Impact Theatre
Categories: Performing Arts, Nightlife, Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area1834 Euclid Ave
(between Hearst Ave & Ridge Rd)
Berkeley, CA 94709 (510) 464-4468
- Hours:
Thu-Sat 8:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Best Nights: Fri, Sat, Thu
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
5 reviews
Mill Valley, CA
"Fantastic venue - I saw Streetcar on closing night. Its within walking distance, which is fantastic, and there's always something…" read more »
48 Reviews for Impact Theatre
Nice place for some intimate theatre - except for the noise
from the restaurant above! Geez! The floors are thin and
it can get annoying.
Need to go back and taste-test the pizza and other food
items in the joint above they rent the space from (no, I don't
remember and I'm too lazy to look at the other reviews for
the name - so sue me!)
I am also a biased company member (since '05), let me get that out of the way.
Some say small, but I like to say cozy. Where else can you sit in the back row and still be in the "Splash Zone"? Impact always has bloody violence, nudity and tons of bawdry humor and I haven't even started in on the plays.
They always have something fresh and relevant for the audience. Each season they have new play writes and the hottest talent in the Bay Area.
Some things that you can count on when you visit Impact Theatre are: smoking hot females, luscious boy toys (both of which are downloadable @ www.impactthatre.com), plenty of nudity, blood, guts, and fights that inspire awe in even the most kick ass Kung Fu cage fighting men.
Bring your friends, bring your grandparent and bring some people who aren't into theatre because you will change their mind.
Five stars for the grit and the grooviness of this community theatre. I've enjoyed every show I've been to. Sometimes small is better. Sometimes.
I like that this place is real and creative. Though I think some new seats might be a good thing for this place eventually.
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Pizza, beer, awesome plays from emerging playwrights, as well as spiced up classics-- what could be better? Impact keeps it real and it always delivers. Fun, affordable and engaging. Love it.
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What do you mean you don't usually attend the theater in a pizza joint basement beneath the clatter of a clanky pool table one story above, while holding a slice in one hand and a beer in the other? Isn't that the ordinary theater experience?
Oh, that's right, that's the Impact Theater at La Val's Subterranean experience. And it's a damn good one, too. Engaging shows for a low price and intimate (read: small--but intimate too, really) setting. I've seen a couple performances here that have blown me away with quality acting, writing, and direction. Can't praise La Val's pizza equally but then you don't go to the theater for the pizza, do you? Or, do you?
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Love this theater!!! Feels a little like you're watching your friends put on a show in their parents' basement. They always have great shows and you can't beat the easy access to very tasty pizza and beer upstairs. You can eat and drink while you watch the show! Yeah!
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Awesome joint. Totally intimate. You can eat pizza, drink beer, and watch some good theater. What else would you want?
Saw Jukebox Stories here tonight. Go see it!
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I love intimate and affordable theatre and this one was good. It was sometimes annoying that you could hear noise from the pizza joint upstairs, but it just added to the flavor.
The show that I saw 2/16/08 -- Jukebox Stories: The Case of the Creamy Foam was awesome! Go see it! Prince and Brandon are hilarious, you get to interact with them, and you can win fun prizes. I will go see them again for sure. I would also like to see other things at Impact again.
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Theater without the stuffiness, Impact gave me the best live theater show I have ever seen. 60 Seat venue ensures you will be up close to the action, and beers and food from La Val's upstairs provides for a good time by all.
I saw Jukebox Stories 2: TCOTCF, and loved it. The show was entertaining, funny, smart, well-written, and masterfully performed. Tons of audience participation, random set lists, and just a fun time for all.
The prices are really reasonable, $15, $10 for students. Beers from upstairs are $8/pitcher domestic, $9.50 premium, and the premium selection was pretty solid (Heineken, Newcastle, Sierra Nevada, and maybe 5 or 6 more kinds).
I will be back for another show at this place. Its a 5 star hall of famer.
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Great theater experiences here.
For the venue there's not a bad seat in the house (bonus points for a couch on stage left), and you can stuff yourself silly with pretty decent pizza upstairs before bringing it down to enjoy some good, local theater with actors who are there to entertain.
Definitely recommended.
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Impact Theatre kicks ass. Here's why -- you walk into this pizza place filled Berkeley kids and you think to yourself, 'ok, wait, wasn't I going to the theatre?' Then you realize there's these stairs that go down to the basement. That's where the theatre is.
If your idea of a good theatre is A.C.T., maybe you won't like Impact. They're not pretending to be high class. You're welcome to bring beer from upstairs and chug away during the performances.
That's not to say that you have to drink to enjoy the shows here. Some of them lend themselves to drinking, comedies especially. Here's theater for the common folk. Some of its weird. A lot of its fun. And it's all definitely worth a night of your time.
Insiders tip -- go on Thurs, it's usually pay-what-you can, and you should pay at least $10, but if you're dirt poor you can still enjoy theater here.
***disclaimer: I once assistant directed a show here. And it was an awesome experience.***
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Impact Theater is a TINY stage with seating for maybe 50 people, located in the dark & noisy basement of a pizza joint. Although it seems cool to get beer and pizza from upstairs and bring it into the theater, don't feel obligated to do so -- there are plenty of great places to eat in the area (i.e. 10-15 minute walk).
Performances are generally fun & edgy; I've seen "Sleepy" and "Rosencranz & Guildenstern Are Dead" there. (I've been informed that R & G was performed by a different troupe, maybe Shotgun Players?, but it was in the same space.) There are no beautiful sets or posh seats here. The theater is very casual and low-key, and the quality of the acting varies from mediocre to quite good.
It's an experience every Bay Area theater-goer should have at least once.
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I also saw sleepy last night and am also still digesting it. I'd kinda had a long day and got lost getting here (my issue because I didn't write down my directions) and just wasnt ready for it. The play was good the actors were great, but it's definitely a thinking kinda show.
That said - yeah...don't let the fact that it's under a pizza joint and the fact that you can eat pizza and beer make you think that this isn't a serious place. It is. It's very intimate and you're going to be close to the show. Closer, even, than you are at the Aurora theater. Which is good - especially since the actors are so good.
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Yes! Impact theatre is a breath of fresh air in the theatre world, an alternative to the high-priced pretentious theatre arts spots that lie all around the bay area. It's literally UNDERGROUND.
...I mean, c'mon, it's underneath a PIZZA place. The fact alone that you can bring a slice and a beer (from the tap!) downstairs into the theatre, holler and cheer, and get lap dances from the actresses, and be at eye level with them is enough for me to spew recommendations across, Yelp and beyond.
Check out Helen N.'s review-- she knows, she's a Impact actress and choreographer, herself.
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Thank you Yelp events. Had it not been for YE, I probably would not have come across Impact Theatre. Thank dog. This place is so cool. I saw my performance last night. The theatre which resides in the lower level of LaVal is an intimate and quiet space. And unlike the big name theatre you can enjoy some 'za and beer (if that is your thing) while enjoying a wonderful entertaining performance.
Anyone who has been to Berkeley knows how difficult parking can be. Thankfully, unlike the name place which start at a set time, IT acknowledges that parking can be a bitch and started the show a little late to ensure that people had time to arrive and bea seated.
I look forward to seeing more at Impact Theatre!
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I highly recommend going to a show here for a really unique experience! I saw Impact Briefs here - the actors were talented and funny and the burlesque dancers were fantastic! It's showing until mid-July and if you want to see something really fresh, go for it. They also offer discount student tickets.
The theater was so intimate, and you can order La Val's pizza and beer and bring it down into the theater!!
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I want to make a woman out of this theatre. Treat her right. show her how a real man loves her. I want to bring her flowers, make out with her from time to time, then just when the loving gets really good, I want to take a bite of pizza that she provides from upstairs; swill it down with beer.
Yes Impact Theatre, I'm talking to you. You are the perfect girl/woman. You make me feel just a bit naughty. But still, I can justify you.
I laugh, I lust, I sit on my hands and don't touch. I stretch and strain, there's a pole in my way.
Impact Theatre, can I take you out some time and show you off and be my trophy?
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I'll freely admit I'm biased, since I'm the managing director of the company, but I've been volunteering my time here since 2001, and there's a good reason for that: this is simply the best place for badass, unpretentious theatre in the Bay Area.
The company specializes in new works by emerging playwrights, as well as contemporary productions of classics (all Shakespeares so far, including a lesbian "Othello" -- see what I mean?).
The new works are mostly comedies, from the likes of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Sheila Callaghan, Wayne Rawley, Prince Gomolvilas, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The shows are tight: great writing and acting, with production values often beyond what you'd expect from a theatre performing in the basement of a pizza parlor.
Of course, that's another draw: Impact is the only place you can eat pizza and drink beer while watching the show. It's like the Parkway, but the performers are right in front of you. It's the best way to experience live theatre.
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OK, maybe I'm a tad biased since I'm currently in a show there (Impact Briefs 8: Sinfully Delicious), but I've seen other shows there and this theater rocks! It's a fun place to see a show, they do great Shakespeare, and even if theater isn't normally your thing, their shows just might entertain the living daylights out of you. Check it out.
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As someone else wrote:
"Lust | Envy | Greed | Pride | Anger | Gluttony
FUCK YES!"
I would have to agree fully. I had hella fun. Not to mention the whole "pay what you want" aspect. It's a nice location for a small group of friends.
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dude- this place rocks. Small theater = very intimate setting. Pizza place above = pitchers of beers during the performance. Great casts = great shows. This is worth the ticket price! go see a show here, guaranteed good time!
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Paul McCartney said it the best:
You Got The Sweetest Little Show
Sweetest Little Show
Sweetest Little Show In Town
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The Impact Briefs show that's playing now is amazing! The actors' timing is astoundingly well done, WHY AREN"T THESE PEOPLE FAMOUS!?!?!
Hot, sexy, sinful, irreverent, funny, intelligent, witty and brave!
Satirical without being bitter, and sexy without being crude.
Stripping nuns and dead clowns...does it get any effing better??? HELL NO!
UPDATE 7/17
I went back again...and it was still as wunnerful as I 'membered.
I can't believe they picked me for sinner of the night TWICE...maybe I should lay off the evility for a bit...Nah, it's too fun.
This theater has captured my heart. I'm going to pimp this crack EVERYWHERE!!!!
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Great theatre that allows you to bring beer and food downstairs while you're watching the play. The cast and directors all those involved with the productions are very passionate about what they do and it's evident in their results. Had a great experience there!
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Yay Impact. The best little basement theater, maybe ever. Strong performances. Never boring. I can't wait to see what else will be coming this season.
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Impact Theatre can be found in the basement of La Vals. If you're lazy and just start asking people on the street, you might not get much help. It's amazing that not everyone knows about Impact. I just learned about its existence and contribution to the arts not too long ago, courtesy of the Yelp Crew.
Impact Briefs 8: Sinfully Delicious was playing and starring fellow Yelpette Ms. Helen, who by the way looked very hott and sinful along with the other burlesque dancers. My favorite shorts were the guy in hell and the threesome.
It is a small theater, but makes the performance and connection that much more intimate. If you're looking for something different, affordable, and funny as hell, I would recommend a visit.
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Okay, I'm biased as well. Also, if I didn't say something great about Impact, the resident company would tear my scrotum off, tan it, and make it into a coin purse. Or a dice bag.
Getting back to Impact Theatre, if you haven't experienced an Impact show yet -- you should. You should because there is a LOT of crappy theatre in the world, let alone the Bay Area. As a matter of fact, a major chunk of this aforementioned crappy theatre charges you an assload of money to view it.
Not Impact.
Impact charges you a minor sum, AND you get to eat pizza AND drink beer while the show is going on! How is that NOT the best theatre experience EVER?? I mean, sometimes Impact throws a gutter ball with a show -- hey, even Ian McCellan had shitty shows...but he killed his audiences so the word never got out -- but when you're full of beer and pizza...who gives a shit?
So, GO SEE AN IMPACT THEATRE PRODUCTION! It's good for your wallet. It's good for your frame of mind (beer). It's good for your soul.
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This is probably the best underground theater I've encountered.
The entire cast is way talented and the venue is tight.
I just caught Impact Briefs 8: Sinfully Delicious last weekend.
It's funny, entertaining, hot, inspiring and not to be missed.
Check it out.
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Funky little theater troupe whose home base is under La Val's on north side ("LA Val's Subterranean").
The show I went to, "Impact Briefs 8," was a series of short plays, each no longer than 10 minutes, interspersed with a series of burlesque acts.
"Burlesque" being "hot girls taking their clothes off to music." It was tasteful; it was definitely burlesque in contrast to "stripping," choreographed and featuring the lovely and talented Helen Nesteruk.
Benefits of going to Impact: it's convenient (north side! woot woot), it's below La Val's, so you can eat pizza and a beer during the show, it's close to BART (walk across campus), and the troupe is unpretentious and accessible.
Impact is a member of Theater Bay Area and highlights "emerging playwrights," which is theater code for "playwrights you likely haven't heard of." I could be wrong, but I think the "Impact Briefs" series takes submissions for the shorts.
It's all non-profit- the actors are unpaid; all ticket prices are "donations" in a way. Impact is currently trying to improve the seating in La Val's Subterranean, and last I checked they were still letting patrons vote for what kind of seats they'd prefer. For a donation you can get your name inscribed on the new seats.
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Grassroots theatre. Does it get any better than that? Fuck no.
Last night at Impact I saw "Jukebox Stories," a collection of songs and spun tales prattled and sang by two rambunctious and occasionally bumbling boys-next-door. Their too-convincing bedroom stage setting suited the basement well and the audience was constantly engaged.
The occasional bittersweet soul-baring truth came out, wrapped in a frothy display of wit and playful banter. It was touching, imperfect and occasionally ridiculous. I encourage you to see "Jukebox Stories" if only for the eye candy and the chance to win a jar of pudding in story-and-song bingo.
Impact embodies the spirit of theatre newly born and I dig the hell out of it. While I love that incognito subterranean thing they've got going on in La Val's basement, I'd like to help get them out of there. So let's, right here: http://impacttheatre.c....
Will post photos soon!
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I have to admit that I was initially slightly horrified that I would be seeing theater in the basement of La Val's. La Val's has a basement?! Yes! It's actually pretty awesome.
You can grab beer and a slice of pizza and head down the stairs to see a show. And you can go upstairs and refill your beer at intermission. The basement really looks like a basement, but it makes for a very intimate theater experience.
I saw Jukebox Stories on Friday night. The performers, Prince Gomolvilas and Brandon Patton take turns - Prince tells stories and Brandon sings amusing songs.
The audience gets to participate (which usually is panic-inducing for me, but in the small setting was actually nice). Throughout the show the audience plays "Prince and Brandon's Totally Rad Low-Stakes Arbitrary Audience Participation Gimmick" Bingo.
It's a different show every night, as they perform just a selection of the stories and songs they have on hand each night. I'm considering going back to see it again. Some of the performance titles are "What My Sister's Breast Implants Have to Do With Golf" and "Sloppy Seconds."
With admission at $15, $10 for students or seniors, this experience is a bargain.
____________________
Update 9/7/07
Last night I was lucky enough to take advantage of the Yelp preview night at Impact. They performed the new play "Sleepy" for us, and of course, it was great fun.
I thought the play started off a little slowly, but as it moved on and the connections between the various acts became more apparent, I enjoyed it more and more.
"Sleepy throws its characters into a nightmarish dreamscape in which reality is unreliable and time is fluid, but the fear and confusion the characters face are all too real" reads the brochure. The play was mostly dark, a little creepy, with a dash of humor here and there. I definitely recommend it to anyone who's looking for an affordable and laid-back cultural experience.
____________________
Update 2/28/08
I went to the opening night of Jukebox Stories a couple weekends ago. You must go. Seriously. I think I'm going to go again.
The stories and songs are hilarious as usual, and this time there isn't bingo, but the audience gets to solve the Case of the Creamy Foam. I was too shy to solve the case and damn, I wish I had. I need a 3 pack of Juno t-shirts like you wouldn't believe.
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I'm an improvisor. I go onstage and I make stuff up. I don't even know if I'm capable of learning lines anymore. But if I were to cross over and do scripted theater again, Impact would be my number one choice of companies to work with. They're the scripted equivalent of good improv theater. So if I *HAD* to work with a script, I'd choose one of Impact's.
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Impact Theatre is a great place to relax and enjoy some unpretentious, superfun theatre. I know everyone's already mentioned this, but where else can you drink beer and eat pizza during a show? Beer makes theatre good. Now you can buy tickets online as well. Fuck yes. www.impacttheatre.com, bitches!
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Walk down the stairs to the deep, dark basement of La Val's Pizzeria and you'll find one of the hippest lil' theatre in the East Bay. You can bring your pitcher of beer and large pizza pie and enjoy a show where you're guaranteed to laugh, cry, or just sit in awe of lovely young actors. Impact does a good job of finding works that are relevant to younger theatre audiences and reinventing Shakespearean works.
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Ah, Impact Theatre.
I will preface this by saying that I AM slightly biased, being one of the four burlesque dancers in their current production, but I'll do my best to be objective here.
You'll never be hard-pressed to find small, intimate performances, least of all in the Bay Area...and every weekend, confused first-time audience members can be seen wandering around the outside of La Val's Pizza for, yes, whole precious minutes at a time, wondering if they've found the right place.
Oh, but they have.
La Val's Subterranean, the basement theatre in which Impact performs, is one of the few tiny, in-your-face theatres in the Bay Area that is consistently filled to the brim with talented actors, clever, insightful directors, able-minded stage managers, overtly capable designers, and most importantly, intellegent audiences, because it houses Impact Theatre.
As so many before me have stated, Impact is free of the impressively haughty, superior attitude that many theatre companies maintain. Their "people" are welcoming, approachable, and extremely down-to-earth, and their audience always comes ready to have a good time.
Their current production, *Impact Briefs 8: Sinfully Delicious* offers constant entertainment, and even a sinfully delicious gift pack for one lucky winner at intermission. Impeccably acted hilarious short plays, and burlesque dancers who (if I do say so myself) have what every man wants: blatant sex appeal, a brilliant sense of humor, and an unmatchable passion for whipped cream.
Don't forget to grab a pint and a slice before you head downstairs for the show. It will only enhance your experience :D
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I saw Sleepy too.... about a few weeks back. Sorry for not reviewing sooner but class just started and physics been wooping my ass. Anyways, I went with the boyfriend and another friend. They've both been to Val's before but never knew about the underground theatre. It's really a nice little hidden gem. The space looks kind of thrown together but the acting was fantastic and the play as a whole was intriguing, funny, surreal, bizarre and emotional. The two boys I brought with me also really liked it. It was pretty provoking. I've basically been shamelessly promoting this theatre and Sleepy to all my friends during these past few weeks. The only thing is food at Val's takes some time so if you're planning on taking food with you downstairs, make sure to order well ahead of time. I ended up bumping into every possible obstacle during the first act of the play when I came back downstairs with food. Embarrassing, to say the least. Sorry, guys. You all performed great though, despite all the noise I was making! I'll be better next time I come 'cause I'm definitely coming back.
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Lust | Envy | Greed | Pride | Anger | Gluttony
FUCK YES!
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So many theatres are unable to do what Impact has done: attract an audience that is mostly under 35!
How do they do it?
They have funny, creative shows written by up and coming playwrights. And it sure helps that there's a pizza shop upstairs and you can bring in your dinner and beer.
Great fun. Great theatre!
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cozy, way- eat pizza, drink, laugh, cry, think, "don't you dare pick me"
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i don't go to plays very often although i always say i'm going to. i appreciate good writing, i swear. last night, i saw sleepy at impact theatre and thought it was interesting. i'm still thinking about it today. the place itself is small, dark and under la val's. i was hot most of the time and my friend felt claustrophobic but i like what they are trying to do there.
it was also nice to have pizza and beer while enjoying a play, kind of like a theater version of the parkway. i'm still processing but i'd go back to see another play.
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