Located on the campus of Cal State Los Angeles, this complex is a center for the arts that has multiple venues to showcase performances across several spectrums. There is a large theater that holds a 1000+, an exhibition gallery, a smaller theater and an outdoor amphitheater. Utilized by students of the university and professional artist across the world. read more

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Great venue for entertainment. Visited for the jazz performance and enjoyed the acoustics of the space. Staff were all very helpful and friendly. Parking is $10 with fees total is $11.26 use QR code or kiosk by the entrance. Lot is right across the street with crosswalk to complex. Cocktail hour prior to the show in courtyard. purchase alcoholic beverages, non alcoholic drinks available, enjoy the charcuterie and dessert spread with backdrop for those selfies. Seating is spacious orchestra level or balcony section. Move over Kenny G The jazz band from Lincoln center was absolutely amazing! read more

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It all starts with parking. Arriving at the Luckman is like going to a party where the host either greets you at the door with a warm welcome... or leaves you standing outside in the cold while they finish their conversation. Unfortunately, this experience was more of the latter. A long line of traffic was backed up just to get into the parking lot. I assumed they were collecting money at the gate, causing the delay. Nope--just a single lane with no clear signage or directions. Once inside, you're left to figure out how to pay: wait in a painfully long line for the machine, download a vague app, or scan a QR code that leads you to the venue's parking site. I chose the QR code. "Oh great, only $10 for parking," I thought. Click, click, click... add my details. Then I see a $1 LA Parking Tax. Okay, $11. Click, click, Apple Pay... and here comes a mysterious $0.29 "convenience fee." Seriously? When does it end? I could go on about the other lines we endured--for tickets, for drinks, just to get in the door--but the parking ordeal alone was enough to inspire this review. And then, when the show ended, we joined the mass exodus of over 1,000 people trying to leave at once. Deep breaths... two, three, four... The few attendants on hand did their best to direct traffic, but it was nowhere near enough. This isn't the Hollywood Bowl; it shouldn't be this complicated. If I ever return to the Luckman, at least I'll know what to expect: long lines, vague directions, surprise fees, and a lot of waiting. Next time, I'll just pack extra patience... and maybe a snack. read more

Luckman Fine Arts Complex - Enjoy the view, you're going to be there for a while. - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What a great experience! New Orleans Jazz on campus at Cal State LA. To begin, parking was easy and close to the theater. The size of the theater is perfect, spacious enough but not too big where you get lost. It was a nice intimate setting, great acoustic and lighting. For our event, there were cocktails and coffee being served outside. We were allowed to take it inside which was great. Although, clearly there are slobs who don't respect and left their trash behind. PLEASE PICK UP AFTER YOURSELF! Don't ruin it for the rest of us. Ushers and staff were nice and helpful. Their production book showed several other artists and performances they have as well. It's a great theater. Highly recommend you go online to see all they have to offer. read more

Luckman Fine Arts Complex - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Located on the CSLA campus, so note that it is a college performing arts complex. Overall the complex has great acoustics, and the size is decent. We went there to watch a production of The Nutcracker during Christmas season. Note: Paid Parking. You can use either a kiosk or online app. Parking was ample when I went (non school hours). Not sure how easy it is while school is in session. read more

The Luckman is located on the campus of Cal State LA. It is pretty easy to fine and parking is great, unless you are disabled and then good luck. Parking is also a little too expensive. Once there, the place is quite pretty, plain, but pretty. It is also very clean. You may find getting in to be a tad irritating because the staff at the doors need training. They are not volunteers so they really should know what they are doing and how to direct someone. Again, if you are disabled I wish you luck. They have an elevator at the back of the stage and then there are still a few steps to get to the rows. The seating is pretty comfortable but way too close together. That goodness for AC. The sound is great and they have some good shows there. We will be back, but not if the same act is playing elsewhere. The ushers that help with seating are very nice. The theater seats about 1,200 people so you will be able to see where ever you sit. Have fun. read more

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Nice and clean theater! You have to pay for parking at a kiosk and they cover the water fountains. That will always put a bad taste in my mouth. read more

Luckman Fine Arts Complex - Water fountain covered - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Rogelio is extremely rude and almost gives you the impression like you're bugging him or annoying him. I understand every employee has a job to do but he gives off "f off" vibes. The other lady at the box office was the complete opposite, super welcoming and nice that's the reason I left 1 star if not it would be 0 all the way! read more

Such a great venue with multiple top tier performances. Located just minutes from DTLA this mid-large size theater is a must visit. Whether you are going to a performance, to their gallery exhibitions, or cultural workshops the experience is always welcoming. Best shows I've seen here: Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, John Waters, Maria Jose Llergo, Ballet Folklorico, Isabella Rossellini, Bernadette Peters, & Seu Jorge. I recommend joining their mailing list cause they offer free tix/discounts occasionally. Oh, the gallery may be small but it's FREE! There is no bad seat in the house and the acoustics are amazing. Parking is super easy and directly across from the venue. I can't name one other venue in LA that has parking this convenient and priced moderately. People who complain have obviously never been to other theaters of this caliber for a performance. You can pay via app but there is a pay station for all the boomers who can't keep up with technology. Cons: They need more food options or vendors cause there aren't any nearby and it would be nice to have a bite before shows. read more

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Super easy to locate, great parking that's right across from the complex and an intimate setting. I splurged on tickets that were pretty close up and they were amazing; however, I feel that anywhere in the venue would be great because it's quaint and intimate. Not much surrounding since it's at a school so if you're looking for things to do before or after you'll need to drive to get there. Otherwise, was very impressed with seeing a concert here and will come again. read more

I recently went to the Luckman Gallery to check out the VISUAL ALCHEMY exhibit. I was impressed by what various works for film were on display. The exhibit space itself is nice. read more

Luckman Fine Arts Complex - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Come on! Horrible sound man! I'm here to see kings choir and the singers' mics are to soft! Really????! I won't come back

I attended The Kingdom Choir performance last night. My expectations was inspired by the advertised reference to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan wedding, Actual choir was not the thirty voices but twelve. The harmonies were weak. I left during the intermission. It had been over 15 years since my last time at the Luckman. Sorry.... read more

The balcony isn't very accessible. There is an elevator, but it's a whole frustration. Not sure why they don't have more accessibility. And if you do go up there, don't sit in the first five seats of row CC. Obstructed view behind a bar thing. read more

Here for the Andy Warhol exhibit, and at first, it was a bit difficult to locate the gallery. It's tucked in on the left side when walking from the parking lot down the path to the theatre. There was security and a receptionist which made the experience more organized. The exhibit features a small mid-size collection. There are quite a few prints, but the primary focus seems to be the photographs and polaroids. The video section is a small glimpse into Warhol's office but wasn't too engaging. Overall it was a great stop for less than half an hour from LA to Alhambra to stretch the legs for a mini cultural field trip. read more

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Got the chance to see BD Wong at the Luckman Theater at Cal State LA... 5 stars!!!!! The Luckman Theater is not too small, not too big... the size is actually just right. It can seat about 1100 audience members with orchestra and balcony sections. Sat in the Orchestra Right section, Row K. I chose Row K because there's actually an aisle between Rows J and K, which meant not having to stare at someone's back of the head! If this row is not available, all other rows should offer a pretty good view of the stage given the cozy size of the theater. Balcony seating is also available, but I didn't get the chance to see the view since it wasn't open for the BD Wong event. The Luckman Theater opened in 1994, but even after 25 years, it looks brand new, inside and out. The seats were pretty comfortable, and the theater had an excellent sound system. Definitely will consider attending another show at the Luckman Theater in the future. Upcoming events this season that I am considering include Valentina from RuPaul's Drag Race on January 25th, John Waters on June June 2nd, and Sheila E on June 6th, 2020. Check out the lineup at http://www.luckmanarts.org/events/. read more

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Not a bad seat in the house! Great place to catch some awesome talent, or in this case, be starstruck by a proper SUPERSTAR! Yass, Ms. Pattie Labelle was in the house!!! Of course this was a SOLD OUT event!! Sound was great. Seats were comfy. Parking was EZ. Can have the option to pay parking ahead of time. Get there early though to "chill" and grab a little something to drink. Cocktails were available for purchase. DJ music playing added to the ambiance. Police /security directing traffic which is nice. Facility staff very nice & helpful too. Taco trucks in the vicinity if y'all need to grab a bite afterwards. Ate at Don Chente tacos not too far away. Enjoy. Yelpers are helpers! read more

Luckman Fine Arts Complex - The one, the ONLY Ms. Patty Labelle - Performing Arts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hey, Luckman...what's up with running out of programs for the Bernadette Peters concert on March 9th??? I mean, it's not like you didn't know how many tickets you sold, right? And it can't be chalked up to you making a rookie mistake, since you've been doing this for quite a long time. Oh, and your ushers were short on help but long on attitude about it. It's all added up to a woefully frustrating start to the evening. #fail read more

Luckman is on the campus of CSULA. It's easy to find. It seems parking is ample and to pay, you have to know your license plate number. You pay either through an app or at 1 pay terminal. There aren't enough signs to tell you that you need your license plate number so if you go to the terminal you might find yourself going back to your car to get the number. This is frustrating and could easily be remedied with more signs throughout the parking lot. You need to know your license plate number in order to pay through the app or at the pay terminal/station. In the theater there is no compliance with ADA. There is an elevator backstage and I was escorted to it, but when I got off, there were still stairs to navigate. I use a cane so this was possible. Unfortunately my seat was right in the middle of the row so I had to walk past half a row to get to my seat (not their fault but still annoying and I needed to vent). The sound in the theatre is excellent. I could hear everything said or sang from the stage (I was there for a concert). The view was excellent, easy to see the entire stage. This is not my favorite theatre but all in all it's pretty good. Given the chance I'd go again. read more

Christmas can usually be equated with a classic ballet including sugar plum fairies and a toy soildier which comes alive in a little girl's dream. That's right: The Nutcracker. It was my boyfriend's mother's 65th birthday and her ballet school (yes she is STILL active in ballet) was putting on The Nutcracker for the holiday season and she was gung-ho about seeing it with us for her birthday. Off we went to the Luckman on Cal State LA's campus. I was new to the Luckman Complex as we drove onto campus (Parking lot C to be exact which charges $1 for 15 minutes of parking); but my boyfriend is an old alumni having graduated from LACHSA (class of '97). The first striking feature of the complex is the architecture: grand yet modern, collegiate yet artistic. One can imagine business events or drama features alike roaming the complex. These highlights make sense as the Luckman was built in 1994 by the same firm who constructed Madison Square Gardens and LAX. The Luckman welcomed me with a warm but rather small (in terms of what I was expecting) lobby with usher employees milling around. The employees were obviously high school students and not the most kind or helpful but what can you do? I suppose they tried their best. With tickets in hand, we waited for doors to open to be seated which made for perfect restroom time. Ladies, let it be known that the Luckman's bathrooms are terrific. If you are weary of public restrooms like myself; you will be calmed by the many-stalled, many-sized mirror collection, spacious, clean, bathroom. What a sigh of relief! A major bummer, on the other hand? The Luckman doesn't allow cameras, photography, or any recording devices in the auditorium (although they do not check your purse). The auditorium itself is quite nice. Seating 1,152 patrons; seating is well designed so that no posts or beams block anyone's views. Lighting and acoustics are top-knotch and the stage is large. On the negative side, it is FREEZING so I suggest a sweater or jacket. Not to mention the seats are uncomfortable and squished while the other audience members are more annoying than a whining little brother. Let me elaborate: our "hell section" including a crying baby, another baby whom kept coughing mucus onto our backs, a girl who kept kicking our chairs, an old lady eating food out of a rustling bag in her purse, and another lady who clearly didn't care that they announced a no cell phone rule! Yes, this may be have been specific to our performance's audience but it seems to be more descriptive of the attracted patrons of the Luckman as other reviews have complained about similar situations. Luckily for us, some seats were open elsewhere so we moved after intermission. The creative aspect of the Luckman is that it literally is a "complex" featuring a smaller 300-seat theater (the "Intimate Theater") and an art gallery open to the public on Monday- Thursdays and Saturdays from 12-5pm (we plan to go back to the Andy Warhol Polaroid exhibit in Jan-March 2013). There is a also a garden area which along with the gallery, auditorium, and main stage; can be rented for events. Overall, the Luckman is not too different from other university stages but does have a bit more prestigious aire to it which can't necessarily be pinpointed. Perhaps it is the architecture or perhaps the art-drenched vibes of LACHSA filter through. Either way, it is worth a visit. I just hope you don't also end up in the "Hell Section". read more

The glitz and the glamour doesn't escape this college-bred theater, it has enough charm to make you feel as if you were at any high-end playhouse. Besides it state-of-the-art facilities, this place has a suitable parking structure close by. I didn't know what to expect since it was on a college campus but was pleasantly surprised! The inside is massive boasting a seating capacity of 1,152 and a 48-foot wide proscenium, which makes any seat in the house optimal for viewing. I was fortunate enough to see the Nutcracker and had balcony seating. The view from up high was great and I was able to see each act effortlessly. The play was great especially because the cast members were so young and adorable. And the ballet was amazing some scores more moving than the other but overall really amazing work. ONLY con is that they do charge same price for kids and adults. Also they allow small babies which did cry during the show but there was no urgency to escort the woman out. The baby cried for a good 5-8 mins before the woman left on her own accord. Overall the Luckman is a beaut and a great venue for any play. Clean bathrooms and friendly staff, you really couldn't ask for more from a complex....well maybe a no baby rule. read more

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I have the convenience of this venue being on the campus where I attend schools, and they occasionally have some amazing acts perform. I am kicking myself for missing Sinead O'Connor, but I recently saw one of my favorite philosophers and black activists, Cornel West, speak. The facility is beautiful, despite the rest of the buildings on campus being ravaged by time. The seats are comfortable, and there is a good view from each vantage point. I was seated in the balcony/mezzanine area and was still able to see fine. The staff is friendly and very accomodating. I would definitely see another show here. read more

What a wonderful place to see live music! I loved this venue. We went on a rainy night to see Punch Brothers. I love the band so I was VERY excited to see them live. And it couldn't have been at a nicer place. The Luckman Auditorium is like a mini Dorothy Chandler. I think that a string quartet or an avant guard bluegrass quintet would feel equally at home performing here. it's not really a get up and dance kind of place though, which is fine with me because I'm old! But the seats are comfortable!!!! There is a balcony but we sat on the bottom level and it seems as if any seat is a good one in terms of line of sight. And the acoustics are excellent. The sound was terrific. Best of all, the audience at this particular show were really into the performance and that made the concert that much more enjoyable! read more

Elegant venue for a concert. I felt like I was having an evening at the LA Opera or the Walt Disney Center but on a smaller scale maybe like a larger version of the Mark Taper Forum. That was my really bad attempt to give you a point of reference from venues I'm familiar with. Essentially It's theatre like seating for a concert. You have to sit in your seat be still and behave. If you squirm too much you'll probably affect the viewing pleasure of those around you so dancing in your seat is out of the question. Unless you are in the very back row like I scooted to because I needed to be able to squirm, throw my hands up and dance in my seat without garnering disapproving glances from the folks around me. Party in the back row. Woot! Woot! And because its such a small venue the seats at the back of the house weren't all that bad. I felt like I didn't lose anything and I gained tons by being able to properly groove to the bluegrass tunes of The Punch Brothers. Rock that mandolin Chris Thile your groupies are in the back of the house! We did sit still like statues and listened in awe when he covered Bach. Bluegrass and Bach = Badass. The Luckman has a relatively sophisticated lineup of events. I'm looking forward to their next event which features violinist Yann Tierson who scored the soundtrack for the movie Amelie. For that event I promise to sit still in my seat and behave. Checkout their calendar maybe you'll find something that interests you. read more

Situated 5 miles east of Downtown LA at Cal State LA is The Luckman Fine Arts Complex. I've seen many great art exhibits, (The international poster exhibit for peace and social justice and the enviroment was the BEST!), listened to mingus and miles tributes and last weekend was lucky to catch their 1 night performance of Raiford Rainers Modern Ballet- The Last Songs of Beethoven and the Avante-garde. Acoustics, lighting and seating are great. They also provide a variety of soft drinks, fresh coffee, nice tea selelction, wine and beer. Nothing too fancy but comfortable. Parking is a bit annoying if you're not familar with the structure. Just follow the signs and have 2 crisp dollars bills or quarters. read more

Located inside Cal State LA campus. I've been coming here every year to watch The Nutcracker. It's a beautiful production. The theater is really nice. It's big, very clean and the staff are very helpful and friendly! read more

I have now been to a number of shows at this venue (Kibbutz dance company, Tendersticks, Nortec Collective just to name a few) and having just returned from the Keren Ann performance I had to join yelp just to review this place because it's really an overlooked venue that often, at least in the last two years, has been programing some pretty amazing acts, often rivaling those performances found on the west side (UCLAlive to be exact). For a Cal State to compete with a top tear UC, well that is very impressive (graduating from a UC myself) and often the east side doesn't get the credit it deserves, and the Luckman theater deserves recognition for its efforts. I can only hope there are more performances like the one I saw tonight. Keren Ann was amazing, I absolutely loved the show especially the provocative opener, Chris Garneau, whose voice and songs are atypical but refreshing given all the safe predigested ballads that get recycled in so many different ways. The only thing that really could be improved are those tertiary elements like the food services, I wish there were more choices and possibly a few things that were healthy or even a litte more substantial then snacks. Lastly, the theatre's production (sound, lighting, organization) was amazing as well. read more

I love how some of the reviews fuss about the PEOPLE inside the theatre: um, hello! That's how you rate the venue? Silly. It was a beautiful space, easy to get tickets and clear directions. The performance of The Nutcracker through the Marat Daukayev Ballet was lovely! The lighting was magical and it truly brought back memories of watching this ballet as a child to celebrate the holiday season. I came to see my niece and though she was the highlight for me, what an amazing venue for such a talented ensemble of dancers! I definitely recommend seeing this troupe there - they are doing it again this season, December 7,8,14 and 15 - don't miss it! read more

Gorgeous venue. Very helpful staff. The concert sound was great. Downside, the bar wasn't efficient: it seemed like they had plenty of people servicing it, and anyway we left without drinks after over 20min of wait. Still it didn't spoil the overall impression. Thank u! read more

This venue is located inside the Cal State LA campus and conveniently close to major fwys. The only difficulty I experinced, was finding the actual theatre once I got in the campus. Parking was cheap and very close to the entrance of the complex. This weekend was my first visit to The Luckman and I loved it. It is a nice little theatre with great view of the stage and great acoustics. Seats are comfortable and I really enjoyed the balcony seating eventhough a seating arrangement is not very desirable for those attending a rock show. I was very pleased to be able to buy tickets for the show over the telephone. The box office staff member was very helpful and gave me a few recommendations on the seating. I would definately go again for another show as long as it is not a rock show. read more

Came for Warhol Polaroid exhibits. Must maze it onto the campus of CSULA but what a great find. Parking kiosk takes credit cards. Entrance to the exhibit was free. Marvelous cultural oasis. I hope they start booking some more events and performances. read more

i won a pair of tickets from flavorpill LA to see anoushka shankar and her group perform at the luckman fine arts center on april 21, 2012 at 8pm. the traffic around cal state LA was pretty nonexistent so there were no problems getting to the place from echo park, it's just a short hop over on the freeway. parking was plentiful and there is a lot of signage around that aid in navigation, it's all very well laid out and thoughtful. that's sort of where that lovely smoothness of the evening started to wrinkle just a bit. the will call line stretched the entire courtyard in front of the theatre and looked daunting, it took about 15 minutes to move through and the workers were a complete mess. i'm not sure if that's how it works for every show but if it is, they probably need to figure out a more effective/efficient method of distributing tickets. there was a food truck outside, serving auntie's native fry bread, and it seemed to be a hit with the patrons. there were definitely small groups of families sitting around tables, enjoying their delicious fried sweet treats. my boyfriend and i forwent all of that and headed into the theatre to investigate. it's a respectable size, about 1,100 seats, i'm guessing. it's not the newest and latest but it's nice and decent, it felt like the perfect setting for the concert we were about to see. we found our seats with the assistance of the genuinely sweet ushers and settled into the worst seats of the house (i guess that's what happens when you win your tickets). but even as the worst seats, they were actually fine. we were at the very back row of the balcony and had a good view of the entire stage. the location of our seats made for a somewhat stuffy environment though. we were at the very rear of the balcony, at the highest point in the building, and it was definitely warmer and the air circulation was just not enough. many people were using their programs as fans throughout the show and i don't blame them, i wish there could have been a better ventilation/circulation solution. i have to say that some of the other patrons at the show were quite rude, using cellphones to text and answer emails during the performance! i couldn't believe that these people felt it was perfectly acceptable to take out their smartphones and start fiddling with them while the music is reaching an incredible, dramatic build. the light of their screens was just as distracting as if they had decided to take a phone call, there is no way to ignore the intrusion of their phones. it's as bad as older patrons unwrapping little hard candies at quiet moments in the concert. but i digress. the concert was stunning. i loved the combination of indian classical musical with gypsy and spanish sounds. it was beautiful and the performers were entrancing, i especially loved the cajón percussionist- i kept watching him through the show because he exuded such joy and life in the way he played. anoushka was singularly spectacular and shredded on her sitar. it was all around great. read more

Really nice theatre. A good size such that you can't really get a bad seat. It's a little hard to find. When you get off the freeway you take Campus drive all the way to the end, and there is a big parking lot right near the building. read more

Came here on Sunday night for the Angelique Kudjo concert. Talk about energy and amazing voice. Anyway, not a review on her (she was fantastic!). The venue offfers good views and sound from most seats. By now, we have been to several concerts here and have sat in the balcony and the orchestra sections. Parking is right across the street, tickets easy to pick up, and overall a pretty good venue for smaller concerts and performances. read more

I have seen a few performances here and enjoyed them immensely. The venue is great and the sound is excellent. I am planning on seeing Chris Garneau at the end of the month and absolutely cannot wait. I will be attending more events in the future most definitely. read more

Amazing place for a concert. Large but not a bad seat in the house, wonderful acoustics. Easy campus parking structure $6.

Beautiful venue, great world artists, acceptable prices, magical atmosphere, close to Downtown.