Manatee Performing Arts Center

Visually, this space is five stars.
This theatre is beautiful! Both the interior and exterior have that old feel of Broadway luxury with the upgrades of modern theatres thrown in. The Stone Hall (Main Stage Theatre) is a standard proscenium set up. The seating is very nice. The seats are large and comfortable. I sat in the back row, where sightlines were not an issue, and they have ample space in front of them so that you don’t even to stand to let someone pass. A big bonus! The sound booth is situated house left, towards the back, but still in front of a few of the rows of seats. It isn’t a sightline issue, but while watching «A Chorus Line,» where there seemed to be an inordinate amount of sound issues, I found myself a bit distracted by the amount of activity over there.
The sound issues cost them half a star. Perhaps the sound is usually very good, but when you are billed as a Performing Arts Center and one of your main offerings is what you bring to your stage and share with your audience, the lighting and sound are inextricably linked to the overall experience. Some of the mics were too hot and offered feedback and some seemed turned off completely.
The other half of a star was lost because of the parking. Such a large and elegant theatre space, I think the parking lot should match. Parking seems to be a crucial detail often forgotten. If you want to attract new people to your space, you need to make it easy to get there. Bradenton is a smaller city, and there is more than enough surrounding area to pave, but the MPAC has opted to leave it grass and dirt. I came on a particularly rainy evening, pulled my car into the «lot» and was greeted with mud on my nice shoes. They do offer a valet service, but the walk from the «parking lot» to the theatre is short, the valet service waiting line was rather long, and I don’t see the necessity to charge me to park when the ticket price itself was near 30.00.
Overall, a great experience. I would return, but not on a rainy evening.

I would rate them 4 ½ if the system allowed ½ stars.
I have to agree with the other comments about parking, but in the theatre’s defense they have implemented a number of changes to help address the issue (valet parking and shuttle service). I don’t think it’s entirely fair to «ding» the theatre for the general parking challenges in a downtown region like their current location. I’m sure that it’s not economically feasible for them to construct their own parking.
I’ve been a member of other community theatres, and they all have some of the same challenges. They need to keep tickets affordable, while trying to offer the best theatre experience possible and stay within budget.
I’m a 5-​pack subscriber, and I have to say that most of the shows have been very high caliber for a community theatre. They have excellent stage design, excellent performers, and superior lighting — and they are improving every month at this new location.
I saw Shrek & Peter Pan last year (among others) at the new location, and I thought they were both outstanding. The special effects and stage design were quite amazing for a community theatre.
They’ll continue to work out the «bugs» that can be expected with any new location/​venue. Parking still isn’t ideal, but take advantage of either their valet parking or their shuttle service to the nearby parking facility.

Stone Hall is a small theater located near the Riverwalk of Bradenton. It’s a nice way to support local arts and watch live theater. Kudos to the performers, stage crew, set designers, the musicians, and everyone else that goes into putting on a live performance, including the donors. There’s no way this place could survive charging only $ 30 a seat with the venue and location. It’s a nice theater. I was even surprised to see an actual orchestra pit with live musicians.
We sat close to the front for Shrek, but it looked like the theater was small enough you could have a decent seat from anywhere. Our friends saw Peter Pan and said the same thing and loved the little theater.
Like the other reviewer, I didn’t have a good experience with parking or with the ticket handler. I know most of them are retired seniors volunteering, but the attitude of one was a bit much. I ran out of paper and printed my tickets double sided on photo paper. She was appalled and repeated ‘terrible’ over and over and called for reinforcement. A gentleman came over, looked at what I had, tore off the bar codes for each ticket, and said it was okay. Seriously not the end of the world, lady.
When we arrived there was a huge line for valet. There was another parking lot to the right that required some time to circle back around then park and walk. Just make sure to leave enough time for parking whichever route you choose.
I was surprised to see they served alcohol albeit one choice for red or white wine. They also had a nice selection of Hershey and Mars corporation chocolates.
This probably won’t be the best theater you’ll visit, but it’s not bad for little Manatee County. Check out the calendar, see if one interests you, and support your local artists :)

Attended the production of «Les Miserables» at this theater last month and, aside from the debacle that was the ticketing process, and the debacle that was the parking situation, and the debacle that was the design of the new venue, I actually thought I was seeing «Les Mis — the Comedy» due to the overacting in some of the numbers (and no, I don’t mean the Thenadiers). I was astounded to read all the reviews in the local papers about how the production could compete with Broadway. It looked to me as though the actors had watched the movie in preparation for their parts and were attempting to emulate the anguish that worked with close-​ups in a movie but can’t possibly work on stage where the music is truly meant to convey the emotion of the story.
Having seen Les Mis done in over half a dozen community theaters, I have to say this wasn’t just the worst Les Mis I’ve seen, it was the worst play — period. Tack that on top of the attitude of the woman who took my ticket who admonished me for not having the right piece of the online ticket (that wouldn’t print upon purchase — I called and was told it wouldn’t be a problem because my receipt had a bar code printed on it), the fact that I couldn’t drop off my elderly mother at the front door because all the lanes were blocked by an incompetent execution of valet parking, and the fact that I was called a liar to my face by one of the valets when I tried to pick up my car. Well, it wasn’t a lovely night at the theater.
Then there’s the venue. The temperature was absolutely miserable. And for a brand new theater, there are inadequate women’s restrooms for the number of patrons, the view is obstructed even in the first row of the second section (patrons behind me were complaining they couldn’t see over the first section), you have to stand in line at the men’s room to use the handicap restroom, and they failed to account for feet when they put the first row so close to the orchestra pit (they increased the leg room, but seemed to forget there is no seat in front of the row for your feet to fit under).
And I know Florida is laid back, but for the marketing director to get up on stage in his ill-​fitting jeans to welcome patrons, well, let’s just say that by that point I wasn’t surprised.
All in all, Manatee Players proved that Les Miserables truly is a tragedy. But giving credit where credit is due, although the exceptional talent on stage (and under it, in the orchestra pit) was undermined by inadequate direction and insufficient sound equipment, the set design was truly genius. And the house did not start the show again until all patrons had plenty of time to return to their seats after intermission — a thoughtful thing I’ve never experienced at another theater.