Over the last couple of decades, I've seen various shows at the Orpheum Theatre. Parking can be…read morevery difficult, and deters me from seeing a show here if I can avoid it. I'll see shows that are touring if they have a spectacular stage presence like Anastasia; which was truly remarkable! A beautiful theatre, and for the right show, worth dealing with downtown Phoenix parking.

What an absolutely gorgeous venue! As I walked in, I felt like I was stepping into a different era…read more I was so impressed and in awe with the beautiful Spanish architecture with all the intricate murals, moldings, gold accents, arches, and hidden decorative peacocks. We went to watch The Phoenix Symphony performing with Troupe Vertigo: Cirque Carmen. It was a magnificent combination of orchestral music with aerial acts, dance, and circus style performances. The seats were very comfortable and the quality of acoustics was fantastic. Make sure you take a clear bag or a small purse (8.5" x 5.5") as they do have a bag policy. Large purses and backpacks are not allowed. They also use metal detectors and have security screening. I'd definitely love to go see another performance here.

I took my family (husband and two teens) to see Dear Evan Hanson at The Phoenix Theatre recently…read moreand had a great experience! The show was fabulous and we all really enjoyed it (even my teens who complained about going to a show in the first place) We found the theatre itself easy to access and scored a great parking spot even though we arrived just about 10 minutes before the show was set to start. It said 7:30 start time but probably started closer to 7:45. Tickets were waiting at will call as requested and all of the staff working that evening were super friendly. At the performance we saw, the role of Evan, normally played by Mason Ballard, was played by his understudy, Daniel Shain Graf and he did an excellent job as did the rest of the actors. We purchased some refreshments at intermission, which were very overpriced, but that is to be expected at all entertainment venues these days. Thanks to all of the companies and individuals who contribute to the arts to keep this theatre company going... we will definitely be back!

By far, my favorite place to see theater in the valley. They get great actors and great shows. At…read morethis point, I've seen over a dozen shows there and I've never been disappointed. Unlike some theaters *cough* Gammage *cough* there's not a bad seat in the house. I loved taking advantage of their student deals, and now I love being a member of their young adult deals club. It can be tough to get tickets to something super popular (à la Les Misérables) or their Christmas show right around the holidays, but it's always worth a trip. I recommend taking rideshare or the light rail to take advantage of their drink deals and avoid the large parking lot (shared with the art museum). It's a great area and a beautiful building, on top of its other charms.

Not many styled shows make their way here that care to my liking, but recently I've seen an uptick…read moreand find myself looking more and more at upcoming events. I've been here recently now for 2 shows that I would call nontraditional, but man, they were great shows, and I had such a blast. The layout of the theater is great. I was on the 1st level for one show and on the 2nd level for the 2nd one. Despite being on the 2nd level, it still gave a personal feel and kept us engaged. If you don't like heights, make sure to arrive early to get in the lower level, as once you're on the upper level, it does go shallow & up. Getting cocktails from the bar downstairs typically has a long line, but if you go upstairs, there's usually another make-shift bar to help offset it. I didn't take advantage of any parking, as I used a ride service to the venue, as I just wanted to get dropped off at the door. It's hit or miss with parking, especially if there is something going on at the arena (basketball, concert, baseball game, etc...) Looking forward to the next event.

I ordered tickets online for myself and my boyfriend to see "The Empire Strips Back" on Oct. 4th,…read more2025 at The Herberger Theater Center. We walked to the venue, so I have no comment about parking. However, our show was supposed to start at 9:30pm, but the earlier showing was running a little late and so we were waiting outside for quite a while before we could choose our seats. We were invited to enter the lobby area of the building to order drinks, use the restroom, and buy some merch, so that helped to pass the time. Since I paid for Row A seating (the closest to the stage aside from the VIP section), I was invited to sit anywhere in those rows- so the rows themselves were reserved, but no specific seats, so you'll still have to call dibs on your preferred spot. As a 5 ft 8 in woman, the seating felt a little tight for my liking. Most people stood up for me to get passed them, aside from one lady, and when I walked past her I was worried my hips would smack her face. Other than that, I didn't have any problem watching the performance- nobody blocked my view and I think if I sat further away, I'd still have a decent view of the stage. We had a heckler in the crowd who kept yelling obscenities as the host of the show, fortunately by the second act he was removed from the event. There was a 15 minute intermission for the show, which was a good opportunity for more drinks or a bathroom break. I recommend using the restrooms on the second floor, as they are more hidden than the first floor. I'm glad I went to this event, and I would consider returning to the Herberger Theater Center when they have any other fun events in store.

Such a fun experience! We came to celebrate my sister's birthday and I'm so happy I chose Drunk…read morePirates. The cast was hilarious, the drinks were great and they did an awesome job involving the audience. I was honestly worried it might be a little cringe, but I was laughing the whole time! What really stood out was how they handled a medical emergency toward the end of the show. One of the actors noticed right away, the lights came up immediately, they asked if there were any doctors or nurses and they cleared the area so quickly and professionally. It was really impressive to watch. Once they made sure everything was okay, the show picked right back up and everyone was able to keep having a great time. Highly recommend if you're looking for a fun night out!

Ugh, I HATE to be that guy, but if I do, I say it, then maybe it doesn't get addressed. Let's start…read morewith the good! Drunk Pirates is the offspring of the Drunken Shakespeare Society based out of downtown Phoenix in the Arizona Center. Find the parking valet on the west-facing block and look for the red door and the line. Once inside, you are sat in a "theater in the round setting" that holds around 75 people, so there truly isn't a bad seat in the house. You are greeted with a shot of blue curaçao as you prepare for the evening. For this iteration of the show, you are told the story of Treasure Island with a parody and improv twist. The actors are supremely friendly, funny, and approachable before and after the show, but when the show begins is where they really shine. As you can guess from the name, there are ample opportunities for crowd work, crowd participation, and improv games with pop culture references aplenty. Now for the four-star review. If anyone from the show reads this, I would say my biggest critique comes from the projection and pacing of the dialogue delivery. At many points through the evening, it was hard to hear punchlines either through the volume of the delivery or articulation. Another critique came from those sitting next to us, that I happen to agree with. A guy next to us was explaining to his friends that throughout the show, one of the actors would be the designated drinker and would be taking shots the entire performance. His party was disappointed when the actor took six shots the entire hour. I don't think we expected the guy to get commode hugging plastered, but we all hoped some bad decisions would be made and slips of the tongue would occur à la Drunk History style. At the end of the day, we had a great night and laughed a lot, and that's what we looked forward to. There are lots of cocktail drinks and not a lot of food options, so eat before you go. They also don't validate, so grab some Coldstone ice cream on the way out!

One of my favorite artists was touring with a Phoenix stop at Monarch Theatre. The show was delayed…read moreover an hour which didn't start the night off on the right foot. Additionally, it was very crowded and loud. Personally, I'm not a fan of this location and would only visit again if it was an artist I really liked (like Ekoh). I didn't see beverages/food, but it was extremely crowded and could have missed that being an offering.

I came here to see a concert last night. Worst club I've ever been to. The bouncers are rude, the…read moresound system isn't good. There were 2 bartends for a packed house. I lost my wallet inside and when trying to get back inside or communicate to the bouncers the issues, I was dismissed due to his "long line". Will I return? Never.

My most recent visit was to the Phoenix Theatre Company to watch Jersey Boys, and I must say, the…read moreperformance was truly electrifying! The talent, energy, and passion displayed on stage from the beginning to the end were incomparable. This has become one of my go-to places for entertainment...

Definitely an interesting experience, but I admit straight away that this experience is a little…read morepricey. I like the fact that there are daring enough to challenge the audience with nudity (both male and female) in a very tasteful artistic way and I'd give them high regard for that. It honestly reminds me a lot of what the Greeks used to do through the history of their plays and performances. There were a few minor things that I had disagreements about when I went. First off it may have just been that performance but the play I attended just didn't see them that well written. Again it could've been a bad play on this attendance and it doesn't mean I won't give it another chance to see if the writing of gotten a little better. On a positive side, it was good to see them use actors who are new to the acting experience to get them seasoning. So when you go you will definitely see local upcoming talent on stage. The other negative part I have was the sound quality. They had to use headset with microphone which I thought took away from the experience of watching one on stage. There are a lot of feedback issues, dropped sound quality, and the likes which took away from the experience. I think though this too could be rectified with a little work backstage for the next time. I would like to go again and see what they have to offer. Definitely This place gives you a whole new perspective to the idea of theater which I think is a good idea. It is a pricey ticket though so be forewarned.

As the self-appointed king of events, I'm back at it with another review of a venue. This time,…read moreSymphony Hall. Located in downtown Phoenix, this venue, you guessed it, houses the Phoenix Symphony. Though that's not all. They also host ballet performances and opera performances, too. I've stopped by three times for matinee performances on Sunday: the Mask of Zorro (opera), a Dia de Los Muertos performance (symphony), and Rick Steves' Europe (symphony). Since this is downtown we're talking, parking isn't easy. You'll either have to park in a garage/surface lot or on the street. I'm morally opposed to paying for parking, but I've had to shell out a couple of dollars to use metered parking ten minutes or so from the venue. Minus the parking difficulties, the rest of the experience is pretty awesome. You go through metal detectors to get in, but the line moves fast. They have complimentary water, which is always a nice touch. There are multiple areas to buy refreshments and snacks (beer, wine, liquor, soft drinks, desserts, coffee, etc.). And most importantly, the theater is beautiful. Pretty much every seat in the house is solid. And the prices tend to be affordable. They also have a nice variety of performances throughout the year. As a lover of the arts, Symphony Hall will continue to be a frequent entertainment option for me. If you've never seen a symphony performance, ballet, or opera, I highly encourage you to give it a try!

We came to symphony hall for our first ever orchestra experience - Shostakovich symphony 5. It was…read morea very nice hall. We picked up our tickets at the box office and went through security check through the metal detectors. It was a very smooth and easy check in process. I would recommend looking at their site on what you can and cannot bring. Inside the hall, there were many vendors selling wine, coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. They also had a complimentary water stand which was nice. There were restrooms towards the end of the halls and was super clean. All the staff were super friendly. The only downside to this venue is that you must pay for parking. There isn't really complementary parking and I didn't want to pay, so we parked 15 minutes away and walked over. Overall, a very nice venue and had a good experience!

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!

The Nash is a cool experience, especially if you go on one of their reduced price events. It is…read moreamazing to have a live jazz venue with established, touring musicians, as well as local artists with real talent. Since the remodel, it has a really swanky vibe that gives you that jazz club feeling. (Just bring a sweater because it can get really chilly in there!) Unfortunately, the drink situation is a bit of a racket. You cannot get water without paying for it (they only will sell pricey bottled waters), and even if you're just getting soda water from the fountain, they will charge your four dollars for a refill! My husband paid $12 for 3 small cups of soda water with a bunch of ice on a recent visit. You can buy cases of seltzer for that price! Their cocktails and wines are on point with other local establishments, but charging $4 for water - especially in Phoenix - feels a little scammy.

Coppers Blues is so cool and great to grab drinks as well as enjoy live music! I think I've gotten…read moremy boyfriend hooked on this place because every time we go out he wants to make a stop here lol. They have fun cocktails, delicious food, and the service is always really good!

After watching a show at Stand Up Live Phoenix, we stopped by the Copper Blues pub. It was honestly…read moresuch a vibe and the music performance was absolutely incredible. Service was quick and the drinks were great. I absolutely love it here. We were able to sit right up at the bar without having to wait or have a reservation. The bartender was fabulous. She was very prompt with service. The menu has a wide variety of drinks and food. Highly recommend it.

$75 for each ticket all fees included. Interactive murder mystery dinner complete with salad,…read moredrink, entree from choice of three, and a scoop of ice cream. Paper awards. Fun vibes. Great performers! Went with three gfs, will bring my husband back next time

What a fantastic experience; I cannot say enough good words to express how thoroughly engaged the…read moreactors made everyone feel. Kudos! The party, an 80's themed mystery, in Las Vegas, was facilitated by Valarie and Toni, and they pulled it off with flair and style. The ability to begin with cocktails and appetizers gave everyone involved a chance to mingle & created cohesive detective pairings for total strangers. Time went fast and it was saturated with twists and hidden clues. I had such a good time. *Highly recommend for anyone wanting to throw a unique party. Most excellent!