the dio theatre

Last evening we enjoyed our first visit to Dio Theatre in Pinckney, Michigan. In trying to sum up the evening in a concise way, we kept coming back to the same word: "Fun!" Everything about the experience was fun!The first element of fun was simply driving to the venue. The small town of Pinckney is in a rural area of Livingston County, and is surrounded by beautiful scenery, lakes, and small town quaintness. The surroundings are very different than our usual theatre-going experiences (which are usually in Detroit), and that adds to the special personality of the Dio Theatre. The theatre is a small venue on the main square in Pinckney, with ample parking surrounding the village center's park.For many people, the dinner theatre concept is almost a cliché for "substandard in every way." However, the experience at Dio is the exact opposite of that paradigm. The evening begins with a delicious buffet dinner. The menu for the evening is posted on the theatre's website (www.diotheatre.com), so there are no surprises. We enjoyed a fresh green salad, which was accompanied by great house-made dressings; the Ranch dressing was incredible. The dinner continued with fresh fruit salad, mixed sautéed vegetables, fried chicken (wonderful), and shepherd's pie. A light dessert was served at the intermission. A variety of non-alcoholic beverages are included in the dinner price. In short, everything was great.The show is performed by professional actors / actresses, and the quality of the acting was wonderful. The set design and technical aspects of the performance were great, an d presented a professional image in every way. The performers interacted with the audience in a wonderfully unique way: they actually provided our table service, served beverages, and cleared dishes. By the time the show started, we almost felt as if we were watching our friends on stage. It was also great to be able to give direct compliments to our server / actress during the intermission.The price for the evening was very reasonable. The food was delicious. The acting was great. And ... we felt very much welcomed and appreciated throughout the evening. Have no doubt: we will be back.

The actors are professional and the play was very enjoyable. The food was very good as well. Good value for the cost. Too bad they don't serve alcohol.

Last night we attending their production of "Bus Stop". It was a delightful experience! We found everything simply wonderful - the seats (no bad seats), the actors, the food...everything simply great. We instantly became regular customers. We are blessed to have such a professional dinner-theater here in Pinckney.

I have seen several shows at the Dio Theatre since they opened. They have all been very well done. The main course of dinner buffet has been different for each play and was good each time. The dessert is usually very simple, such as cookies or ice cream.

What a pleasant surprise! The food was very good-salad, fresh breadsticks, Waldorf salad, sautéed vegetables (not mushy, cooked just right), sausage Alfredo and fried chicken, with warm cookies for dessert. Not sure if they serve the same meal for every play they put on, but will be definitely going again so will find out. Saw "Forever Plaid", the acting was very very good and the singing outstanding! What a surprise to find such a gem in my own backyard. Wether you live in the area or passing through, I highly recommend that you check it out, but make sure you get tickets early.

We just got home from seeing "Forever Plaid" at this little diamond in the ruff theater. If you live anywhere in the area or coming for a visit check this theater out. A buffet dinner is served before the show and my two favorite things are the chicken and the breadsticks. Yum yum. We've been to nearly every show since this theater opened. Our friends love it, too. The singing in this one was outstanding. Those guys could sure harmonize. It's a cozy place and no matter where you sit you can see the stage. Planning on going again in October for a new production.

The Dio Theatre is a gem. It is a small venue, meaning there are no "bad" seats. The actors are professional and the shows are entertaining. The food (yummy) is served before the performance and dessert comes at intermission. The price for the entire evening is a great deal!