Super Summer Theatre

What an unexpected enjoyable time we had out here under the skies over Bonnie Springs. It was my first time coming out to Bonnie Springs in the evening to watch a theatrical play. So we saw “She Loves Me” and they did great. You can come out with friends, bring food and drinks and enjoy a two hour play.

Professional production.  Beautiful outdoor setting if you don’t mind bats and flying insects.  However – if they advertise free ice cream and free hot dogs – you’re not going to get it.  It’s a come on.  “While Supplies Last.”  So don’t tell your kids they’re getting free ice cream because they’re probably not going to get it.  The director of the theater company is completely rude and unapologetic.  If I were to produce a play and advertise free anything, you could be sure I would have enough on hand because I KNEW HOW MANY TICKETS I SOLD ONLINE!Also – choice of musical – “She Loves Me” – there’s a reason you’ve never heard of it.  It’s boring, predictable, uninspired, derivative.  It’s so bad, it’s like a parody of a musical.  And passing the hat so you can cover your budget … why don’t you just raise the ticket prices or charge for parking?  Is this a church?There’s a lot of good theater companies in Las Vegas.  Take your business to one that appreciates it.

There isn’t enough words for how amazing this place was. Brought back wonderful memories of growing up and spending time outside as a family. Love that you are able to bring food and drinks. Parking was easy, and walking around before the show with my wine in hand was even better. Super decent bathrooms. Had some fun food vendors, tried the fries stand and a doughnut place both very yummy. The play was the topper! We saw big fish which made me cry but in a good way. Watching a play laying down under the stars felt like a dream that I didn’t want to end. I can not wait to return for another fabulous evenin

This is one of my favorite places in the world. No joke. The sun sets, the plays begin and you feel like you are out in the country. Truly,  under the stars. Such a special date or family or friends night out. Rent chairs or bring blankets. Bring picnics with wine, beer, soda, water, whatever you favor or . . . Go to the snack bar.Whatever you choose, just do it! 1 new play each month of the summer months.

I saw “the fantasticks” last night. On a scale of one to ten; this was a TEN. Unbelievable good. Not just ordinary good. Superb!

I have lived in Vegas for 13 years now and I can’t believe I have just now visited the Super Summer Theater!! I have seriously been missing out – this is such a hidden gem.Only about a 30 minute drive out of the city, the theater is located at Spring Mountain Ranch, just past Bonnie Springs. It’s a beautiful drive and you definitely feel like you are leaving the dessert. The temperature is usually about 10 degrees or so cooler out there as well. We saw “In the Heights,” which was fantastic. I absolutely love the atmosphere – although there are concessions, you are allowed to bring in your own food/drink (alcohol included!). People next to us had a cooler that doubled as a blender and they were mixing up drinks. The shows usually start at 8pm and we got there around 6:30pm so that we could eat and enjoy some time catching up before it got dark. This is seriously a great experience and family friendly. I highly suggest you go check it out if you haven’t already!!

The Super Summer Theatre proudly presents, the captivating and robust “Man of La Mancha,” produced by Philip Shelburne, directed by Joe Hynes, and written by Dale Wasserman with music and lyrics by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion. For the vast majority who make the trek to the Spring Mountain Ranch, just west of The Strip, will be viewing the show from the grass lawn, which is where I sat opening night. A week has past since then and word of mouth has been good for the mostly volunteer cast and crew who work tirelessly to provide the arts and theatre to their community. The second week’s Friday night showing turned out to be the perfect show to see. It was not only a sellout crowd, doubling, almost tripling the previous week’s attendance, but this time, instead of sitting in the reserved section of the front lawn, I viewed the action from behind the scenes, in the booth, with the crew calling the show. Occupying the small, two-story booth, located 50 yards from the stage, were two men on the spotlights, the Assistant Master Electrician, the production stage manager (PSM) running the show, and me, perched on a couch observing, like a fly on the wall, absorbing everything I heard and saw like a sponge. The electrician, Darren, as his crew shirt read, manned the spot light favoring house right, while Taley, a Production Intern operated house left. The two worked in sync with each other, and ensured they both hit their lighting cues. However, the standout performance of the evening was not the actors on stage, or the unheralded stage crew. No, the true art was in watching the young, exceptionally talented, up and coming production stage manager, Amber Dagdagan in her element, calling the show. Amber has been with the production since the very beginning, logging in over 6 months of prep work. If the director is the quarterback, and the producer is the offensive coordinator, Amber is the head coach, calling all the shots, overseeing the production in its entirety, typically in the shadows, and almost always overflowing with paperwork and deadlines. With the heavy workload, coupled with the pressures involved when working in an industry where being the “God or the goat” is the status quo, meaning you get either some good praise or all of the blame. With that in mind, Amber assembled her crew.  Trenton and Tiffany, a pair of young and eager assistant stage managers, worked countless hours paying their dues, becoming extensions of Amber herself. When the sun sets and the metal curtain rises, exposing the simple, yet intricate stage, machine generated fog rolls through the seated crowd while Amber and her right hand woman, Assistant Master Electrician/Light Board Operator, Madison perform any last minute duties, before our Man of La Mancha takes the stage. Throughout the show, she executed every cue Amber called, swiftly and efficiently, like the seasoned veteran she is. The controlled chaos in action can easily make an individual who is unfamiliar with the inner workings of a creative production feel like they are watching chickens running with their heads cut off; but to those who have been around, they will see a smooth operating machine. Amber and her crew know that they need to be at the top of their game at all times, unfortunately, that sometimes means picking up when others slip up. Watching from the grass, you would assume everything ran smoothly, but if you were to venture back up the circular stairs leading to the booth, you would find Amber Dagdagan, firing off commands and cues with the authority and confidence of a professional twice her age. Thinking fast on her feet, never missing a beat, she casually calls out audibles, often laughing with glee in the process. It is clear from the first moment watching her work that she not only has a passion for the theatre, but the skill, talent, and drive to succeed. Some people make a living working in theatre, others, like Amber, come alive. Amber graduated from UNLV with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Studies and can be found, behind the scenes for the highly acclaimed show, “Tape Face”, and as the production stage manager for various House Seats PRESENTS performances on the Las Vegas Strip.

Don’t let the words “community theatre” turn you away. Super Summer Theatre may be one of the best kept secrets of Vegas. Get here early, because back row seating isn’t the best (No more than an hour early). If you have kids or you’re on the shorter side, it’s pretty difficult to see the stage. They allow you to bring regular lawn chairs, but nothing higher. Pack a dinner, pack some alcohol- it’s all permitted. The grounds are pretty dark, so bring things that don’t require light to see! There are also vendors with hotdogs/waters on site. However, I did not see any alcohol being sold. 110 in Vegas during the day, but it was chilly out at the theatre. Bring a blanket and wear long pants! Purchase tickets beforehand and have the QR code ready to be shown when you drive in. The park is the perfect distance away from the city that you can see the stars really well.

Great venue, wonderful talent, fun variety with shows.  I recommend purchasing back support in the form of a chair that’s seat is flat on the ground. Bring your favorite foods or purchase food there for very reasonable prices. In fact, my favorite treat last time was a blended coffee frappe from the Joe2Go truck! Bring a few blankets to lay on the ground and enjoy a night under the stars!

What a wonderful way to experience a play under the stars! I went to see in the heights with a couple of girl S from our X New Yorker meetup group.  We had a Punic before the play & brought a blanket to sit on & rented some chairs for $1. This was my first  going & here’s what I learned buy your tickets early and online. Carpool if you can it’s only a few miles from Red Rock casino. You can bring your own food or they have a snack & other food vendors. Bring cash.they have funnel cake