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Madison Center for the Arts

3.8 (16 reviews)
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Updated 3 months ago

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Belle V.

Came here for a show called Yamato, Drummers of Japan. The place is really clean and located in Mesa, AZ. I didn't get a chance to check out their concession stand. The restrooms are clean. The seats are not very comfortable. They could have designed the theater better; seats in the back rows should be more elevated. The staff are friendly and ready to give directions.

Sonia B.

What a nice space! We went for a free symphonic concert and weren't sure what to expect. Parking was super easy and close to the theater (plus free and covered, thankfully). The lobby is a bit cold/uncomfortable if you're waiting to get into the theater. It's very open/spacious, but when we were there, it was freezing. There was a small concession stand, and some art to look at on the walls while you wait. But, there aren't very many seats! The theater itself is fine. Good sound, comfortable seats and a pleasant place to see a performance! It's not a deluxe experience, but it's a nice location in the center of town to experience art without much hassle.

Stacy M.

I didn't try the food. The bar only has one white wine (Chardonnay), one red wine (Pinot noir) and three beers that are lackluster choices. Service was good. Ambience is definitely cozy. Parking is actually great. They have their own parking structure and it's easy in, easy out.

Showtime!
Glen L.

I came to the Madison Center for the Performing Arts to see Zuzu African Acrobats (definitely catch this performance when it comes back into town!). I had never been to the Madison Center and was delighted to see that it's a short drive from Biltmore Fashion Park (pro tip: eat dinner here before or after your event). The Center itself was quite a surprise. Kind of a hidden gem in Phoenix and the exterior reminded me of Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. A free parking garage and free valet service were both available. Access was quick in and quick out. Maybe the only design flaw was that where the ticket takers stood, they sort of blocked access to the restrooms. You were able to use the restrooms without entering the theater, but you needed to wait for people to finish the ticket-checking first. Another opportunity area here would be to incorporate a little more art to warm up the space. It's nice and bright but slightly cold from an aesthetic point of view. They were requiring masks to be worn to enter. Once guests sat down, several took off their masks which seemed to be acceptable. The auditorium is large and the acoustics are wonderful. For most events, an orchestra seat will run about $80-100 so it means that you can get quite close for less money than other venues. ADA seating is available but needs to be arranged through the box office as opposed to buying off Ticketmaster. The box office opens two hours before performances. The Lobby opens one hour before the performance. Concessions, including beer and wine, are available before the performance and during intermission. The theater opens thirty minutes before the performance for seating. Large oversized bags and backpacks are not allowed in the building. You will be asked to return them to your car. Constructed in 2017 for the Madison School District which includes eight schools for elementary and middle-school students in the north-central Phoenix area, the Center cost $13 million and has seats for more than 900 people. At a time when too many schools are having to cut back on funding for the arts, it is inspiring that this school district made this investment. Not only do their students have a dedicated space for performances, but it's also available to the broader community, too. The calendar for the rest of the year looks pretty solid. The final Broadway performance of "Rent" will be coming. They also offer some free shows. Pro tip: sign up for their newsletter online to stay informed of upcoming events.

Lobby with bar stations, beautiful
Kris L.

Beautiful performance center with good acoustics and very comfortable seats. The venue is moderate size with not a bad seat in the house. The lobby and outdoor deck are very spacious and the restrooms are large and newly furnished. They were serving $5 beer and wine at the show we saw (the Hit Men) you could bring drinks to your seat such a deal!

Lobby area.

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3 months ago

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7 days ago

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1 year ago

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4 years ago

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1 year ago

Great venue. Sound was really good. Clean and fun atmosphere Definite would go back anytime parking is also great.

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Beautiful space and we will be attending The Nutcracker this year. Appreciate the Arts and the venue.

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7 years ago

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Ask the Community - Madison Center for the Arts

What restaurants are close to this venue?

Rojkeri, Luci's Marketplace, Zipps, Richardson, Dicks Hideaway

Is parking free?

Yes, sometimes depending on the event they have free valet but majority of the time you can park in their garage.

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Review Highlights - Madison Center for the Arts

Central Phoenix has long needed a first-class venue for cultural performances and this new establishment fulfills that need.

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Herberger Theater Center - Calamari Sisters

Herberger Theater Center

4.1(159 reviews)
4.9 mi

I checked out Herberger Theater Center for the first time for an event hosted by Fever: The Jury…read moreExperience. Located downtown, this charming theater puts on various performances (plays, musicals, and The Empire Strips Back (a Star Wars burlesque parody) to name a few. Parking is notoriously bad downtown but here's a cheat code: if you park at the Arizona Center's parking garage, the Herberger will validate your parking ticket for a deep discount off of the fee. It's not free but it's a deep discount. Just talk to the box office and they will take care of you. The theater itself is a charming, old-school theater. We enjoyed the event and the seats were relatively comfortable. We were on the upper level and didn't have any issues seeing the stage. In the lobby, you can find some concessions selling drinks and snacks. I went with a beer. You're allowed to bring it into the theater, but there are no cup holders. Upon leaving, I found out that for certain parts of the year, there are free concerts in the grassy area outside of the theater. I'll definitely have to check that out at some point, and also come back for another perfromance!

First time here to see the Calamari sisters clam back. Beautiful new venue. In the city with…read moreplenty of garage or on street parking on a Sunday. Stage west was a more intimate venue, but not a bad seat in the house. Staff very friendly.

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Herberger Theater Center - Calamari Sisters Set

Calamari Sisters Set

Herberger Theater Center - Calamari Sisters

Calamari Sisters

Herberger Theater Center - Calamari Sisters

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Calamari Sisters

Arizona Broadway Theatre - The stage

Arizona Broadway Theatre

4.0(285 reviews)
13.0 mi

42nd street blew us away, coming from New York we have been to many Broadway shows and some shows…read morehere in Arizona. This show was outstanding. Dinner was delicious the serving staff was fantastic too. Don't wait pick a show and get tickets.

The long-admired musical "42nd Street" is not to be missed at the Arizona Broadway Theater! I…read moreattended opening night last evening and had an experience I'll never forget. The show was top-notch on every level: scenery, lighting, costumes, choreography, acting, singing, and the live orchestra in the pit. Everyone on stage was bursting with talent that is rarely seen anymore. Specifically, the rhythmic sounds of tap dancing, with the whole troop loudly stomping their heel and toe metal plates with stunning speed in perfect unison. This production absolutely nailed the emotional real-life message. Presented on stage was something everyone can relate to: laughing, crying, dreaming, and touching the human soul in its endeavor to never let dejection permanently impede our hopes for unrealized happiness. In our troubled times, this classic musical offers a dazzling and superb stimulus to recommit ourselves to maintaining happiness as an ongoing goal at every stage in life. The words from one of the iconic show songs state it better than I can: "Come on along and listen to, the lullaby of Broadway. The hip hooray and bally-hoo, the lullaby of Broadway!" On a final note, meals are often described as a "rubber chicken dinner," where food is merely an accompaniment to the main event. This is not the case at the Arizona Broadway (dinner) Theatre. The food easily competes with any remarkable restaurant!

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Arizona Broadway Theatre - Beauty and the Beast inspired display.

Beauty and the Beast inspired display.

Arizona Broadway Theatre - Salmon

Salmon

Arizona Broadway Theatre

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The Nash Jazz Club

The Nash Jazz Club

4.5(116 reviews)
4.4 mi
$$

A night at The Nash is the perfect date night for anyone looking for a classy, cozy place to enjoy…read morejazz, drinks, and conversation. This RoRo staple has gotten even better since the remodel a couple years back! We most recently stopped by for a free First Friday performance, when a lovely quartet took the stage. Seats cleared out quickly during the break, and we were able to grab a nice side view. The acoustics were perfect all throughout the room -- loud enough to be immersed in the music, but quiet enough for groups to easily chat. The gorgeous lighting and velvety curtains behind the stage really add to the ambiance. The staff was super attentive, walking around to take drink and food orders. The food isn't anything crazy, but I still enjoyed the charcuterie plate as little snack (and a way to support this amazing local venue during the free set!). Highly recommend this incredible jazz club!

Oh! My! Gosh! I have to be honest, I'm not a huge music person. I don't know any instruments and…read moreI've been listening to the same songs for over a decade, so I'm not exactly known for my taste in music. Despite that, I do have a good sense of what places have the right vibes and if you need a comfy, welcoming environment just to sit back and relax, The Nash is EXACTLY where you want to be. Some friends and I visited on a Sunday night, which The Nash had scheduled as a jam sesh. The room is basically a small amphitheater with a main stage and plenty of seating for guests to enjoy the show. The seats are comfortable, the air conditioning is kept at a reasonable amount of chilly, and the music is excellent. There's just something exciting about watching people do what they're passionate about, especially when they're really good at it. Every artist who stepped on stage was fearless, outstanding, and mesmerizing. My friends and I stayed for a few hours just watching everyone play! I loved the communal atmosphere, like everybody knew each other and they were all old friends. Overall, I would highly recommend this spot for anybody visiting Phoenix. There is a very small cover charge, but for good, local music, it's worth every cent (or more, honestly!).

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The Nash Jazz Club - Benny Green Trio Feb 21, 2026

Benny Green Trio Feb 21, 2026

The Nash Jazz Club - Michael Powers - Neck & Neck set up !!

Michael Powers - Neck & Neck set up !!

The Nash Jazz Club

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Stage Left Productions - New intimate venue at 5930 West Greenway Road Suite 1A, Glendale AZ 85306

Stage Left Productions

4.4(13 reviews)
10.9 mi

I previously reached out to Stage Left Productions months ago regarding tickets to a different show…read moreand never received a response. I let that go at the time, assuming it was an isolated issue. Unfortunately, I am now having a similar and even more concerning experience. I recently purchased tickets for an upcoming production and only discovered that the company is listed as "temporarily closed" when I visited the website to confirm the address. No notification was ever sent to inform ticket holders that the production would no longer be taking place. Since learning this, I have reached out multiple times to request information about when I would receive a refund for my ticket. To date, I have received no response. The lack of communication, accountability, and basic customer service is extremely disappointing. Customers should not have to actively investigate whether a paid event is still happening, nor should they be left without responses regarding refunds for canceled productions.

Update: February 2025: New venue! 5930 West Greenway Road Suite 1A, Glendale AZ 85306--Certainly a…read moremore intimate theater so you will almost feel like you're part of a command performance. I really enjoyed "Grand Horizons" with its well written dialogue and the perfect casting. Layers of each character peeled away as more and more was revealed about them, and I gained a deeper understanding of each. My "loyalty" to certain characters kept shifting which made it interesting and just like life and its complexities. Much success in your new home Stage Left!

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Stage Left Productions - The Seafarer (pic courtesy of SL)

The Seafarer (pic courtesy of SL)

Stage Left Productions - Beautiful little theatre!

Beautiful little theatre!

Stage Left Productions

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Celebrity Theatre - A-11 section 5 seat 1 and 2

Celebrity Theatre

2.9(325 reviews)
4.8 mi
$$

Went last night to hear Marshall Tucker Band. Two couples came in and sat behind us. All were…read moreinebriated beyond belief, but they were allowed to keep buying more alcohol. The chair to my right was empty. One of the women decided she needed to kick it repeatedly. I kindly explained I am still recovering from stomach surgery and that was painful for me. She stopped for a bit, but after intermission and more booze, she made a sport of it. I again asked her to stop. Then the woman she was with (sister?) started mouthing off. One of the men they were with went for more booze and got lost (really? It's a tiny place!). The group hooted and yelled for him until the other man went and physically got him. My husband and I did not drink ANYTHING, by the way. We finally had enough and left about halfway through MTB. Security and an employee of Celebrity were notified. All we got was "sorry". They didn't make any effort to even check on the situation. We won't spend the money and time to just be hassled and abused by drunken bullies. Sooo disappointed!! Celebrity used to be one of my favorite venues. I will never recommend it to anyone and am very doubtful I will return. Shame on Celebrity Theatre for not caring and for selling obviously drunk people more alcohol!! If I could give negative stars, I would.

It had been years since I had last seen a show here. It was a group of us 4 ready to see Aly and…read moreAJ. We arrived about 15 minutes before the opening act and there was plenty of parking. We walked on over to the "will call" area and here I was given our 4 tickets. The ticket worker was friendly and told us to enjoy the show after he handed them to me. We went through security, got our 21+ stamps and we headed on inside via the lounge area. We bought two drinks - one pumpkin espresso martini and one white chocolate cold brew. Both drinks were good, and the bartender was nice. The espresso martini was stronggggggg and I deff had a buzz going on after I finished it. Merch was being sold down in this area as well and there were plenty of seats and tables. We went inside once the opener started singing and we had pretty good seats. The seats were comfy but a little too small in my opinion. The sound sounded great. The concert was fun and the experience was good. I wouldn't mind seeing another show here in the future!

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Celebrity Theatre
Celebrity Theatre - 10/16/25 Alan Stone Pre show.

10/16/25 Alan Stone Pre show.

Celebrity Theatre

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Madison Center for the Arts - theater - Updated June 2026

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