Been here via comic con to see Conan do a show a few years back Very cool old school theater that has been well taken care of With some beauty all over the place read more

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What is the many places that has some of the greatest historical feel with the years of the starting of the early years of San Diego? Of the many buildings that you see on the main street of Broadway for the center of the Down as you walk around the park circle from the theater. With the many great restaurants that are near by there was one near the restaurant of the Sushi Deli 2 one of the best in the meats with the many house made rolls. Before the closure of the Spreckles Theater the theater had the showcases of the San Diego Opera with one of the Great Illusionists of David Copperfield that mede the Spreckles Theater famous during the show run. The many workers that handled the front area to seating the people many of the workers were those of volunteers and many hired. The many shows you had to buy tickets at the lobby box office. For the many years of the history of the Spreckles Theater you can look back at the many events of the theater had brought the many areas of the composers and the actors that made films famous. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer having seen many of the theaters here in the United States the one theater that shows great history is the Spreckles theater that theater one of the many to show the first black and white movies. There are many theaters that are here in San Diego for the Broadway Main street has one of the greatest . As a Yelp Elite read more

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Been to Spreckels Theatre several times the past few years most notably for the Conan O'Brien show during Comic-Con. I am usually stashed away really high up on those free but really steep balcony seats. Seats up there aren't very comfortable and don't allow much leg room. But what's worse during the summer months is the lack of a working AC. It gets quite hot and stuffy! We finally attended our first paying gig for the Jason Mraz Foundation Event: Shine. My wife got us left orchestra N row seats which were decent and fairly close to the stage. Slightly more leg room than the balcony seats. However, there were slight obstructions from us being able to view the entire left side of the stage. Jason Mraz & Friends provided an enjoyable "musical" performance and the acoustics were good. Overall, Spreckels is a decent venue, albeit a tad small. read more

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I came here around 2002 or 2003 with my elementary school class to watch a play about immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. It was a good show and I liked the layout of the theater. It was very fancy but at the same time, I was little and it creeped me out. I haven't been here as an adult but I'm sure it would be just as great to see a play here. read more

Came here for Conan O'Brien. It was a very old school type of theater, but I actually really enjoyed the feel of it. I didn't want to sit in something ordinary for Conan. Seats are comfortable and staff was on top of everything. It did get a little warm inside as they really didn't have an AC system, and if they did, it didn't work very well. Still, it was an amazing experience at this place. I'm not sure what they normally show here, but if you're thinking about sitting in this place for something, go for it. read more

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Watched the "You Are Loved" concert with Jason Mraz. JM was AWESOME!!! He is a great singer with a quirky personality. He is one of those singers that when you hear him play, it's EXACTLY like the album. Acoustic is the only way to see him. His voice was soo soothing and I was mesmerized. He started playing at 745p and he kept playing until pass 11p! (30 min intermission) It was one of the best shows I've seen. There are some songs that I was not familiar with, but nonetheless, it didn't matter - I've been going thru some personal issues and JM took me away for those couple hours I watched him. Old venue with a very intimate setting. Had good seats and the acoustics were pretty good!!! I was surprised. The seats were very uncomfortable and my back/butt was hurting for 2.5 hours! It was my first visit, so it was a nice change from the usual Civic, Horton or Cricket. You can park at Horton, but it's only for 3 hours free parking with validation. Short walk to the theater. read more

Spreckels Theatre - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Historic theater with nice seating. Place has been kept clean given their traffic in the past. Their management needs to do an improved job at booking more commercial performances here for our public community to enjoy this historic local theater for all. Parking availability is adequate given their location downtown San Diego, CA! Spreckels management - please improve booking more commercially viable performances for all to enjoy & partake in San Diego's unique & accommodating venue with an enjoyable past serving San Diegans & visitors to this fun enjoyable historic location for all! read more

I saw Ghost here Monday night and it was amazing. I had a terrible first experience seeing them live in Riverside at the RMA, and this made up for it. Security and venue staff were friendly and efficient. They kicked out several drunk people before the show began, and made sure that the three lines (VIP, early entry, GA) were organized and directed everyone to where they needed to be. I was in the third row balcony for the show and the view was spectacular. Even though the seats were a bit cramped, they were on an incline so that my view wasn't obstructed by the people's heads in front of me. read more

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A must visit old theater, really historic landmark of San Diego (after all, not many old buildings left, Gaslamp/East Village seems to be growing to the way up eliminating many old buildings in the process). It is very refreshing that this theater has been in business for so long and it has amazing views of the shows from any seat. I have attended many performances there, but was always curious what would it be to feel part of the theater world and in the background. I had the opportunity by volunteering at the San Diego International Fringe Festival this past weekend and even though only one small portion of the scenario was used for the purpose (this is like an 'indie' festival, so every play has only a handful of people as audience). I liked to feel inside an old building with all the pros and cons and for some hours enjoy the 'natural way' = not AC anywhere, sweating like crazy but happy to be part of a growing festival. If you a visitor in San Diego and still don't want to see any play or show, just stop by and enter in the lobby and admire the neon signs, facade, flooring...all vintage:) read more

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I love old theathers, Spreckels has that 1920s architecture look the moment you walk through the loby. But my first impression is that this venue would be way too small for any concert but once you are seated not too much of that is a concern once the show starts. Chairs are a bet tiny for my big frame but comfortable. The lobby...well really a table with snacks on it, it looks like some one on there way to work went to Costco and picked up few things to sell. My wife and I came for Jo Koy Comedy show, laughing the whole time. read more

Spreckels Theatre - Jo Koy - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

What a beautiful venue for watching a show! I enjoyed checking out Spreckels Theatre a few weeks ago for *The Nutcracker*. Upon entrance will call is to the left and the process was fairly quick to get in. They had a photo-op at the front like a red carpet with the backdrop and the chance to pose with the *Nutcracker Statue*. The seats were great, every seat could provide great views... mine were straight center which was perfect to enjoy the City Ballet of San Diego's performance. At intermission the restroom line is your typical cray situation.. PATIENCE is a virtue. The City Ballet of SD gave an awesome show all around. Spreckles has magnificent design and detail, with friendly staff all around. 4 Stars for this great venue.. located perfectly in the heart of downtown.~ read more

Spreckels Theatre - The Nutcracker Ballet last night was wonderful :) - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Old theater with nice architectural features. This is definitely a small venue, but it creates a setting for an intimate show. It's in downtown San Diego, so free parking can be difficult to find. Ventilation is nonexistent, so if you have a compromised immune system then you may be at risk of catching airborne diseases. read more

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This theater seems to be an older theater and parking in the parking garage underneath it is $10. The seats are comfortable but small and the theater itself is beautifully decorated with murals and has a wonderful design on the inside. The bathrooms are blah and the stalls could use some renovations. All in all, a great theater! read more

I am surprised there's not that many review for Spreckels Theatre?! I was here Nov '11 for an AWESOME - KICK ASS Jason Mraz and Toca Rivera concert. When I read the reviews for Spreckels Theatre at a nearby happy hour spot (*La Puerta - Really GOOD), I expected a tiny place with dingy chairs. We get there, and wow this place is BIG and TALL. It seems like they really maximized the vertical space here with three levels of seats! ***This theatre can fit almost 1500 people at max capacity! The seats are not too comfortable and they was not too much leg room, but it wasn't a problem for me and I'm 5'7! It would be more of a problem if I were maybe... 5'10 and above. Parking for the Theatre: They offer valet parking only. The Spreckels Garage is accessible through 2nd Avenue (Broadway Circle) on the east side of the Spreckles Building. The price for parking at performances and special events at the Spreckel Theatre is $10.00 per vehicle. Some restrictions may apply. HOWEVER, there are also tons of metered street parking outside and it'll probably be free depending on when you go. We lucked out and found street parking near the mall. The way they handled getting the crowds into the theatre was decent. There was a very long line to get inside but the line moved fast. After the concert, it was fairly easy leaving and getting to your car. I had fun here! Great time! read more

Spreckels is Spreckels. It's been there forever. It's not a big theater but I still like it just as it is. The bartender isn't stingy with the liquor and theres a great sushi spot next door. read more

Spreckels Theatre - Adult sippy cup - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been to this theatre quite a few times for various shows and events. Last night we saw 42nd Street. The shows are always excellent. Very well produced and professional. 42nd street was outstanding. It could easily be in NY or London. The only thing I don't like is that they always come out before and after the show asking for money and donations. They could use mail, social media, signage, a table in the lobby, etc for that. By asking for money before and after it takes away from the professionalism and experience of the show. This would never happen at a true Broadway theatre read more

Theater looks nice on the inside and was clean, but the line for entry went down the block 10 minutes before the show was supposed to start. As a former house manager, I expected better. Also, their wine selection was disgusting. All they had to offer was chardonnay, and it was bitter and terrible. The management needs to invest in some decent wines. Please do your customers a favor and order some Moscato. read more

For the past five consecutive years that we've had the privilege to attend the Conan OBrien show; we've enjoyed the theater's ambiance and the social aspect that surrounds it. This theater provides everything that we need for great entertainment. Due note that if you get balcony seats it does tend to get warm up there during SDCC. We've only sat up there the first year but didn't experience this. We had friends that complained about the temperature when they sat up at the balcony level. Other than that there are two bathrooms at each side and level. The seats and leg space are mediocre but it's nothing to stop enjoying our show. I hope to keep coming here for future SDCC events. read more

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I had never noticed Spreckles before, but I went for the first time last night to see Carmina Burana. The venue was a decent size, and the ushers/volunteers were very kind and helpful. The ballet was awesome, with strong acoustics, but I can't say much about the view for most people because I was in the front row. They have a concessions stand with candy and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), but the one issue was that they were only selling wine in open cups without lids, which were not allowed inside the theatre. I wanted to reach a new level of bourgeoisie by sipping wine whilst watching the ballet, but alas, I could not. Make sure to get there early enough so you don't have to chug your drink like some people attending! Overall a fun experience that I'd gladly do again! read more

I took the husband here to see The Nutcracker, we wanted it to be a Christmas tradition since we LOVED the Nutcracker at the Boston Ballet years ago. The theatre is very pretty with elaborate designs on the ceilings and walls. It has the classy feel to it and it's rather beautiful. The theatre isn't all too big but that's the great part, since you can't get a bad seat in the house. However, we sat in front of a bunch of loud mouths who wouldn't shut up during the show. We asked them nicely to quiet down and it only got worst. But I won't put blame on the theatre, there's classless people everywhere. I wasn't too happy with how i was taking pictures of my husband without flash and we were asked to stop when other people around us were taking pictures of the THEATRE with FLASH and didn't even get a warning. Totally not fair. Other than that, this place is nice. read more

What. A. Dump. Is there air conditioning in this joint? If so, and they don't turn it on, you literally fry during shows. Oh, and the seats? The originals from the 1600s? They are sweeeet. I still have metal coils jammed up my ass from my last visit. If they cleaned this place up, it would be great, but until then, no more shows or anything here for me. read more

I was treated to view "The Nutcracker" at the Spreckles theater. This building is so beautiful you can feel the history as soon as you walk through the doors. We checked in and wandered around for a bit prior to being seated. The curtain call is announced by the lights turning off then quickly back on twice. I was concerned at first until I found out what it meant. Our seats were H18-22 and the interesting part is that they are all even numbers. There is not a 19 or 21. Once we were seated a man came over and told us we could move. We got to sit up front, center stage in the balcony! What a dream. The bad part about it though was it was very cramped. There was no leg space whatsoever. I am only 5'3 and my legs were very cramped. The show began after everyone was warned to put their phones away. No photos, No video. Act 1 scene I- Overture started on the right side balcony. The orchestra was just amazing! The violins were my favorite. Scene II- Street Scene I was drawn to the brilliant lighting, while children and their parents were dancing in the background. Scene III- was the party scene. Scene IV- Battle Scene. Scene V- The Kingdom of Snow. I enjoyed the first act but I was very happy for Intermission! I really needed to stretch my legs and wanted to go to the ladies room. There was a very long line and it seemed to be the only one in the building. After the double light blink we all went back to our seats for Act II. This is when it got really exciting! It was called "The Kingdom of the Sweets". It went from Sugar Plum Fairy to different culture dances. The Angels, Spanish, Arabian, Chinese, Russian and more. My favorite was the Spanish and Arabian. Next, The Waltz of the Flowers and The Grand Pas de Deux, Finale and Apotheosis. This was a wonderful experience! I am very glad I came and hope you also get to experience it. Pay close attention to the brilliant lighting while you are watching the dancers. read more

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Spreckels feels so Victorian-esque... from beautiful sculptures to fancy moldings, everything feels so special. I come here for City Ballet (my favorite ballet company in SD) and what I love about Spreckels is that you cannot get a bad seat anywhere. The hall is intimate enough that even on the balcony, you can capture every detail in the pas de deux or even the expressions of each dancer. What I do NOT like about Spreckels is that these balcony seats are so tiny! I am pretty tall so my legs feel gargantuan in these tiny seats... I cannot imagine how men fare in the seats. read more

Since I grew up in San Diego, I have been going to events at the Spreckels Theater since I was a kid. I have seen many "Nutcrackers" here over the years and I particularly remember a fantastic time a while back with Simple Minds. As other Yelp-ers mentioned, the Marquee is so reminiscent of another era-it calls out to you when you drive up or down Broadway. I was charmed by all the old crones who were ushering there-these ancient artifacts-both male and female-contributed even more to the old-fashioned feeling at the Spreckels. As for the previous Yelp reviewer-Shayla W. commiserated-I was also at Puscifer last night and was also hassled about my wig I was wearing. As soon as I walked up to the front of the venue, I was instructed to remove my rasta headpiece. I asked why and the security guard said it was not allowed. So I took it off and started to fold it into my purse. The female security guard who was telling me this offered no explanations beyond that and then started getting all huffy-telling me I had to go back to my car and put the wig back there. That's when I got all bent out of shape since I had just finished huffing up Broadway about 6 blocks in some boots! I asked for a manager-which is always the best policy anyway. I told that dude I wasn't about to walk all the way back and shoved that damn wig in my purse. Thankfully-he was agreeable about that and that was when some people who overheard my predicament commented to me that it was MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN-of Puscifer who was the one behind all these restrictions!! I guess he's paranoid and does not want any wigs that can hide camera's. No filming of any kind was allowed and only professional photogs were taking pics of the concert at the front. of the stage. The situation was the same inside-the ushers were going up and down the aisles pulling out patrons who were snapping or filming. The theater itself reminded me of the Opera House in San Francisco-3 tiered with ornate edifice trimming and statutes of the Greek Mythology Gods atop the ceilings. I spent my time waiting for the show to start admiring the intricacies of the place-and how much workmanship was required to make it so visually-splendid. I am almost 6' feet tall and those seats were kind of squishy to me too-but what saved me was my chronic insistence on aisle seats-so I can stretch my legs out if needed. The Spreckels Theater is a absolute gem of a place to see a show. I know that Puscifer was trying to play at Humphrey's this past summer, but that feel through. If they had to be anywhere indoors-this is the next best concert place to be! Parking is always an adventure downtown but there is no denying the venue's strategic, centralized locale. I was also charmed by the Spreckel's amateur-looking snack bar and very posh ladies bathroom area with sit-down vanity area. The whole place just reeks of days-gone-by and funky nostalgia-something all the trend-setters and hipsters that flock there appreciate. Take any concert opportunity that presents itself to you here-you won't be disappointed-unless you're wearing a garish wig or some bizarre Halloween get-up! read more

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First off, I wanted to thank Gary at the corporate office for helping me out with my ticket situation. Awesome guy! Spreckels theatre wasn't as big as I imagined but it's so cute! When you walk in, you see a door on both sides. They each lead to sushi or a deli. I saw some people holding Starbucks cups and it made me regret not buying one earlier. You are slowly filed in to the doors and a sweet little man takes your ticket and directs you to the door that you're supposed to go through. Every turn has someone in a white jacket ready to help you get to your seat. By the way, I had orchestra seats but it seems as if every seat has the same view. Pretty cool right? Anyway, I'm only giving 4 stars because there was an odd smell from the lobby to the bathroom that you can kind of smell even near the seats. I attributed it to the building being so old. Overall an awesome experience. Great play. Great view. Great service. Will definitely be back! read more

Spreckels Theatre - My view from seat P21 - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came here for Conan O'Brien's #ConanCon tapings during SDCC 2016. The layout of the theater is pretty awesome, feels like an opera house. I got to sit in the front row, on the left side of the theater and next to the band area. In this case, it was Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band, Conan's regular house band. The theater was great and I had a great time here. read more

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The bf brought me here last night to watch the Nutcracker. It was my first time seeing the ballet. I know 22, and I'd never seen it - better late than never! It was put on by the City Ballet of San Diego and I thought it was wonderful! I loved the way they manipulated the stage seamlessly between settings. The sugar plum fairy was incredibly graceful and gorgeous - couldn't take my eyes off her! We sat center mezzanine and I thought the seats were great! It's a very small and intimate theater relative to other ones I've been to but I think it was perfect for purposes of watching a ballet. The orchestra was excellent and personally I had no issue with the acoustics. The music sounded terrific. Parking was hassle-free and cost us nothing. My brilliant bf simply parked at the Horton Plaza lot, validated our ticket, and walked me right over to the theater. I think it was up to 3 hours free with validation on a Saturday. I would love to come back to see another production at this theater. read more

Great historic building ruined as a venue by management that does not understand hospitality. We went to watch Hannibal Buress, who is hillarious and very good at improv when things don't work out. He had to do a lot of improv, because the 1980s projector kept overheating. We also tried to buy a glass of wine, but the theater opened 30 minutes prior to the show and the line was over an hour. I asked the manager why there were only 3 people pouring beer and wine, and he said he only staffs one per 500 people. We missed the opening act and the first 10 minutes of the main act standing in line. Cool building, but poorly run by rude management. We won't be back to this venue. read more

It appears that I missed all of the hubbub going on here the night before with the free Metallica concert in association with Comic-Con. I actually came for a HBO taping by Patton Oswalt on Saturday night. 10th row seats? Loved them. The theater is beautiful, old, ornate and seats about 1500 on three different levels. It was annoying to be told that there were beverages and snacks available at the concessions stand in the lobby and a mini cash bar in the foyer, but was not able to bring these things back into the theater. The people at the ticket counter and information desk were completely useless. There is limited $10 parking onsite. Would I go here again? Sure, if I had seats at Orchestra level again. read more

Spreckels is an amazing place to catch a show. I have been a few times over the years and always had a good time. Wife and I came down on Saturday night for the Dave Chappelle show.... which was fucking hilarious.... but holy hell did they drop the ball on the ticket situation. My wife opted to save a few bucks and just have our tickets waiting at will call. Dave had two shows that night, we had tix for the 10pm. We showed up around 8 to grab our tickets but the guy in the box office told us they had not printed them out yet? Huh? Show is in two hours..... Ok...well... whatever....bitch (in the voice of Jesse Pinkman). We show up an hour and a half later to a complete shit show. The line to get the tickets from the box office was so damn long since there were only two windows open at the box office. The line wrapped in and around the line for people trying to order drinks at the bar, and the people just trying to get in to sit down had to fight their way lines of people who weren't exactly sure which line they were in to start with. People were cutting and pushing, there were no security or anyone to ensure people were OK. A simple roped off line would have been useful, hasn't Spreckels never had a sold out show before? I'm sure they have. Luckily the show didn't start until most people were seated. Show was awesome but thinking back the whole ticket thing brought down the experience. read more

Even though I reviewed the Theatre itself, I wanted to take special not of the building itself. I originally expected a tight, hard to move through corridor to the theatre. What I found, was a large, open entry that was setup really well. They had three places to purchase alcohol before the show as well as a vendor booth for show merchandise. There was more than enough room to get a beer, step off to the side and hang around before the show started. A number of people seemed to take advantage of this. Getting to the building was easy, getting in was easy, getting booze, memorabilia and to the seats were easy as well. The only complaint is that there was a lack of signage identifying how to get to different mezzanines and balconies. Otherwise, it is a great building and a great place to go for a show. P.S. Eddie Vedder was amazing! read more

I saw David Sedaris perform here a few years back. I am poor, and bought the cheaper tickets so I was pretty far back. David Sedaris was about 1/2 an inch tall from where I was sitting. He is a small man in general, I'm pretty sure he's taller than 1/2 an inch. The acoustics were good. read more

This place is getting a 2 star based on the valet service. First the theater is amazing and looks beautiful. It's everything an old theater could be! A definite must visit if you are in San Diego. Let's talk about the valet service. It's was $10 to park our, which is not bad at all. So that did not bother us. It's when we went to pick up our car. This service just leaves the keys in the car. We went to see the Patriot Tour at the theater. Afterwards, people were not waiting in line like they should. Of course it was a make shift line. Everyone was just getting in their car which had the keys and driving off. Some people almost got hit cause no one was paying attention. This place really needs to take the keys out of the car so this can be avoided in the future. read more

Excellent time at Spreckels Theatre this past weekend to watch ballet. Having previously lived in a city where we had out own large ballet company for many years, it's great to know there is similar artistic enjoyment in San Diego as well. The theatre itself is a little small, however, it has excellent architecture and the seats don't have you crammed in like sardines, which is a nice touch. I look forward to future events at Spreckels Theatre. The only thing that was distracting was the food bar. It's great if you are a little hungry, however, people were making very loud crinkling noises with the wrappers in the middle of the performance! Very distracting... read more

We as a party of 8 went to see the Nutcracker and it was amazing! We were ALL impressed! For hours we were talking about the high level of talent with the dancers and the orchestra! Wow!!!!! We also lived the venue! No bad seat in the house! We are hooked and will be back!!!!!!!!! read more

Opened in 1912, Spreckels is a gem of a historical building. Although it pales in comparison to any music or performning arts hall in New York, San Francisco, or any other old U.S. city, it's a rare find in a city that prefers the shiny and new to the old and historical. The mosaics, marble, stained glass harken to the era of art deco and new money extravagance in San Diego-- and that's just the lobby. The theatre itself is elegantly decorated with carved reliefs. I saw the Arcade Fire at Spreckels, an unusual band for such a venue. I don't really like to see a rock show at a place with so many seats, as I feel sitting down really dampens the energy. Heh, even the singer said it was true that Californians were "laid back." I thought the sound carried beautifully throughout the theatre, not too soft, nor too loud. My friend, who was sitting in a different section than me, complained of feedback. I look forward to seeing something a little calmer at Spreckels, a play or perhaps a ballet, where I don't mind sitting still in my seat. read more

This is the view from the mezzanine section. The show was great, and things were clean and comfortable enough, but this place has a really unorganized way of doing things. The way they filter people in, the placement of the "bar" aka drink tables was odd and has room for opportunity. read more

I've seen several bands perform here over the years and I've never been disappointed with the visibility of the artist from my seats and I think I've sat in all the sections. I saw Eddie Vedder last night and it was amazing. The acoustics in the theater were great. You heard EVERYTHING in that place. Love the fact that they have 2 make shift bars in the lobby to get your drink on before the show, during the show, and after the show. :) The only negative thing would be the seats themselves. They are small and if they were a little uncomfortable for me at 5'8, I can't even imagine how somone taller than 6' would feel. But besides that, go see a show at the Spreckels theater. It will be a great experience! read more

Saw my favorite live show of 2007 here: arcade fire. Holy crap that show ruled my life. Especially since I experienced it all from the 2nd row. But I have been here for shows before and sat everywhere from the front to the very back row in the balcony. Other than my distaste for heights (not a fear) I believe there are only good seats at this theatRE. Sucks about not being able to bring in drinks, and how expensive they are, but a nice change of pace from a crowded, standing-room-only, sweaty club. And its SO CLOSE to the horton plaza parking lot. Nice. read more

It is not that much better inside than outside. We went to Nutcracker on Dec. 10th, 2011 and were invited to the behind the stage reception after the ballet. We got to meet the performers and the people who make all the shows happen. Given this unique experience, it was very worth it. Otherwise, it is just a mediocre ballet... read more

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