Can you spare about 30 minutes for experiencing a mini-buffet of Opera? "Opera for Lunch" is for…read moreyou then! They had little tables where you could set your box lunch if you ordered in advance or just bring your own. You could tell this was a very casual event and fortunately most people finished their meal before the two performers began, but there was still some paper rustling and chip crunching so maybe quieter food in quieter packaging would help in the future ;) I loved how before the performance the garage door style wall was up so we had plenty of fresh air and light, and I was impressed with the screen image of curtains on the stage which as you can see in the pictures, really gave an excellent trompe l'oeil effect! On January 28, 2026, Sam Krausz (tenor),Yichen Xue (baritone), and Wan-Ting Yu (pianist) were all superb, and Yichen Xue was a real hoot as he really got into his role in the Così fan tutte piece where he is trying to convince a woman that he is the best man for her so he flexed his muscles and mimed reading a book, and showed how he could dance and sing. Not all pieces had adequate introductory information which was too bad as it is crucial since there were no projected subtitles as we had hoped. The online program just listed the songs and which opera they were from, but didn't even give an English translation or any helpful context for the song, so I think that should be considered for the future. It would also be a great encouragement to attend their big production if they could have one piece from it, even if it's just some piano music to tease people into attending. Perhaps they could also offer a little perk like a 1/2 price drink at Symphony Hall if you show you attended the Opera for Lunch production. Cultivating new patrons with little perks is always a good idea.

Has a wonderful experience on Family Day at Arizona Opera. The very talented singers performed a 40…read moreminute version of Englebert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. I appreciated how they had multiple sign language interpreters, as well as overhead subitites in English and Spanish. My daughter had a lovely time and enjoyed the show. She said she enjoyed hearing the singing and the opera singers really do have amazing voices. Before and after the show there is a crafts activity. For this year they had a decorate your own hand drum and there was also a goody bag to take back which had a sweet treat, a music toy, lanyard and a few small fidget toys. The only negative is that there might be a lot of road closures if another event is going on downtown and the parking lot is a little small so it can fill up easily.

First, this place is situated a little weird. You can't really see the front of the building…read morebecause there is a parking garage immediately in front of it and immediately behind it. If you didn't know where it was you could miss it. That's the only negative thing I can say about this place. The lobby has plenty of seating areas with sofas, which is a really nice touch. There is a gift shop with many lovely gifts, and the concession stand with cocktails, wine, so does, and water is incredibly reasonably priced compared to other venues. What really makes this place stand out is that there is not a single bad seat in the house. The show we were at did not have a lot of choices left when we we're looking for tickets, and I was concerned that we would have bad seats. That is impossible here. This is a great venue and I'll be looking into more shows here because of the fantastic seating arrangement.

Derek the bartender is the friendliest face and warmest energy you'll feel when you step into this…read moretheater, whether you're grabbing a drink, a snack or simply saying hello. The shows are great, parking can be a challenge when busy but the garage just outside Az88 is a great option. Acoustics and theater layout are great.

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.

What beautiful hall! I saw the holiday pops show a few years ago and most recently Madama…read moreButterfly. My first opera. I was impressed.

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!

I've been coming to the Mesa Arts Center for years! For graduation ceremonies of the university i…read morework at. The staff are friendly and helpful. The sound engineers are very knowledgeable. There are two green rooms we use - both have the space to accommodate approximately 40 faculty members who make up the stage party. I sing the national anthem for the graduation ceremony and let me simply say how amazing their sound system is. There used to be no sound delay. The sound is crisp. And I think the sound system makes me sound even better than I really am!! lol The lobby area is spacious and great for after-ceremony gatherings. It truly is a great place! I also have contemplated taking some of the arts classes they offer. I haven't found time in my busy schedule but I do know they offer a variety if classes. I look forward to when I can take a class!!

My mom and I came here for the first for the Shen Yu. Great event we go every year but this year we…read moredecided to try the mesa location. We chose the sitting on the higher levels which we liked but don't chose the edge of the row cause then you can't see the side of the stage. Choose more in the middle. I was not happy with the bathroom stall I used. It seems when so many other people slam their doors my door became unlocked and opened on me while using the restroom. The bathroom was very clean!! The other annoying part was there was only one person working the concession stand. So we couldn't get anything. Cause our intermission ended by the time we got to the front of the line.

We went to see Million Dollar Quartet and it was amazing. These musicians killed it. The bass…read moreplayer almost stole the show. You really felt like you were in Memphis at Sun Studio with Elvis and the legends. Parking is free in adjacent lots. There is a bar with snacks and drinks open before the show, and if you want to order a drink ahead of time for intermission it will be ready and waiting for you. Great venue.

My wife and I watched a play for the first time today. It was a great experience. We watched…read more"Come From Away", a play about the town of Gander, Newfoundland who sheltered 7,000 people for 5 days after 9/11. It's a very nice venue. Parking is close (and free). If you like you can take the Light Rail there also. The Stephenson theater, where we saw the play, seats 500. There are no bad seats. The play itself was very well done. We thoroughly enjoyed it! We'll be back.

The Stray Cat always provides an entertaining evening. But the latest production, FETAL, is…read moreextraordinary. Not only is it a look at women's lives under stress, but the humor and anguish is expertly portrayed. Each character has a story to tell, and did so as only the women experiencing the anticipation of a Supreme Court decision could. Kudos to the actors and entire staff of Stray Cat -- as in everything, it takes a village. And Stray Cat has a village and more!

Inexpensive great theater. Easy parking with a great variety of shows. Always good. Central…read morelocation.

I bring my 6 year old daughter here. They practice in private rooms in the back where you cannot…read moreview them at all. My daughter really likes ballet and hasn't complained so I am torn to write this review but I don't think we will be coming back here. This is our third dance studio experience due to moving. The reasons for my review are this: First- the front desk lady is pretty rude... all the time. I don't think she is happy to be there. I think she manages it. Second- you cannot see or watch your child. You cannot watch them practice. I personally want to have eyes on her and watch her practice and she wants me to watch as well, it's exciting. This may be great for older children and adults to avoid distraction but I don't find it convenient for young kids. Third- mask mandate has been discontinued for some time and they enforce it. They enforce the kids and anyone in the lobby to wear one. Instead of asking nicely, it's more of a snarl "you need a mask to be in here, ugh!" Topped off with a glare and eye roll. Fourth- The lobby is small and I have always had to stand up waiting for her to be finished so I end up just sitting in my car.... not like I can watch her anyway. Fifth- the parking lot is extremely small it's very annoying. You will more than likely park on the main road. Not reason to stop coming here, but it's quite frustrating. Sixth- instead of telling me or teaching me how they want her hair to be done they scolded me in front of the entire lobby about how she needs to re do my daughters hair because the bun I had it in won't hold.... don't let your child come in with one of those donut bun thingies. I spent all that time putting her hair into a perfect freaking bun... how am I supposed to know if you don't tell me? Needless to say she was very annoyed. Maybe this is all routine for ballet but I have found it to be somewhat a toxic atmosphere so why would I want to come back? It isn't inviting at all. All of the teachers have been great with professional demeanor, smiles and always kind. Maybe they want to be super professional and this is why it's like this. I'm sure they'll come back and say "ballerinas need to be prim and proper and without distraction." So if that's what you're looking for then this may be the place for you. Be ready to park on the main road and have no where to sit. I just want to bring my little kiddo to a fun place to start learning technique. None of the other places have been like this. It's weird to see such a lack of friendly customer service. We will find a new ballet studio or a new activity.

My daughters loved dancing with Ballet Theatre of Phoenix this season! The show was very well put…read moretogether. They can't wait to go back. I am glad they are learning ballet technique in a fun way!

This is an amazing facility. The design and lay out is quite stunning. The small cafe and outdoor…read moreseating area is grand to enjoy a snack and adult beverage before the show. The theater was comfy. We did not care for balcony 2 - if you have height issues might stick to main level. Parking easy and validated. Restrooms spacious and on 2 levels.

As the self-appointed king of events in Phoenix, I've been to pretty much every major event venue…read morein Phoenix and surrounding areas over the past 10 months. And it's safe to say that Tempe Center for the Arts is one of my favorites. First off, you can either park in the parking garage a few minutes away from the venue by foot or you can park in the gravel lot that is a minute or two farther away. If you park in the garage, they will validate your ticket. Guaranteed parking is always a big win in my book. I've been to the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCFTA) twice. Once for a concert and once for a play put on by the Arizona Theater Company. Both have been A+ experiences. First off, the venue is located right by Tempe Towne Lake which makes for a picturesque location. The venue itself is just as beautiful with stunning architecture, both inside and out. It's clean. It's comfortable. The ushers are friendly. There is plenty of seating to hang out outside before the show, during intermission, or after. You can also hang out on the patio where there's a fire pit and seating. On a certain day of the week that's escaping me, they do an open mic night out there. I haven't tried any of the concessions, but they have a bar and some snacks. There's complimentary water. The theater is pretty intimate which makes for a better experience. It's designed well. There are even often some art installations you can check out. Overall, you can't ask for much better than this when it comes to an event experience! I've become a season ticket holder of the Arizona Theater Company, so I can't wait to be back!

Nice little theatre! Only problem was the air conditioning was a bit high but they turned it down…read more Whew. Great place and parking was ok, just be here early!

Nice venue, any seat works well. Friendly staff. Cute shows with talented locals. Please provide…read moresalty snacks.