to the arts; they help kids be self-confidant, teach teamwork, and encourage them to support one another - skills that are valuable anywhere, not just in theater. Highly recommended.

★★Heather McKinney

We initially enjoyed it but their billing practices are horrendous. We haven’t been in months due to my husbands layoff from work and lack of income. He called and spoke to someone in September. We thought all was ok. A week before Christmas they take over $100 out of our account. This is very horrible and very shady business dealings. I called and left a message but no return call. Suppose I’ll have to file a formal complaint on the matter. Very disappointed as we had hoped to return when we got back on our feet financially but I won’t now after what they’ve done.