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    Keller Auditorium

    3.4 (209 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Keller Auditorium Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Keller Auditorium

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    Dianna M.

    Beautiful auditorium! Accommodating and personable, employees, and ushers. Comfortable seating. We were here to see Les Miserables and don't believe that there is a bad seat in the house! We did not purchase any food, but the coffee was good.

    David N.

    First visit to Keller Auditorium, and overall, it was a strong first impression. My wife and I attended opening night of Les Misérables, so this was likely close to a full house, around 3,000 people. Even at that scale, the venue never felt unmanageably crowded. The flow of people was handled well enough that one could still move about without feeling swallowed by the crowd, which says something positive about the layout and staff management. The staff throughout the evening were friendly, polished, and professional. That matters more than people sometimes realize. In a large performing arts venue, the tone is set quickly, and Keller managed to feel elegant without becoming stiff or socially intimidating. For a well-known musical in a prominent Portland venue, the atmosphere was surprisingly accessible. The range of dress made that clear. Some attendees were in jeans and a T-shirt, some added a sport coat, and others arrived in full formalwear. The venue allowed for the occasion to feel special without implying that everyone had to perform sophistication in the same way. The building itself carries a certain visual dignity. Alcohol, coffee, and tea were available for purchase, and access to the seating areas was well organized. Guests could take the stairs or the elevator, and there was an elevator attendant present to help direct people to the correct level. Small detail, but useful, especially in a large venue where confusion can build quickly before a performance. Our seats were in the second balcony, Section C, against the wall. The seats themselves were soft enough, but the leg room was extremely limited, tighter than an airplane seat, which becomes more noticeable the longer one is there. What impressed me, however, was the acoustics. Even from that distance, the sound quality was excellent. The music carried well, the vocals remained clear, and the production lost far less sonically than I expected from upper balcony seating. What those seats did lose was immersion. From that height and distance, one experiences the musical more as an observer than as a participant in its emotional force. You can appreciate the scale, hear the performance clearly, and recognize the quality of the production, but the immediacy of the drama is softened. For a production like Les Misérables, where emotional engagement is part of the power of the evening, distance matters. The most significant weakness of the experience involved the women's restrooms in the upper balcony. This was not something I merely noticed in passing; it directly affected my wife, along with many other women in line. Intermission was only 15 minutes, and there were still roughly 30 women waiting as time was running out. For a venue of this size and reputation, that is a meaningful design or capacity problem, not a minor inconvenience. A theater can have elegance, strong acoustics, and professional staff, but if a basic logistical issue disrupts intermission for a large portion of the audience, that deserves mention. Overall, Keller Auditorium left me with a favorable impression: elegant but approachable, professionally run, acoustically strong, and capable of hosting a major production without making the evening feel chaotic or exclusionary. That said, upper balcony seating comes with real tradeoffs: restricted leg room, emotional distance from the stage, and at least in our experience, inadequate women's restroom access during intermission. Would I return? Yes. But next time, for something like Phantom of the Opera, I would pay more for better seats. At a certain point, being able to hear well is not the same as being pulled into the performance. For that, proximity matters.

    Elizabeth A.

    I've been to see the nutcracker and the phantom of the opera. Wow I cried during both performances they were Both were fantastic. The Keller auditorium is such a nice place to host these performances. The staff are helpful and very attentive to the audience. Overall I would love to attend many many more events at the Keller.

    2nd Balcony Box A, Row A seat 3
    Hee Y.

    We attended George Balanchine's The Nutcracker (performed by the Oregon Ballet Theatre) 7:30 on a Friday. We arrived in the vicinity 6:35pm and found street parking near SW 3rd Ave near Terry Schrunk Plaza. We only had to pay ~$2 until parking was free after 7pm. We saw after the show that Keller has a parking garage but all the cars were backed up trying to exit. On the Oregon Ballet Theatre website, they say that 1 hr prior to curtain, an OBT historian explains the performance. It's called pre-show or performance perspectives. I highly recommend getting there early to hear it! It made us be more invested in the show and informed. We learned what was underneath the rat costume and that the bed was operates by a person underneath. You just walk into the theater and sit anywhere for the pre-show. We were seated 2nd Balcony Box A, row A (at the front). It's nice because you're in a private section with 9 other people. There's a clear view of the stage as well as the orchestra pit. I did have to lean forward and sit up to see past the railing because I'm on the short side. There are bathrooms on each floor.

    Interior from box level (facing away from stage)
    Andrew C.

    Hate to ape everyone else on this post, but they're all right on the money: The lobby is frighteningly small There's really not a bad seat in the house Sound can be atrocious Drinks are high- priced (but that's expected) Lots of parking options around That said, I've seen a lot of artists in a pretty nice venue that's not too big or too small. All in all Im a fan of the Keller, both for its size and for contributions to the Portland cultural scene.

    Don't throw away your shot to see Hamilton!
    Ron R.

    Finally had the opportunity to check out Keller Auditorium and I gotta say that I was quite impressed with the venue. Except for a few things in which I agree upon with, with other reviewers. First impression, drove past it, and was easy to find being between Clay and Market St. You can't miss it. My friend gave me the perfect parking location, adjacent to it, and it only cost $6. It was next to the park, at the university, and had plenty of spaces. And with a parking attendant for a bit of security. I was actually surprised the lot wasn't fully packed. Main entrance through security was fine. But man, walking into the lobby... I don't know, that lobby area was just too small. The first thing that came to mind was, umm wow fire hazard! Everyone was crammed like sardines just getting to the bar, concessions, and merchandise stand. I feel if they allow folks to take their seats earlier than just 10 minutes before show starts, it would help ease the size with the crowd coming in. Service from the entrance security and venue staff was excellent. From the lady that helped us find our seats, to the coat-check lady (which is free btw), to concessions services. No issues, all helpful. Although it did cost me $32 for two beers and a water. At least you can eat and drink at your seat, as if you were at the movie theaters. There were stairs to get up to the men's restroom, which also made me wonder about folks with a wheelchair. But for the most part, the restroom did seem clean. Inside views, pretty magnificent! Larger than imagined. Maybe even too big of a venue. I've only seen broadway shows in NY and SF, so comparing this auditorium was more "modern impressive" to say the least. As for the seat view, we had seats to watch Hamilton in Section Orchestra F, off to the right of the stage. My preference is always the aisle, so I gotta say that first seat is golden! I saw nearly everything except the brief moments when performers spoke on the upper right side. I felt sorta bad for the three kids behind me, because I think they probably were struggling to see what's happening. Not very kid friendly imo. And being 5' 5", I felt the seat were comfortable enough. As for the sound, it was perfect. It wasn't overly loud. I heard everything just fine. In closing, I'd simply say, I cannot wait to watch another show here.

    Selena N.

    I went here to see Shucked last weekend. Balcony 2 seats , which were fine with me. What wasn't ok was the price of food and drinks. Yikes! The place was clean and the bathrooms nice despite the long lines. It's been awhile since I'd been here so it was nice to see a musical for a change.

    Row G seat 9
    Jennifer L.

    I've been to a few shows here in 2024 and I love it. Mostly. The Pros: There really isn't a bad seat in the house. There's a parking garage on the corner. Ticketing fees are reasonable. The Cons: The lobby is way too small for the amount of people the theater holds. Add in merch booths and you can hardly move around. There are not enough bathrooms so intermission lines are crazy long. Lines to get food and/or drinks are very long and it's pretty pricy.

    Carlene P.

    Very nice mid-sized theater. Very well organized with a good safety screening process in place. Convenient parking garage diagonally across Clay St. Comfortable seats, but too close together, as most performing arts theater seating tends to be. Ushers were very friendly and helpful. Nice meals offered before performances, full bar and some snacks for sale. Food not permitted in theater, but ample space to sit and eat in lobby. Beverages are permitted in theater.

    Program
    Gwen Z.

    What a great experience! We saw Hamilton and it did not disappoint!! Phenomenal production. My only negative point is the massive lines for the restroom.

    a large crowd of people sitting in chairs in front of a stage

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    16 years ago

    Lived in Portland for almost 50 years and have seen wonderful Broadway and touring shows here every year I've been here.

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    10 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Amazing venue with great sound. It have an intimate feel to a big name band performance. Queens of the Stone Age was an amazing show.

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    13 years ago

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    Page 6 of 6

    Ask the Community - Keller Auditorium

    I bought tickets for Phantom of the Opera, I thought I had bought 1st balcony tickets but I accidentally bought tickets for the 2nd balcony, this is my first time seeing Phantom, will sitting in the 2nd row of the 2nd balcony ruin the experience?

    Ruin? No. Will you be able to see all the finer details? No. But honestly the 1st balcony would not have been much better. Keller has a nice layout that means you can enjoy a performance from most any seat. You're going to have a great time.… 

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    Review Highlights - Keller Auditorium

    One was to see a comedian, Eddie Izzard (LOVE HIM!), and the second was to see OBT performing The Nutcracker.

    Mentioned in 13 reviews

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    Crystal Ballroom

    Crystal Ballroom

    3.0
    (409 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    I am writing this review not regarding to the performers, but rather to the absurd policies and…read more unwilling to accommodate concert goers who do not have a personal vehicle to store items. I traveled from Seattle to Portland by train and bus on a day trip, in order to attend the Cultura event on May 10, 2026. I bought a to-go vermicelli entree at Van Nien Temple ( https://vannienvegan.com/ ) earlier in the day. It was a Sunday and Van Nien Cafe closes down at 4pm (hours 10 - 4pm) so I planned to save the entree for my late dinner after the concert, because I did not feel hungry before going to the event. The security rejected me, telling me that 'outside food could not be brought in, you can either discard it or finish it outside' (it was not listed on your policy, and I am not the type of person that would bring outside entree to eat in a music venue). Not wanting to waste the food, I was forced to eat the entree on the street while I was not hungry. I personally feel it is quite insulting, and the venue and their security staff could have done a better job to accommodate event goers who don't have a vehicle to store the food.

    I've given Crystal Ballroom multiple chances, and every time I leave wondering why I keep coming…read moreback. (I've only come back for my favorite bands) The layout of the main performance area is honestly baffling. The floor is completely flat and the stage is barely elevated, so unless you're tall or fighting your way to the very front, you're not actually seeing the show--you're just listening to it in a crowded room. At my first concert here, I genuinely couldn't even locate the stage from where I was standing. Then there's the temperature. At a recent show, the AC was kicked on a few songs in and was blasting so aggressively it felt like standing in front of an open freezer door--or just fully being outside in the 40° weather. People's hair was literally blowing around, and a good chunk of the crowd had to put their jackets back on... indoors. Not exactly the vibe. And the bar situation? Rough. Only serving their own beer might make sense at a brewery, but this is a music venue. Having any alternative--Rainier, PBR, literally anything--would be an improvement. Instead, you're stuck with their terrible, terrible beer (for context--I am a professional beer brewer of +10 years). I want to like this place because the building itself is iconic, but between the terrible sightlines, the chaotic climate control, and the lack of drink options, it's hard to justify coming back I'd recommend opting for another venue in town to see your favorite bands.

    Photos
    Another chandelier view
    Another chandelier view
    9/13/2023 - Richard Cheese, Lounge Against the Machine
    9/13/2023 - Richard Cheese, Lounge Against the Machine
    Apple cider mimosa!

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    Apple cider mimosa!
    Aladdin Theater

    Aladdin Theater

    3.6
    (176 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    My daughter has been getting into the Cure lately and so we went to see a Cure cover band called…read moreThe Lovecats. The opening band was a Depeche Mode cover band called Hiding from Love (lots of "love" in the air tonight). My daughter has been on restriction, but we took a break from it as tribute bands are my guilty pleasure. I used it as an excuse to dive deeper into both bands beforehand. I know most of the hits although not always by name. My daughter and Sarah went up front to dance at the show and we had fun. Something interesting i found out was that Personal Jesus by Depeche is not even in their top 2 songs on Spotify currently. The other two songs are hits that i've heard, and i understand Depeche Mode is not a one hit wonder, but i was shocked to find out their song Enjoy the Silence has twice as many plays as Personal Jesus. Personal Jesus in my experience has always been the stand out hit, even at the show the crowd loved that one the most. Also Personal Jesus was released first as b-side in 1989, and was later released on a studio album the following year. The other big hits on the studio album (Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, and World in my Eyes) although very 80's sounding, were released in 1990, which i had forgotten. Weird, i think of them as 80's songs. Not only that, but Depeche Mode, I learned very recently, has multiple other great songs that sound like they are from the 80's but were released years or decades after the 80's ended. Last note: They have an album (at least on streaming and it's listed as a "single" even though the collection is 3 hours long) of remixes called Violator: The 12 Inch Singles, and although i generally dislike remixes there are quite a few good ones on there. Many of them could fit well in a movie score.

    My boyfriend and I came here to see Margaret Cho for a Saturday night late show. Tickets were super…read moreeasy to buy online. Tbh, that's always a bonus so I can pick my seats that I want. I'm an aisle girl. I will say parking around here is kind of hit or miss. But you can find parking like we, about a few blocks away from the theater We had seat tickets up in the balcony and because it's a smaller theater it was pretty decent seats in my opinion. The actual seats themselves are old and uncomfortable. Just wanted to note that if you have problems like me. We ordered some drinks from downstairs and prices were typical theater prices. They do have a full bar and cider and beer draft. Also have bathrooms upstairs. Overall, I'll probably be back to see another show

    Photos
    Beautiful Stage
    Beautiful Stage
    Aladdin Theater
    3/16/2023 - The Church put on a great performance!

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    3/16/2023 - The Church put on a great performance!

    Keller Auditorium - musicvenues - Updated August 2026

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