The IceHouse Theatre — Attraction in Mount Dora

Okay, this review is a long time coming. We live in the area and had season tickets for many years. We had fantastic seats that we waited for for a long time and chose that only added to our enjoyment of.all the plays at Ice House. From seeing Sleuth so many years ago up until the law was recently changed to make sure all venues had wheelchair access. We haven't been back and probably won't go back.

We get it, you must comply with the law. But we received Zero notification that are seats were being taken away and ZERO option to change them. Just a letter saying those particular seats were being taken with zero recourse. Why just those seats?? The front row at the Ice House has plenty of seats to choose from to be made available for handicap/wheelchair access.

If this is how Ice House treats its patrons and its donors then I will take my dollars elsewhere. There are plenty of great small theaters in Florida. The Annie Russell Theater at Rollins College is one of the best. Clermont has the Midnight Players, Winter Garden is fantastic and Eustis I believe has a small theater.

It is too bad, Darlene is a fantastic entertainer and director or was, because I haven't been back in quite a while. The actors and actresses, set designers, costume, etc., all really great. And 9 times out of 10 the shows they picked were most enjoyable.

So, the snowbirds will continue to come down and fill their (IHT) seats. And IHT will probably not miss us, but I have said my piece.

That is no way to...

I've lived in Mount Dora for 2 months now. Happy to have this exciting venue to visit. Very spacious, inviting building with talented actors and stage crew. One disappointment is how alienated I felt being a newcomer. Other patrons not very open to new faces, but I know how tight and exclusive the theater communities can be. I hope to become involved in this theater, as I have in other university towns. As for the performance in "Suite Surrender," last night the cast were talented, funny and performed well, considering the events and drama taking place in just one setting. I wish the 2 divas could have showcased their singing more, as they would have brought the house down with some full duet numbers. Stephanie Adams, as Athena Sinclair, reminded me so much of Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) in "Sunset Boulevard," with her voice and style, so she was a natural for the role. The other diva, Mary Higgins Juravle, as Claudia McFadden, carried herself imperiously, like a Queen or opera star, and she commanded full attention on the stage. Kevin Rainsberger, as the hotel manager, emoted his angst and stress resulting from the many crises very well. Pascal was adorable, and I had to restrain myself from going up on stage to offer to dog sit for him while the characters sorted out their issues! Anyway, as you can see, I enjoyed the show, and look forward to the next one. Highly recommend, as I suspect all shows will be top-notch. Hope to hear a full duet someday by...

Ice House Theatre consistently puts on high-quality productions with strong direction and thoughtful design. I’ve noticed some recurring casting choices from show to show, which can feel a bit predictable—but many of those performers bring real heart and experience to the stage. Vocal singing quality varies, especially in musicals, but the overall effort and storytelling usually shine through. It’s a charming, passionate community theater worth supporting. Every production is top quality. From the consistent acting to the professional sets and costumes you can tell this is theatre that cares for quality. Very traditional shows and some unusual surprise scripts you won't see anywhere, there's always a variety. Never had a bad time there, 3rd season of attending.

Tip: not all shows are for everybody but all shows are done...