My Experience Seeing Noah at Sight and Sound Theater

I recently went to see the production Noah at Sight & Sound Theater in Ronks, PA, which is located in Lancaster County so yes, I did see a few of the Amish traveling the country roads by horse and buggy on my way there. There is another Sight & Sound Theater as well and that is in Branson, Missouri. I had high hopes for Noah for a couple reasons. Number one I had seen a production there before and found it to be well done and the scenery to be beautiful. Number two I read that there would be live animals in the production, which I was excited about.

Read on for my pros and cons of seeing Noah at Sight & Sound Theater in PA.

The Pros

1. The production was spectacular and I mean SPECTACULAR. The scenery was out of this world. The lighting, the huge arc. I can't help but wonder if the arc and other scenery was custom built by the Amish. Not only that, it was just a great story with awesome singing and acting. And the animals...so well trained and very cute. There was a mix of live animal pairs (goats, dogs, cats, skunks, cows, horses, etc.) and pretend animals or people in costumes (gorillas, elephants, rhinos, etc.).

2. It is suitable for all ages and very family friendly. I saw many kids especially teens in the audience. Though the theater is absolutely beautiful, people are allowed to eat at their seats. The theater sells hot chocolate, roasted almonds, and more. I didn't get anything but the prices seemed reasonable, so maybe next time I will! As filled as the theater was, people were respectful. I didn't hear any talking during the performance, which was about 2.5 hours long. They announced there was a family viewing room children could go to if needed, but I didn't see anyone get up.

3. There was plenty of staff available to direct you to your seats, which was nice. I also noticed an armed security person standing near the front of the theater during intermission and at the end, which was nice too as there was a large audience.

4. There was a large parking lot in front of the theater included with the price of the ticket, which made walking to and from the car pretty easy.

5. There is a cute souvenir shop you can browse before or after the show. I got a necklace there and there are also books, magnets, and other items.

6. This theater experience presents faith in an accessible and beautiful way. From the easy to understand performances to the gifts in the gift shop, it provides an enjoyable experience.

My experience at this theater was pretty flawless, but I would like to go over a few potential minuses.

The Cons

1. It's not cheap. I paid $99 per ticket to sit near the front of the theater.

2. The performers did not come out and take a bow. There was no curtain call at the end of the performance. The curtain just closed and that was it. Now, I have been to some performances at other theaters where I almost feel weird standing up to clap for the actors, especially if the show was just ok and it's for an extended time. But this performance. I absolutely would have! They were soo good. It was surprising that they didn't come out and take a bow. There was also no information on who the actors were and their experience in the program we got before the show.

3. This wasn't an issue we had but audience behavior can potentially affect your enjoyment of the show in a negative way. I had an aisle seat, so I wasn't squeezed in or anything but the theater was full. Some people were eating and talking before the show started but those around us stopped once the show began, which was great! We didn't have any restless kids around us and I didn't hear any phones or talking either. There was one boy with a heavy cough in front of us but it wasn't out of control.

Although the tickets aren't cheap and the show is long 2.5-3 hours, I would highly recommend seeing a show at Sight & Sound theater. All shows are religious / Bible stories so the theater is perfect for families seeking a faith-based theatrical experience, church groups, or parochial school field trips. See a show and then enjoy a nice lunch or dinner at a local Amish buffet restaurant.