The Sound of Music (Broadway San Jose) --…read more We saw this yesterday and it was beautiful. The sets were absolutely stunning -- genuinely took my breath away a few times -- and the singing was extraordinary. So much talent on that stage. If you know the movie by heart (I do), there are a few differences. A couple of songs that aren't in the film, and "I Have Confidence" doesn't appear at all. There are some small changes to the story too, but nothing that took away from the show -- a few of the twists I actually liked better this way. One tip: take an Uber or Lyft. Getting into the parking garage took forever because there's only one lane in, and someone at the front couldn't work the machine and held everyone up for about fifteen minutes. Not the theater's fault, but worth knowing. Wonderful show. We'll be back.

To be honest, it's not the best in terms of sound for a venue if you sit near or close to the…read morespeakers on the balcony. So we recently went to see "A Beautiful Noise" and sat in the orchestra Row 21 Seat 27 basically right of center and I could see the balcony speakers a few rows in front of me. The balance and loudness in those speakers are off and can be really loud and jarring. When we saw &Juliet and sat center second row from the stage, the sound was so much better. So perhaps it's just those speakers that are off when they do tests and it can be horrifying or great. Each side of the theater do have bathrooms but it does take a while to get to the right side of the theater. I still wish they had a center aisle as people were having to climb over chairs when they missed their row by one. We're now parking a couple blocks away for free after 6:30pm which is nice but it's definitely a gamble. Worse case we park at the nearby open lot across the street and pay a fair amount for a downtown city parking lot. Definitely cheaper than SF. Also if you check out seating before a show you want and there's plenty of seats available, go a a couple hours before the show and buy it for only $40 for rush seats. You can choose where to sit and all the seats left are $40. If a show has digital lottery, if you win, the seats are only $35 and I learned this year that the seats are basically the first few rows right in front of the stage. So well worth it if you win. Recently the ushers have been better about giving out the pamphlets which has been lovely. Overall, will I still come here to see shows? Yes cause it's much easier to get to than SF. Is it the best venue? Hit or miss depending on how the soundcheck goes (if they even do a soundcheck).

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.

It looked like it got a 4.6 star review but they say doors open at 6:30 and it didn't. I thought I…read morewas in the back of the place so I walk to market street to find the front but it turns out I was at the right place. It is at first street. I didn't think I showed up early but then someone told me they changed the time and they'll let everyone in at 7 pm. I waited and we didn't get in until 7:15. I don't know; maybe I'm strict with time but it threw me off. We had plenty of time to get to our seats so we got beer for one of us. I was expected an open space to get to my seat because I had a cane. They blocked the open space so I had to scoot in to the aisle to get to my seats. I guess the show was packed and they had to add seats. Seats were not bad but not comfortable. I did have good seats so I can see the people performing.

My family and I frequently visit this theatre for all different plays and school events. We love…read morethe energy of the staff and how the plays are organized. The enthusiasm is just mind blowing. Very clean and well maintained theatre for the young students and parents to enjoy . A big shout out to all the staff and sponsors for this theater in San jose .

Had both of my kids participate in season 58, and both my husband and I could not be happier with…read morethe community and experience that our children had. I cannot stop singing praises for CMT.

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).

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!

Show: MJ The Musical Venue: San Jose Center for the…read morePerforming Arts, a.k.a. Broadway San Jose 08/02/25 Matinee Performance 2pm Breakdown: The Musical (SPOILER ALERT?) The choreography, imagery, mutimedia, lighting, sound, costumes & visual effects were wonderful. The performance did not start exactly on time. Many of Michael & the Jackson 5's hits are featured, but due to show length, the songs are shortened. The songs are stitched together with a narrative, and there were a few parts of this that were a little draggy. I almost would've preferred just the full-lenth music selections alone. The play--while upbeat & exciting overall-- portrays Michael as somewhat a victim: A victim of his global success, victim of his handlers who were profit-motivated, and victim especially of his father Joe Jackson who is cast pretty much in the villain role. There is a brief 15-20 minute intermission in the approximate 2 1/2 hr. show. The Venue First time visit for me and the Center did a fine job. The workers--ticketing folks, ushers, merchandise folks--who I interacted with were great. The matinee show was packed to it's 2,600+ seat capacity. And of course with that many patrons, you're unfortunately going to see a handful of clueless one's with no theather ettiquette. Such as, but certainly not limited to, arriving on time, not silencing their mobile devices, holding conversations and blocking entrances & exits to the theater (pre & post show + intermissions), getting up multiple times during the performance, etc. Can't blame the venue or performers for this of course. Add the usual cluster mess when a good portion of 2,600 patrons need to all use the restroom during intermission. But the latter is pretty much standard procedure at most performances such as this. Ticketing & Parking Tips Smart theater enthusiasts would be very wise to look into 2 very favorable ticketing options offered by this venue: Digital Lottery & Rush Tickets. For digital lottery, download Broadway San Jose's mobile app to start. From there, you can enter a day-before lottery to score a pair of tickets at greatly reduced rates (they were $35ea for this musical). The digital lottery option is typically only for evening performances though. For the Rush ticketing option that I used, covering both matinee & evening performances, show up at the box office day of show 2 hrs. before the scheduled start time. When I got there around 11:45am, there were less than 5 people in line and I was able to score a single Orchestra ticket for $40 (inclusive of fees). Same ticket that Ticketmaster was trying to sell on their site for $445! lol. Parking can be a little bit of a challenge here. The closest major garage that most patrons seem to gravitate to is the Ernst & Young or "303 Garage" @ 303 S. Almaden Blvd. It's maybe 150-200 yds. to the main entrance of the theater. It's got some accessibility quirks, and is a $20 flat rate as of this review. This will typically cover you for several hrs. time for the show + exiting. In my case, the rate covered me 7 hrs. from 12pm to 7pm. I puchased this pass thru mobile parking app SpotHero, which charges a small processing fee, but tends to allow for an easier entrance & exit process. You can also pay directly at the garage. Driving in San Jose is akin to driving in Los Angeles for those familiar. So, be prepared for congestion, rude drivers and the frustration overload + ugliness that typically accompanies this. Not the theater's fault again, but just a word to the wise. Also, San Jose is usually known as a great restaurant destination, but there didn't seem to be a plethora of these options within comfortable walking distance to the theater sadly. Conclusion If you missed the relatively short run of MJ The Musical here in San Jose, don't worry. As it's returing in early 2026 to both San Francisco & Sacramento. Check it, it's a winner!

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.

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.

This is always such a great venue to come and see a show. It has an underground free parking…read moregarage. It's easily accessible if you have any mobility issues. The theater itself is very intimate and allows you a good seat no matter where you are. The staff is friendly and helpful. All shows from my experience, have been reasonably priced. Before the show grab something to eat, a cup of coffee, or even a glass of wine at the Bean Scene Cafe which is linked to the theater.

Excellent location on Castro Street in downtown Mountain View. I come here for specific…read moreperformances each year. Spacious theater with plenty of spots to practice or do rehearsals before showtime. Staffs are great communicators and are always helpful. This place has been around forever and City Hall is a great place to gather or use public restrooms as well. Cafe is easily accessible next door. If you come here in December during the annual Christmas Tree Lighting event, you won't be disappointed. Colorful Christmas vibes everywhere. There's a good sized local park behind it and you can easily park on the streets which are all walking distance. Besides ballerinas and dancers, you get to watch singers, group choirs, and many more colorful entertainments on the outdoor stage area. Inside stage is usually reserved for larger popular shows. Yes, dressing room and areas for practicing before performance time is well set and they're usually on time moving groups in and out as scheduled. Love the backstage area and scenes. Good feeling inside and outside.

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.

Such a beautiful park maintained jointly by the Montalvo arts center and santa clara county parks…read more It's truly a hidden gem in Saratoga with beautifully maintained lawns, and ample trails. The Great Lawn in front of the main building ie the Montalvo Center allows picnics without reservations - just set up camp under a tree. There's a very well maintained Italian garden right next to the great lawn with varieties of succulents, a pagoda like structure and cedars. Also saw a wedding in progress while we were there and it is such a beautiful location for it! I will definitely visit again to explore the trails. Parking can be a little hard on weekends but you gotta just wait till a spot opens. If the event venue is booked out - that makes parking harder since they reserve a lot for guests. Free entry and free parking

Beautiful place but it doesn't close at 8pm like it says it closes at 5pm and they kick everyone…read moreout.