I laughed a lot throughout the night--the comedy was definitely on point. The comedians did a great…read morejob and kept the energy up the whole time. Unfortunately, the food and drinks didn't match the experience. Everything felt overpriced for the quality. I paid $10 for a tiny brownie that tasted store-bought and was so dry it literally stuck to the roof of my mouth. I'd definitely recommend eating beforehand, because the food just isn't worth it. That said, I still had a great time overall thanks to the entertainment. If you're going for the laughs, it's worth it--just don't go for the food.

Went here for a valentine's day comedy night & I had a great time. Because there is a bar…read moredownstairs there isn't much in the way of a comfortable waiting area before the show. I love that you can order your drinks from your phone. I was in VIP which is the closest seating from the stage(but didn't give much else). I will say save yourself some money & get general admission or reserved seating the talent did work the room rather than just VIP for crowd work time. The show was funny most of the comedians were hilarious We may return but maybe on a less packed day.

This is a wonderful venue and host to the amazing Broadway Across America musicals each season…read more I've been here several times, both in the main Sarofim Hall and the smaller Zilkha Hall for smaller productions. You can park across the street in a paid underground garage, or if you're lucky enough to find a street parking spot, certainly grab that! The entrance has a lovely view of Downtown which has made for great pictures at the time of graduations. There have always been ample staff on my visits for musicals and they are very helpful. There's a metal detector when you enter, then two large staircases on either side that lead you up to the mezzanine and separate stairs to the gallery. There's also an elevator that services all floors. On the mezzanine level there are multiple bars, often with themed drinks for the shows. But be careful - they come with hefty price tags! The halls themselves are gorgeous. Both have nice comfortable seating and wonderful sound. The view from the gallery in the main hall can be a little difficult for making out details on the sets, but it's decent.

I recently visited the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts to see Back to the Future: The Musical…read morepresented by Theatre Under The Stars. Parking was available for $20 in the parking garage. It was raining and able to navigate to the theater without getting wet. The venue itself is beautiful, modern, clean, and well-organized. We were able to enter quickly and our tickets were scanned with no wait. From the moment we entered, everything feels organized and easy to navigate, with helpful staff throughout the theater. Our seats were in the Mezzanine section and the view of the stage was partially obstructed by the back of people's heads sitting in front of me, but still had a decent view. The acoustics were excellent and the show was a fun, high-energy experience. Restroom lines during intermission were extremely long but seemed to move quickly. They had a variety of drinks available but I didn't purchase any. The overall experience felt seamless from start to finish. Except for the parking. After the show, was stuck in the parking garage over an hour trying to exit. However, the Hobby Center is a great venue for watching a show. Would absolutely come back to watch another show!

This place is designed in such a cool way. It's fun to just sit inside the lobby and stare at all…read morethe architecture. It's worth arriving a bit early to eat and drink before the show. Remember that you can't take any food inside during the performances! They can kick you out if they catch you snacking. Drinks are ok though. The only thing I dislike is panting in the underground garage. You will have to do quite a bit of walking to come up from under to enter the venue. I don't mind personally, but if your date is dolled up in heels, you may want to uber, valet park closer, or find street park in the surrounding blocks. It's a smaller stage production but they still bring companies that bring it and put on a great performance. We'll definitely be back!

This place was incredibly amazing! It was very cool inside and we came to see the Hunchback of…read moreNotre Dame. They have a wine bar and a build your own pasta pot plate area that would've been good to know about before we headed off to dinner. The production was incredible. We were sat very close to the production and it was so amazing to see all the actors so close! I will say that the staff was very efficient and amazing when we came into the facility. They will call window was quick and coming to check your ticket in was also very efficient. Definitely recommend as something new and cool to do if you are in the area.

Went to see a star wars movie! Ambiance was great loads of people who loved the theater and the…read moreshowings. They have some of THE BEST SODA I've ever had I swear it's different from anywhere I've been to. Popcorn was great too free refills!! Parking isn't terrible there's plenty of places all over

I loved the OG River Oaks theater and am happy to patronize the new theater that's taken its place…read more Service is good. It's a beautiful space. The programming has been solid. I have removed 1 star due to the unfortunate experience I had via their expensive hotdog. This is a warning to everyone here.. the banh mi hotdog tastes like a**. omgagod... it literally tastes like evil. I have never had anything like it, and I've eaten at dozens of Vietnamese restaurants in my life. It's not only the pickled veggies on it that seemed to have marinated in something really awful, but it's the weird smoked? flavor given to the hotdog. I considered sending it back but opted to just make the best of the movie. Do you like the hotdog? If so I'd like you to post an opposing review because I can't imagine someone enjoying it. And since I am here... I get the gratuity is included but the wait staff never came back to clear dishes, and maybe it's because they will only come if you press the button? If that's the case it was not communicated to us, and when the wait staff went by us to serve our neighbors maybe it would be a good practice to check in quickly with other people in the row while they're there? That's it. Will return. Will never order hot dog again.

I just went to see Beauty and the Beast Saturday evening, and it was amazing!! The musical was…read moresurreal and close to the original animation. My husband and I both cried because it was sentimental of how we related to the actual animated film. My only advice would be to NOT take babies or children who aren't capable of sitting still and listening to the show. The first half of the show was interrupted by a couple allowing their baby and toddler to continue to whine and repeatedly ask for her mama. After a while, the dad finally left with his baby. Naturally, it was only after attracting some attention from others that the situation became evident. We adore babies/children; however, this was not the place for them. I blame the parents for being self-centered and ignoring their baby by allowing her to whine and waiting until almost the end of the first half of the show to excuse themselves out. I wish the staff would have noticed and stepped in. They're usually vocal when it comes to food or pictures and should also pay attention to whining babies.

Wow so I finally bought some last minute tickets to see Life of Pi! The show and cast was amazing…read more The venue is located downtown and if you go see an evening event you'll get treated to a beautiful backdrop of a towering skyline full of twinkling lights. Parking in the adjacent garage is $15. Next time I will get there at least an hour prior to get lower level parking. We arrived 15 minutes prior to show time and it took us at least 10 minutes to park and walk into the performance center. And we waited for 25 minutes just to get out of the parking garage when the show was over. Lesson learned. Everyone was dressed from casual (boo) to dressy/business casual (ladies in sundresses and some had heels or little sandals and men were in slacks and dress shirts or polo shirts and some men had suits or jackets or just a buttoned down collared shirt and khakis.) Personally, I dont like to go see a performance and see people in shorts and t shirts especially on a Saturday night performance, It runs the gamut in case you're wondering "how should I dress?" Intermission offered a full bar and snacks and candy. Tickets for our seating area were $128 pp next time I'll sit closer and pay more. Overall we had a fun time!

Stages is my favorite performing arts theater in Houston! Ever since I saw my first show here, The…read moreHeart Sellers, I knew I had found something wonderful and was hooked. Since then I've gone on to see The ripple, the wave that carried me home, and the latest show, The Lehman Trilogy. Each show Ive watched here has been wonderfully well crafted in storytelling, acting, and have been very immersive to the audience. You can definitely feel the love that was put into each production. I've been enjoying going to opening preview night of each of these shows, there's something really different about seeing the first live performance for each production. Seeing the directors and producers all watching their hard work come to life, the roaring standing ovation. It's a great place to be at! I fully recommend people to check out their productions as they're never a disappointment to me!

Wow I came to see a play at STAGES, based on the life of Lauren Anderson, the black prima…read moreballerina! I had great seats right in center,but really the venue is so intimate there is not a bad seat in the house. The play Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson. I believe this was the last performance of the show. Shes a Houston icon. It was a story of her life, told thru Houston Ballet dancers and other amazing actors. It was authentic, and showed a black woman's plight of becoming one of the best dancers in the US, her perilious journey through addiction, and her life now. It was centered and focused on her voice, and it was beautiful story that should be heard by many Americans, not just the black community. Bravo Lauren Anderson!

The pros: Great acoustics with an excellent orchestra…read more Appreciative audience. The cons: Poor design that forces people to go up and down stairs for the restroom and drinks. The worst: No security for reserved drinks and tables. How do I know? Someone stole my prepaid drink and table. By the time I searched every table, weaving through the crowd, it was time to go back for the second half. So I couldn't stand in line and ask what the hell happened. No way to prove I didn't get what I paid for so no way to recoup my money. First time to this venue and first time something like this has happened. Too bad. Doubt I will be back. I know it shouldn't be a deal-breaker, but the carelessness with people's time and money is ridiculous.

Had a great time visiting to see Star Wars return of the Jedi…read more Parking and walking to and from is convenient and the show was incredible. Only dislike was the bathrooms are down a long set of stairs and lines heavily back up during intermission, not allowing time to grab refreshments and use the restroom. Merchandise was also not sold after the show which was a bit of a bummer as we weren't able to get it before or during intermission due to long lines. Overall, I will definitely visit again.

Had the chance to check out a viewing of Wicked with a friend of mine. We had a great time! You can…read morepurchase food, but we opted to grab a bite to eat elsewhere. In all, no complaints, besides my friend whining about the bugs (she's not used to the South lol). Also something to note, they obviously have seating, but you can opt to bring your own chairs for the lawn. Also, tickets are free and they go fast, just an fyi.

Perfect place during the summer when all the festivities start. It's free to the public and such a…read moregood time. I love how they also make chairs go on one side and blankets on other. Motown in the park is also a fan favorite during this time as well. They've been going strong for years here.