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    Union Arts Center

    4.5 (111 reviews)
    Closed • Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Urinetown stage
    Eva M.

    Just like 5th Avenue Theatre, the ACT theatre is a long time institution to the Seattle theatre scene. They produce their own shows and commonly cast locally. Come here often enough and you'll recognize a few actors. The ACT contains two theatres within, the larger Goodman Theatre and the smaller Falls Theatre. Two different shows can be performed at the same time. I have had mixed experiences with the shows I've seen at the ACT. Some are a bit too ambitious, some are just weird, some are perennially popular like the Christmas Carol. Today's show is "Urinetown", a humorous and sometimes cheesy musical with likeable actors and the entirely show-stealing "Little Sally". Parking is on your own dime. Plenty to choose from in the area. Be sure to have $3 handy to buy a chocolate chip cookie. It's one of the best theatre cookies. The water fountain is functional dispensing cooled water, saving the world from some plastic.

    Jim P.

    What a fun way to see "A Christmas Carol" ! Seating up to 400, there is not a bad seat in the house. With me being vertically challenged, it is not unusual to have a view of the back of a head, not an issue here! The theatre is in the round with the play in the bottom of the bowl. Fantastic acoustics, amazing ceiling, architecture and stage props. This Sunday matinee experience was beyond all my expectations for a local live production. I definitely will return to the ACT for other venues! Many dinner spots nearby for the "after show" experience into the late night. I also enjoyed seeing the young people working to assist in seating before the show.

    Nicole Y.

    What a cool theater! I saw choir boy! Not mad at all about the steamy shower scenes! But back to the review. Lol. The Theater is amazing. I had no idea that they offer a limited number of value seats as low as $5 pr ticket and these were not obstructed view seats! The seating in this theater is so cool. Every seat has a great view! I highly recommend.

    Choir boys
    Ryen M.

    I really enjoy the intimate setting this provides. My husband and I have been to two shoes at two different theater rooms. The one pictured we saw Choir boys was amazing. The boys had incredible voices was definitely a bit adult of you don't mind full male nudity for your children then your fine otherwise bits definitely an adult show.. the staff are really nice when we went one of the vendors was from a local winery the two gentleman were the owners cannot wait to visit it. I do think it's pretty silly they still wear masks but that's small they offer them when you walk in.

    Kirstin H.

    Interesting theater space in the heart of downtown Seattle. It's a pretty intimate space best described as a black box theater, and has two floors of seating. Parking is a nightmare though, so arrive early to troll the streets.

    yankee tavern
    Tom B.

    Well, it all depends on the play you're attending whether you'll like the theater, right? But if you want to go to a play, just go. ACT is a fantastic facility with a great large-theater approach to what they put on the boards. They know they have to sell a lot of tickets, and they program their plays accordingly. They commission plays. They premiere plays. They develop playwrights. They hire locally and nationally. They cast locally and internationally. They develop talent that goes on to significant careers in bigger markets. They also attract returning talent from big markets, and retain great talents that just like being where they are. Sometimes the plays they choose can seem a little tame, but, overall, every season has several things worth checking out. For a big place that really wants to draw as many theatergoers as possible, that's a great testament to their ability to be fresh and interesting without misfiring too often. In terms of the theater itself, you can't ask for much better. Huge attached underground parking garage, right on a million bus lines. Great small theaters with interesting seating. Awesome high-ceilinged upstairs theater in the round, with sets and lighting always to a high standard. I've seen many very moving and funny plays here through the years, and will support ACT as long as they keep putting up such good productions. I highly recommend seeing something here no matter how experienced you are as a theatergoer. I will caveat this by saying that Seattle has dozens of theater companies that are more experimental/avant-garde than ACT; ACT is aimed at a somewhat more mainstream audience given its size. But it's consistently entertaining and often hosts genuinely great productions.

    Renee U.

    My first time here, thanks my girlfriend who goes yearly for the Christmas Carol. Pros: The theater is so quaint and very intimate. The entire time we were watching the actors, for that moment, we felt like we were very much a part of it. The bar area is also pretty nice, with a good selection of wines, sparkling champagne, bottle water, sparkling cider (they were put this round). Obviously drinking at any venue before any show is not cheap. Expect to spend $3 for a small bottle of water and $9 for a glass of wine. This is a little more reasonable that some theaters. There is also a coffee and snacks area if you are not a drinker. See picture for details. Cons: Expect to spend a pretty penny for ticket to the show, we sat in the second row and it was $80 per ticket (I don't think sitting in the back would be all that bad as it is quite small of a theater per my pictures)

    Trista H.

    I organized a group event for 13 people for Ham for the Holiday's. What an easy venue to work with. Group tickets had to all be purchased in one transaction. Since my party was over 10 people, the service fees were waved. Discover is an accepted form of payment when purchasing tickets. Parking can be found at: WA State Convention & Trade Center Garage Cost: $6 after 5pm and $7 during the day Payment Options: Cash and Credit Cards http://www.wscc.com/ Our show started at 8pm and the doors opened at 7pm. Theatre doors open at 7:30pm. At 7pm a lobby consisting of a full bar and snacks is available. Cash, Visa and MasterCard are accepted forms of payment BEFORE the show starts. At intermission, cash is the only payment accepted. You can pre-order/pay for additional drinks before the show and your drinks will be available for you at intermission, allowing you to also bypass lines. Drinks are allowed in the theatre; however, no food is allowed. This venue doesn't have a bad seat. Sound is great too. Thank you ACT for a night full of endless laughter and holiday cheer!

    Mark O.

    ACT is a fabulous theater company performing in a wonderful performance complex. We've seen a couple of World Premiere plays here that were as good as anything I've seen in New York, LA, San Francisco, Chicago or Ashland.

    Front row is close in the Allen theatre. Go with rows 2 and up.
    Lindsey T.

    Update: After visiting several other venues in Seattle and coming back to ACT three times, it is hands down my favorite theatre in Seattle. My review below sums up many of the reasons why, but I will just add that the patrons at this theatre are very well mannered (no talkers or chewers), the seats have such a great incline that even shorties can see, and the bathroom never has a wait. Theatre wasn't as cold on subsequent visits so it must have been a fluke on my first one. I still wish you could take beverages inside but I'll take this theatre over the others any day of the week! Also, we had an event pop up and needed to change ticket dates. Really easy to do! 5 stars all the way. Previous: Wow, I was so impressed with the acting and special effects in A Christmas Carol. It's been one of the best shows I've seen since moving to Seattle. The children were just as amazing as the adults. It was really superb. Although there was no intermission, the 90 minutes flew by. Our seats were on the front row, and personally, I thought it was a little too close for comfort. I would say row 2 or 3 if you like being close. Really, even the last row I wouldn't mind. It appears to be all good seating. There was some street parking right outside the theatre and a garage right next door for $7. The negatives to this place were: 1) it was FREEZING inside. Dress in layers! Most people kept jackets on. 2) they only allow water bottles in the theatre (although I read online differently; perhaps each show is different?) 3) the ramp getting up to the theatre was pretty steep. It's 3 floors and some older folks were struggling getting up and down. It was pretty rough for some of them. I didn't see an elevator but I would call and see if you're someone who might need one. This performance has made me want to be a member. I have one more show this season so I suppose that will be the deciding factor. I highly recommend seeing something there. Although the show was 5 stars, I am deducting a point for my negatives. Having a drink and several layers of clothing during a freezing 90 minute show makes a world of difference!

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    12 years ago

    Went there to see Beckett's" Waiting for Godot". It is a very intimate and lovely venue.

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    11 years ago

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    10 years ago

    The plays presented at ACT offer a wonderful variety of genres, and the ticket office staff is incredibly kind.

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    Page 3 of 3

    Ask the Community - Union Arts Center

    Review Highlights - Union Arts Center

    “There are 4 theaters within this theater, but I've only been to the Theater in the Round to see 'A Christmas Carol'”

    Mentioned in 25 reviews

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    The 5th Avenue Theatre

    The 5th Avenue Theatre

    4.2(257 reviews)
    0.1 mi•Downtown
    •$$$

    My mother and I had such a difficult time getting our tickets to pull up. Went to the ticket office…read morebut the lady working would not help with our issue! Told us she needed the email and well as the ID to use us the verified purchase when I had the copy of the email (shows us the verified purchase). After 20 minutes of dealing and not getting anywhere this security guy tells us that Molly (ticket checker and usher) she was able to help since the show was starting. She took th lead and handed us a card and said have a great show! This angel came out of no where and gave us 6th row seats to the Notebook! I hope this karma comes back to Molly ten folds! My mother walked in and gave a few workers $10 Starbucks gift card she always keeps in her purse. The night was a success and we both had an amazing evening thanks to her :) keep this prized employee around bc I will be come back for futures shows and hope to see her darling face again soon!

    Just got back from an absolutely traumatizing performance of "A Chorus Line" at the 5th Avenue…read moreTheatre, on this, the theatre's 100 years of operation. To say it was dreadful, boring, and unpleasant would be to praise what I was subjected to. I'd thought "Jesus Christ Superstar" had been an aberration, but no, it carries forward into the new season. It wasn't a positive that I decided to go to a weekday matinee which is apparently favored by the white-haired crowd; no disrespect to them, but it didn't help that the theater allowed everyone in and made them wait in the lobby (as in crowded, mob) without opening the theater doors until about 15 minutes before the performance...someone needs to think this through. The wheelchair bound and walker assisted were then let in first, making everyone wait longer and then dash to their seats before showtime; however, this was not a problem since the show started quite late, and even later because all the different entities had to stand up front and wax aplenty about their roles in the thratre/production. I should have suspected something like this would happen once they announced their new partnership with STG...the first thing that happened was that purchasing tickets became a problem...the second is the annoying availability of tickets only minutes prior to the performance via changing QR codes...the third was that Customer Service which had been quite good disappeared. But the real travesty has been the choice and quality of the shows. Not only are there fewer of them per season, but they are now "locally produced", whatever that means. The only way I can describe it is that it's the same junk that STG's other theaters churn out. Used to be, the choice of shows was unique, now it's all a regurgitation of old Broadway material, and not even masterfully done. The acting is atrocious, the singing subpar, the talent...well, to say it has evaporated would be an understatement. Still in shock, I just looked online to find that they have undergone significant budget cuts...and it shows! A Chorus Line was an absolute snooze; the substitute cast (I assume due to it being a matinee) was a joke, and the entire production was more like something one would see in a high school than in one of this city's prime theaters. Not sure how seniors managed to sit through two hours with no intermission. Very depressing, particularly compared to what it was not so long ago. I have one more set of tickets, and then I'm done, and I might try to dump these first.

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    The 5th Avenue Theatre - Auditorium

    Auditorium

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    The 5th Avenue Theatre - On stage: After Midnight set

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    On stage: After Midnight set

    Seattle Rep

    Seattle Rep

    4.4(80 reviews)
    1.4 mi•Lower Queen Anne

    I've come here several times now! I like this place…read more Note to people who are stuck in long bathroom lines: the one on the second floor is usually much, much emptier, so it's worth a check! I haven't really tried parking at the venue, instead opting to walk half a mile from the nearest Amazon garage (and since I was coming on weekends/ weekdays after hours, it's free!), but there is a paid garage that's pretty close by. Personally haven't really used the concessions stand (and find it expensive like most of these kinds of places), but I did notice they were kind of long :) They also sell merch! to support the Seattle Rep. I've sat in the far back corners (cheaper/est seats) and the show was still enjoyable! In case you wanted to visit but was worried about nosebleeds, the balcony seats really aren't bad at all. I watched The Play That Went Wrong and I have to admit that the balcony/far seats had a much better view of the whole stage and could capture more of the silly side stuff than when I watched it on the ground floor at a closer seat.

    What a nice venue! Right in the Seattle Center- I've walked by it so many times but this was the…read morefirst time seeing a show. The venue was super clean, loved the bar and snack area with lots of seating. Bathrooms were well maintained and lots of staff around to help and answer any questions. The show we saw was very good. The cast were so talented and to be honest I'm not a huge play person but I really enjoyed this show! Would love to come back and see what else they have.

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    Seattle Rep - Quixote Nuevo marquee

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    Seattle Rep - Stage

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    Seattle Rep - Little Women

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    Little Women

    Union Arts Center - theater - Updated September 2026

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