If you haven't attended a Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera show recently, you are really missing…read moreout. Whether attending a symphony performance, Opera, or one of their family friendly shows like the Harry Potter collaboration, you won't be disappointed. The musicians and singers are incredibly talented and we are truly so lucky to have this professional performing arts group in Sacramento performing at the local Safe performing arts center!

Since my first review for the John Williams tribute concert, I also attended their Star Wars…read moreConcert in 2019 and most recently the Superhero Soundtrack Concert on 06/04/2022, each time conducted by maestro/M.C. Stuart Chafetz, who is quite a character/personality! I do tend toward the Pops Series rather than classical, operas, or ballets. The Superhero Soundtrack Concert featured musical selections from Marvel Avengers, Superman/Man of Steel, Spider-Man, Batman, Wonder Woman, Fantastic Four, The Incredibles, Supergirl, X-Men: The Last Stand, but also some broader heroic themes such as The Rocketeer, Robin Hood, The Lone Ranger, and Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries. All the great composers represented -- John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Michael Giacchino! It would have been neat if they included both the older themes too like from the X-Men cartoon, Wonder Woman TV show, Spider-Man theme with lyrics, even just snippets. Tickets started at $25 and we got seats in the rear Orchestra level. Since this was the orchestra it was more of a "listening" experience than "watching" since they didn't do screen projections of imagery from each show/film but you still had a good view of the stage layout and each orchestral section. Please bring more Pops themes! I am a fan of all of these composers, but also have been to concerts featuring music from video games Final Fantasy, or Legend of Zelda. Maybe next music from, say, Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones? It's great to have our own local Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.

I've been attending Broadway Sacramento (formerly known as Broadway Series) musicals here for the…read morepast decade, as well as the Music Circus. Basically these are the national/domestic/U.S. touring companies -- so not truly "community" theater as the venue name might suggest. My first show at CCT was Les Miserables, actually. In the Heights, West Side Story, Wicked, Avenue Q, Starlight Express, Mamma Mia!, Chicago, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Jersey Boys, Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and Spring Awakening...One of my favorite non-musical shows I've seen here was Kristen Chenoweth in concert (the original Glinda from Wicked, and Pushing Daisies, GCB, etc.). So awesome. ...anyway, I've sat in all the different seats: orchestra near the front, rear orchestra, balcony front row, balcony boxes, and second grand tier. If you can, splurge on seats in the orchestra level (middle to front) for the best acoustics and views. The rear orchestra is fine if you care more for listening to the show or focusing on the bigger picture/staging than seeing the particular actor's faces so much. The balconies aren't stacked on top of the orchestra as far forward as in other theaters, but the box seats are roomier for sure. Be aware that the front row of the balconies does have a bar/railing to help people walk across, but can hinder the view of the stage once you're actually sitting down. The staff is pretty friendly and helpful with finding seating, will call tickets aren't a problem, and tickets by phone are easy too. For all the ladies out there, here's a tip. Instead of waiting forever in the lines for women's restrooms inside the Community Center Theater, make sure to bring your show ticket with you, exit the rear of the building and use the bathrooms at the adjacent Sacramento Convention Center Complex. Parking-wise, I usually use the Capitol Garage at 10th and L Streets and it never exceeds $5. I really wish that they had a marquee at the entrance to the theater along L Street instead of just in front of the Convention Center along J Street. They've improvised with banners across the building, or the parking the tour busses/bigrig trucks in front of the theater, with a few posters in the glass display cases in the lobby. The newer format of the seasons (fewer shows, shorter runs) isn't ideal, and there have been a few technical difficulties (mics and set pieces) but I am still a faithful patron. Sacramento has a "little sister" stigma because what city can measure up to San Francisco? SF is an amazing (and amazingly expensive) place, and as a Sacramento resident and theatergoer, sure SF shows are great too (you know you're in a pricey seat when the teeny old theaters have renovation fees included in the price and legroom is on par with coach airline rows, and the balconies already cost $50 minimum) but only once in awhile for my wallet/budget's sake. Go see a show at the Community Center Theater, at least once. 2013-2014's lineup (November-June) includes Priscilla, Buddy, Flashdance, Blue Man Group, Sister Act, and Wicked.

This was my first year being a season holder to 5 great musicals and looking forward to the next 5…read more The musicals are a great way to enjoy with family and the performances are GRAND! Arrive early to find parking on the street or garage parking like 17&L $2 after 6apm. They sell beverages and specialty musical theme drinks , snacks and musical souvenirs. My favorite shows I've seen was RENT & Les Miserables

Saw Avenue Q on a Sunday evening. Parking lot is a little small, but there is plenty of street…read moreparking. There is a a La Bou on the lower level that sells coffee, wine, beer, sandwiches, etc prior to the show. I wish they had a larger wine and beer selection. It's not terrible, but I have been to other community theaters (i.e. B street theatre) that have more of a selection.

I saw this group perform King Lear this summer at Linden Park and LOVED it! It was free, although…read moreduring intermission donations were collected. I enjoyed the whole experience - from the picnic dinner we brought to being so close to the actors. The audience was seated under the shade of trees on blankets or chairs and clean bathrooms were available on site. The performance was top notch and I hope they do this again next year!

Quality/Quantity - Last time I was here was for another sold out concert, one of my favorite…read moreconcerts!! Chris Tomlin. My daughter told me last second that I was taking her to a Forrest Frank concert. I think she was actually going to pay, until her car broke down... Then she said your treat dad, lol. The things we do for our kids. We got the very last row of discounted seats and they were actually not bad. I like the fact no one was behind me. See pictures. Concerts especially with a pit = Approximately 19k people. Basketball games = 17,608 people Ambiance - A crazy busy venue. Well, it was sold out. Concerts especially with a pit = Approximately 19k people which still does NOT feel fire safe. Basketball games = 17,608 people. Almost 780k sq ft. Sacramento Kings home court. Parking = $20-100 for events. Plenty of street metered parking for $25, only 2 blocks away. If you preorder your parking, you can get it for $22. Decent amounts of food and drink options. Service - Security was smooth. Long lines but quick. Ushers were friendly. The men's room had an attendant, so clean. But mostly everything is self service. Glad someone opened the emergency exits, because thousands of people waiting to go down an escalator would have taken us over an hour! Price - Depending on your seats. My daughter waited until the last second and got discounted seats + parking, dinner, gas, toll, etc. totalled $200 for our father daughter date. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 2016. Even after 10 years of success, your arena still looks new.

Went 2x recently, for the Sacramento Kings Draft Party, and day 1 of the Summer League…read more Located downtown Sacramento, there are plenty of options for parking, most are parking garages within short walking distance, or there is some metered parking that may require a little longer and more adventurous walk to stadium. There is a strict bag policy so be sure to read up on it if you are taking in an event so as not to delay your entry. Going through security is easy enough, voth security. And the ticket scanner/door workers are always pleasant and efficient in processing you into the arena. Both the draft party, and summer league were informal, so most tickets were general admission and your were free to sit almost anywhere(barring the first 3 or 4 rows). (The draft party initially only had 5-7 sections open , but as the crowd grew closer to draft, more sections were opened . There were a few basic concessions open, for water, beer, hot dogs, chicken fingers, pizza, and a few of the other stands. Not all concessions that are normally open for concerts or regular season games were open, but was able to get chicken strips that were pretty good in quantity, and quality with fries and a beer. All in all, was a fun time, and a nice arena.

The Sacramento Shakespeare Festival is always a delight, and this year's A Midsummer's Night Dream…read moreis especially good. Wonderful actors, imaginative costumes, and a fun twist to have it set in the 70s. I brought my college-aged daughter and her friend and we all laughed and enjoyed the merriment. Please catch this show and support the cast and crew who put on this great event.

"How now Malvolio?"…read more My favorite play! I had the good fortune to attend a matinee performance of Twelfth Night, which was performed in the main auditorium at Sacramento City College. This was really a fun place to see Shakespeare. The staff are super friendly, and I even had a chance to get some bargain deals on last year's Shakespeare merchandise. In the auditorium at Sacramento City City College, guests have an opportunity to sit on the "grass," which is really on the stage right next to the performers. I wasn't sure about that so I declined that offer and simply took a sheet in the sixth row. At intermission I moved up to the front row. Of course, this is a community production, so one must make some allowances. The vocal projection was not that great in all places, but overall it was still pretty decent. In a large auditorium like this, I bet projection is a real challenge. In this production, several of the scenes were turned into musical numbers. This really made for a good change-of-pace and added to the fun. Also, in some scenes the actors run right through the audience. I never knew what to expect! I also had an opportunity to talk to several of the actors, as well as the Director. I really appreciate the enthusiasm from this acting troupe. A lot of nice people really invested a ton of time and energy to make a pleasant production for us. And it's a great bargain as well. Plus, the even offer a senior discount. It's hard to go wrong with Twelfth Night, and I had a great visit here. Thanks for such friendly performers and staff. Really made my visit and enjoyable one.

Even though this movie theater was here long before the one at the Palladio, I still think of this…read morespot as Folsom's "secret", lesser-known, theater. And if I do go see a movie these days, I check the showtimes here first. So this theater is directly across the street from the Folsom Outlets, tucked in the back. It's walking distance from a Taco Express, a Filipino eatery, and Indian restaurant, a pizza parlor, a bar, and a few other restaurants/eateries. It's a great location for those that would rather eat real food before or after the movie than spending $67.38 on a large popcorn and a Coke. I wouldn't go so far as to refer to this theater as a "no-thrills" movie experience, but it definitely doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Palladio or the Regal in El Dorado Hills. While they do have a few sporadic 3-D movie showings, you're out of luck if you're looking for an IMAX, D Box, or ScreenX experience. With that being said, the tickets here are definitely cheaper than the aforementioned theaters. A matinee here runs about $10 during the weekday, which is about $7-8 cheaper than a similar showtime at the Palladio, for the same movie. The concession stand is also more basic as well. I can't recall all their options off the top of my head, but they do have plenty of popcorn, drinks, and candy. If that's not going to do it for you, the Filipino place next door is really good. Definitely a more satisfying option than nachos or a hot dog. Five stars seems appropriate for this venue. If it was more expensive, I would bring down the rating. But if you don't want to spend an arm and a leg on movie tickets, don't like crowds, don't want to stress about parking, love Filipino food, and you're looking to do some retail therapy shopping nearby, give this theatre a try.

Haven't been to see a movie in a while. They had a huge…read morescreen in the theater we were in. All the chairs are new and quite comfy. The prices of the concession items are still outrageous sadly. Even with the 20% off for being movie club members, it's still very hard to pay those prices for a soda and popcorn. We were also the only two people besides one other couple in the entire theater, which was strange. But it was in a Monday night.

The Ovation Stage must be the ugly stepchild of the CalStage R25 complex. No insulation, no air…read moreconditioning, sweltering on a warm day. Thankfully, you're given a program at the door to use as a fan and the $2 bottles of water are chilled. Since the CalStage complex lacks adequate signage to find the door to the Ovation Stage, walk around the building to the side by the railroad tracks. The door is there. I don't plan to attend another play here and would warn anyone if they want to see anything during the late Spring or Summer. Be prepared to sweat.

Loved "Red" - excellent acting by both actors…read more As another reviewer noted, the venue could be greatly improved. The seating is tight, seats are worn and the room can be stifling. I would recommend dressing lightly, bringing a bottled water, and picking up an Arctic towel from Emigh Hardware prior to the engagement to keep cooled down. Don't let environment stop you from catching a great performance.

An awesome small theatrical company that puts on a GREAT show - and the prices are great too!…read more Tickets are generally $20 (and sell out) and performances are held at the California Stage in Midtown Sacramento. The auditorium may be small with hard seats and not heated, but my attention never waned during the production. From their website: "Artistic Differences is a semi-professional theatre company dedicated to bringing underproduced musicals to the stage. Utilizing some of the top performers and designers in the region, we strive to present shows to our audiences that are challenging, exciting and thought-provoking." Check out their website for current productions!!