Enjoy Drinks & a Show with the Rev Theatre in Auburn, NY

Last updated on November 12, 2025.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy a night out is getting dinner and drinks before going to see a show at the theater. And this week I did just that with one of my best friends. Because I recently found out that the Rev Theatre in Auburn partners with Prison City Brewing and Cellar & Folly Whiskey to create signature cocktails themed around the current show. Put them together and you get the perfect night out in the Finger Lakes.

Pre-Show Drinks at Prison City Brewing

Prison City Brewing has been the most popular date night and happy hour meet-up spot since opening in Auburn in 2014. Owners Dawn & Marc Schulz have made a name for the brewery, not just in New York State, but around the country. So much so that they recently opened their third location, in Lake Placid.

With that said, it’s not surprising that Prison City partners with the local theater to serve themed cocktails for each of the seasons’ shows. Together with Cellar & Folly Whiskey, another local Auburn craft beverage maker, they create cocktails that highlight the essence of the shows’ characters.

Bonnie & Clyde Cocktails

To start our girls’ night in Auburn, we headed to Prison City to get the signature drinks for Bonnie & Clyde. My friend ordered the sweet & bitter Bonnie. Made with Cellar & Folly’s Auburn Reserve whiskey, Campari, vermouth, and orange juice, it captured Bonnie’s personality perfectly. I complemented her drink by ordering the the complex & sour Clyde. This cocktail was made with Cellar & Folly’s Patron’s Choice whiskey, sour mix, and simple syrup. Both drinks delighted our palates and set the tone for the night.

Along with our drinks we ordered two apps to share. The roasted carrots topped with brown butter, feta, honey, and toasted walnuts was perfection. It breathed the flavors of autumn into every bite. And what’s a visit to Prison City without their signature everything-seasoned pretzels, served with pub cheese and mustard? Together they made for the perfect ‘girl dinner’ to enjoy over drinks.

While you’re in town, learn about the city’s dark history with a ghost tour of Auburn.

The History of the Rev Theatre in Auburn

The Rev Theatre Company goes back almost 70 years to its founding in 1958, when Susan Riford and the Auburn Service League created the Auburn Children’s Theatre. At the time, the theatre company was established to provide weekend and in-school theater options for school children. The company continued to grow over the next couple decades before being professionalized in 1974.

Merry-Go-Round Playhouse

During that time, the company needed a more permanent place to perform. Susan Riford noticed that the carousel building at Emerson Park now sat empty, with the carousel having been sold off in the early 70s. She petitioned the county legislature for permission to turn the building into a theater, and in 1971 the first Merry-Go-Round Playhouse season was held.

Over the next decade, the theater program grew from children’s productions to house traveling professional actors as well. The Merry-Go-Round was drawing in one of the largest youth theater attendances in the entire country.

Flash forward to 2004, when the playhouse had a complete renovation, upgrading many maintenance features and increasing the seating capacity. Since its inception, the theater company has continued to expand its educational programs.

Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival

In 2012, the MGR Playhouse expanded their performance venues by hosting shows at other venues throughout the city. The Auburn Public Theater was chosen for the off-Broadway productions. Musicals within the PiTCH series were held at the Theatre Mack (now the Carriage House Theater as part of the Cayuga Museum of History and Art).

The Rev Theatre Company

The two entities, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse and the Finger Lakes Musical Theater Festival, merged into The Rev Theatre Company in 2019. The Rev continues to be a beacon of theater education and a dedicated entity for bringing art and culture to Auburn and the greater Finger Lakes region.

Attending a show at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse

Seeing a show at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse with the lifelong best friend felt like kismet. Because Emerson Park is where she and her husband (now my cousin-in-law) got married over a decade ago. It was magical to be back for a completely different occasion at the same exact location.

The theater itself is quaint and adorable, with a circular structure, wooden beams, and historic globe lighting. It’s cozy in size, seating just over 500 guests. While smaller in size than other local theaters, MGR Playhouse is creative with lighting and projections to create various scenes throughout their performances.

Season tickets for The Rev Theatre Company

The playhouse’s season complements the Landmark Theatre’s in Syracuse. The Rev season goes from June through September, with 4 performances each year. Each show lasts for 2.5 weeks, offering several opportunities for folks to see them all.

One of my favorite parts about The Rev Theatre Company is its “$40 under 40” ticket specials. The sale is valid on a select few performances for each show and is exactly what it sounds like. $40 tickets for attendees under 40 years old. The Rev is passionate in their efforts to get younger crowds more interested in live theater.

The Rev Theatre’s 2026 Season

I’m already looking forward to the shows offered with The Rev at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse next year. They are…

• A Bronx Tale – June 3 through June 20.
• Tarzan – July 8 through July 25.
• Carousel – August 12 through August 29.
• Rock of Ages – September 16 through October 3.

Seeing a show at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse is such a charming and unique experience, I highly recommend it! It’s even better when you add some pre-show specialty cocktails with your best friend to round out your night.