So lucky to have one of the few indie theaters in the Bay Area, in San Jose…read more 3Below has excellent indie film curation. The customer service is superb. And the snack bar has reasonably priced goodies! The cherry on top? FREE VALIDATED PARKING FOR UP TO 3HRS!! I'll be seeing 3Below soon, again!

Full disclosure, my friend put this place on my radar. I am a bit of a setting snob, and by this I…read moremean: give me leather seats, give me reclining chairs, and if my seat warmer isn't working, I'm going to be upset. But that's merely because life is uncomfortable and I am intentional about finding cozy pockets of joy. This theater is not updated with the fancy seats, but what it lacks in that it more than makes up in charm, service, and community cultivation. Visiting 3Below reminded me that venturing out of that corporate capitalist bubble of perceived coziness would put me in a vibrant hub of social awareness. This is where you go to see the Documentaries IG mentions, but no theaters seem to have times for. This is where you can catch live performances on the same stage that you'll watch a thought provoking film. And, as the manager/owner of the fiercest security dog I've encountered mentioned, THIS is where you could learn to tap dance. Now, I'm hoping this could be a location for some line dancing in the near future, because I think Sofa Streetfair could be the place for some of this, and 3Below seems the perfect hub for practicing. But, what a cute location, and I'm told it's locally owned, too. I didn't actually fact check that, so my apologies if I'm spreading misinformation here. I'm just doing my best to sell you on falling in love with this alternative theater as much as my friend has...I'm converted and I'll definitely be back.

California Theater is a gorgeous old historical theater with distinguishing beauty and exquisite…read moredetails. It's the type of place you go to where you spend just as much time ogling over the venue as you do the show itself! I went there for a film festival and loved it. The location is also pure perfection because it is within the same block as several restaurants and bars for those who want to grab a bite or drink before or after their show. The only (small) downside is finding parking. We parked in an outdoor lot 2 blocks away for $20. It is about the average rate for the area but still seems steep to me for a 2 hour show. *breathe* Trying to not sweat the small stuff, so I say pay for the steep parking and enjoy the gorgeous theater and watch a nice show! It will be worth the experience.

Gorgeous theatre, nicely preserved, and a great place to see some theatre, music, opera, et al. I…read morevisited one night to see an opera, and really had a great time. Sure, it was nice that the opera was NOT nine hours long, but that's me. Your mileage may vary. The outside of the building blends in so well to its surroundings, you may not notice it at first. But, the California Theatre is easy to find, and perfect to walk to from parking or a restaurant. Even in the entrance way before you walk in (where there's the Box Office for will-call or day-of tickets), you see the elegance and grandeur that awaits. Still, there's nothing stuff about it at all. Every staff member or volunteer I encountered was helpful, friendly, and welcoming. There happened to be live music in the Lobby before and after the performance. Refreshments are found on each floor. We had Orchestra Seats. The opera looked and sounded crisp. The singing, the set, the orchestra, the costumes all radiated excitement and serious fun. This particular opera, by Bela Bartok, is rarely done and having some familiarity with the composer, I was excited to check it out. Very much enjoyed the opera, and the venue. If you are an SJSU student, ask about tickets and/or big discounts available at the Box Office.

We came here for Viva CalleSJ this past Sunday. It's a lovely plaza with plenty of outdoor space…read moreand a large parking lot which was used for vendor booths during the recent event I attended. We enjoyed our time here, entertained by cultural dance performances (mexican folk dance), live music including spanish reggae tunes and mariachi, fun pro wrestling matches, and more. Food and drink vendors were available on site, selling mexican cuisine, korean fried chicken, and kona ice (flavored shaved ice). We were able to grab a variety of items for lunch including iced tea and coffee beverages from Travelin' Tom's Coffee of Mountain View, a yummy quesadilla from El Viejon, and a tasty sandwich from Chick N Bros food truck. If there's anything I think could make this place better, it's grass. But I understand, not every park or plaza can offer this. It's a beautiful venue nonetheless, for community events and the arts.

I've seen two plays well events, at the Mexican heritage theater maybe four years ago I saw San…read moreJose Taiko play for their 50th year anniversary! No acoustic sound needed in that great auditorium especially with Japanese Taiko ("drum" in Japanese) involved! For that show, we were actually sitting in the front middle row, and it really felt as if during the swing performance they were going to swing into our laps! A couple of the numbers I actually jumped back in my seat it seemed like they got too close! But amazing performance by San Jose Taiko!! This particular evening, I saw a friend performing in "shaking the mess out of misery! "They had great acoustics in this particular performance, but not too much singing in the actual show itself so more of a play and a great story for young women to see how things were different from the 1940s or 50s until now! I love how this particular play had the proper lingo and accents of the era and that southern hospitality sound!! I had to look up a couple of the words, but the play, and the overall meaning itself was great!! As we left at the performance, and actually started raining and they're beautiful open area outside/the front of the Mexican heritage. Plaza glistened and gleamed with lights! It looked very pretty and I really enjoyed the theater! Hee

Although I can't speak for the plays and musicals, I love Broadway San Jose's film concerts! So…read morefar, I've seen the film concert productions for Across the Spiderverse Spiderverse and Avatar: The Last Airbender. They were both FANTASTIC. The audience is always very enthusiastic, cheering on their favorite characters and scenes. The orchestras are also very passionate about the films as well, earning their standing ovation at the end of the show. My favorite seats are in the orchestra section. Only issue would be parking, but there's a garage about a 5-min walk from the venue that I usually go to. I'll definitely be back again!

Been watching Broadway shows for years from New York to Los Angeles to San Francisco and now San…read moreJose. Love it. Great performances. Can't wait to see a more shows. If you can watch moulin rouge it was simply amazing.

Had a wonderful experience at the Hammer Theater! It's accessible via public transport or close to…read moreso many parking garages and food spots as well. I went here for a kpop concert - SF9. The organization was well done with trained volunteers and staff, which made it an easy seamless experience for the attendees. It's a great venue that has 3 levels from close to the stage, middle section, and a balcony. Would come here again!

Went here for Candlelight: The Best of Joe Hisaishi and had a great time. Parking was convenient as…read moreyou can park at ParkSJ: Second and San Carlos Street Garage which was right next to the venue. The venue itself is a bit dated but gave a nice cozy vibe. Ushers are welcoming, helpful, and will guide you to your section and seat. There's a coat check available as well as a an area to purchase concessions. The seats in the theatre are old but decently comfortable; you're a little close to your neighbor but it's not a dealbreaker. It was a lovely evening and one worth checking out, perfect for a date night.

I grew up attending the theater and I consider myself very lucky. Community Little Theater in…read moreAuburn, Maine is still around today. I had two brothers who both performed in the theater and one of them is still teaching theater arts now. I usually attend the Broadway musicals at the San Jose Performing Arts Center a couple of times every year and I go alone. John is not a fan of musicals. But he agreed to go to a play last year in SF with me and he enjoyed it. So, when we saw the synopsis of "Running After Shadows," we decided to check it out. The second I walked inside, City Lights Theater reminded me of those wonderful memories I had as a teenager at Community Little Theater. City Lights is smaller than I'm used to but I loved its compact, intimate space. Every seat seems to be a good one and comfortable as well! I loved that the manager spoke to the audience before the show and that they pick a non-profit to donate to that matches with the theme of the play. They also have a little get together after every performance. They have refreshments and you have the chance to talk to the actors. We didn't stay afterwards but maybe next time. John surprised me by wanting to get tickets for the next show. Maybe I can get him to try musicals one day...

It's All an Act…read more Foreword: So, it turns out I kind of like plays. I mean, I recall enjoying watching theater friends perform at school and college back in the day, but I've never actually gone out to see a real live play with professional actors. Anyway, if you're on the fence about coming to see one, then you should definitely do it once. And if you really dig it, do it twice. :) OK, onto the review... The City Lights Theater Company has been supporting local actors and theater makers for forty-five years (ca. 1982) now, and have been in this space since 1991--despite a looming threat from developers... The Good: *Very small intimate venue of ±100 seat theater. There is no bad seat in the house, as even in the back row you still feel like you're practically front row. *Tickets are fairly inexpensive at ±$50-80/ea with season passes available. There's also afternoon matinee shows available for us old farts. *Staff was very friendly *They have a small snack bar and even serve wine *A chance to interact with the performers at the end of the show. *We watched "Running After Shadows" by Vincent Terrell Durham and it was excellent. Great story telling, fantastic acting, and it takes the crowd on a wild range of emotions. The Meh: *Street Parking only but it's free on the weekends. The Ugly: *They must start cutting onions in there at some point, cuz I swear my eyes started watering for no reason. That's right. No reason whatsoever. Conclusion: Intimate venue with great storytelling means a great time out by all. Good spot for a date nite or afternoon (see aforementioned "old farts" mention above).

Great regional theater. Good variety of plays…read more Good acting. I am always impressed with the staging.

Good people. Friendly atmosphere. Easy parking. Professional grade productions. Talented acting,…read moresinging, musical accompaniment. Affordable. Been there several times, for years.

We had a great experience! We had the pleasure of having mariachi Tapatio at my brothers surprise…read more60th birthday and it was the highlight of the night. Thank you so much! We will definitely use them again and highly recommend.

Our family was so happy with Mariachi Tapatio for my mother's birthday! Felipe was so flexible in…read morecoordinating with restaurants, date and time. The played a huge part in surprising my mom! She had tears of joy! We loved that they provided song options and accepted requests from family. The band was so entertaining and made mom feel truly special! I would recommend Mariachi Tapatio to anyone!!!