This is one of my favorite movie theaters to go to. They have a nice size theater that can seat…read more460 people or so. Do you want to know what makes this theater so great? Are you listening? Well here is my opinion. 1) You can bring your own snacks, popcorn, drinks, Bojangles, or Wendy's and they are not going to kick you out. 2) They sell concessions dirt cheap. You are actually willing to buy stuff. You can get a drink and popcorn for under $3. Doesn't that beat a $12.50 combo at other theaters. 3) The ticket price. $2.50 for non students, and $1.50 for students. I am not sure if that price is just for NCSU students, or all students. 4) If the above mentioned price is too much, then check the website. They show entire series of films for FREE. If they show a never been released advanced screening of a movie, it will always be free. And many times they will have the director, actor or somebody from the film there. Zach Galifianakis showed up for one of his screenings, after all he did go to NCSU. 5) You can take your kids to the movies there for all of the family friendly movies. 6) All the movies are free during the summer. You know where I will be. Grab a pillow and blanket, head to NCSU and get comfy for your movie. Really, I have seen people walk into the theater with pillows before. I check out their schedule at least once a week, since they do add stuff at the last minute some times. If I am in the area, I will walk in, and check their table in the front lobby. They often place free goodies and promotional items on it. Even free passes to other movies will be placed on the table, so it is worth checking out.

Witherspoon Cinema is the best deal in Raleigh for a movie. There is a guaranteed 2 films a week,…read moreshown on Thursday's and Saturday's. The movies are free and there's free popcorn. Lately the theater had been getting crowded again which really brings back a fun atmosphere to the theater, people clap, and shout, and go along with the movies. The schedule for films can be found online: https://orgs.ncsu.edu/uab/films-schedule/

Burning Coal Theatre is located in the Oakwood Neighborhood in Downtown Raleigh, NC. It even offers…read morefree parking in an adjoining lot. It is located inside the Murphey School Auditorium. The Murphey School was built in 1908 and is the oldest school building that is still standing in Raleigh. It holds a lot of history; in 1960, the Raleigh City School Board met in the auditorium to desegregate schools. The Murphey School admitted an African American student to integrate. The school was closed in 1977 when Wake County took over the school system. In 1991, the building was converted into housing for low-income seniors. The auditorium was not used, though. Burning Coal raised money, took over the space in 2008, and secured a permanent home. The auditorium was converted to a black box theater with about 150 seats. The building was preserved and kept some features like the exposed brick and the 3-sided balcony; the lobby bar was constructed from reclaimed historic wood. I got the opportunity to see a performance of Once at the theatre. Seating is first come, first served rather than assigned. Tickets run about $30 a piece. There is a lobby that sells beverages and snacks before the performance. But only water is allowed inside the theatre. A line forms, and you get inside the theatre from the line; a few people were trying to cut. They did have a lot of the front row reserved, so it isn't totally first come, first served. The first floor seating was on raised tiers and surrounded the performance area. The balcony was also utilized. In Once the cast are both the actors and the orchestra, playing guitars, mandolins, violins piano and the drums on stage.

Some of the most memorable evenings begin in places you could easily drive past…read more That was our experience at Burning Coal Theatre. Tucked inside the historic Murphey School building in downtown Raleigh, the theater's exterior carries the quiet charm of a former schoolhouse with hints of an old church. It's understated in the best way. A bright red door and simple banner signal that you've arrived somewhere special, where the performance not the façade is meant to take center stage. Inside, the atmosphere is refreshingly unpretentious. The lobby feels welcoming rather than formal, and before the performance began, one of the staff members struck up an easy conversation with my husband that immediately made the space feel like a neighborhood gathering place instead of a traditional theater. The intimate performance space wraps seating around three sides of the stage, creating remarkable proximity between audience and actors. There truly isn't a bad seat in the house. We attended *Shadows in Red Light*, a concert presentation of a new musical by Roné Sargent set against the backdrop of New York City's AIDS epidemic. At its heart, the story follows a mother who believes she is placing her infant in temporary foster care and the daughter who, years later, searches for the woman she believes abandoned her. It is ultimately a story about hope, sacrifice, belonging, and the many ways love can endure through unimaginable circumstances. What impressed me most was how little the production relied on spectacle. There were no elaborate sets or dazzling lighting effects competing for attention. Instead, the performers carried every emotional beat through their voices, expressions, and presence. It was a reminder that exceptional theater doesn't require excess it simply requires extraordinary storytelling and gifted artists willing to trust it. During intermission, I noticed the same level of care throughout the venue. The facilities were spotless, the bar offered a thoughtful selection of beverages, and the overall experience felt relaxed and intentionally curated. We skipped drinks only because we were excited to get back to our seats before the second act began. Parking was plentiful, the staff was warm and welcoming, and every detail contributed to an evening that felt both intimate and unforgettable. In a city with an ever-growing arts scene, Burning Coal Theatre remains one of Raleigh's quiet treasures. If you're looking for theater that values substance over spectacle and storytelling over production value, this is the place. We'll absolutely be back.

This is the review for the Garner Preforming Arts Center. This is the Old Garner High school that…read morewas built in 1920. Amazed by the upkeep considering how long the building has been around. A decent space to attend any performing arts show. I attended a play. The seating itself was extremely comfortable. I had a perfect view after others in front of me decided to swap out their seats. The staff working concessions seemed rude and unreasonable considering they've failed to keep up with the times and technology. For concessions purchases they only take your physical card. This is unreasonable. I recommend technology update to a CashApp, Venmo or tap option because not everyone is carrying cards around these days.

We came here for Chip Coffey's Coffee Talk last night. Its in the Old Garner High School, a…read morestately brick building which was built in 1923, located right across from the old Train Depot. I do believe it now serves as housing for senior citizens, but it also has a really nice auditorium which is rented out for private and public events. The seats were comfy with plenty of legroom. They have a Refreshment Booth where everything is $1. I like that! This is a better description of the Auditorium from their website: The 471 seat Auditorium contains an expansive stage and backstage area, cushioned seating, fly space and rails, separate dressing rooms with restrooms, a green room and loading dock. For more intimate gatherings, the beautifully appointed front lobby, seating 60, and backstage lobby, seating 30, each provide a backdrop to celebrate a special occasion. A piano, podium, limited number of tables and folding chairs may be used for no additional charge. Facility may be reserved by contacting the Garner Performing Arts Center at 661-4602.

A small group of us went for the Christmas Jubilee. It is a nice feature for the town of Selma…read more There is street parking only but it seemed adequate. The Saturday show was almost sold out by the looks of the crowd. The performances were good and it was an enjoyable afternoon. It is a good location for family entertainment! Check it out

The Rudy Theatre opened in Downtown Selma, North Carolina in 1998. Thankfully it survived the…read morepandemic when it was closed for well over a year. But it has been back open for a few months now and is currently having the Christmas Jubilee shows that combine music and comedy. I've only been to the Christmas shows but I was informed that there are four different shows each year. A Country show; an Easter Show and a Summer show. Besides the shows The Rudy puts on they do have performers come and have there shows at the venue from Elvis music to Bluegrass to Beach music. The theatre has about 500 seats. I've sat in the middle of the floor level before; the front row and this time I decided to try out the balcony. They do the sound and lights up in the balcony so you can see that too. The balcony does requires walking up stairs. I found the seats in all the sections to have good views. Parking is street parking but there was plenty available on the surrounding streets. The lobby has a concessions area and the prices are reasonable. The staff is really friendly and helpful too.

Totally worth it for a great family outing…read more You can basically get any seats and your view will be good. We got the cheapest seats in the house and we saw the show just fine! The water shooting up in the show makes the circus show special and fun.

So much fun! If you're unsure if you want to spend the money, get cheaper seats. You'll be able to…read moresee just fine. We got front row seats and we were in the splash zone lol...but it was so cool to be right in the action.

The North Carolina Symphony is fantastic! They ALWAYS put on a great concert. So entertaining. I…read morealways enjoy going to the symphony.

Orchestra (not symphony!) itself is goos. Box office - when you can access - is indifferent and…read moreuninterested in problems with being able to buy tickets. I had trouble doing so for single tickets all weekend. Also, they seem not to want to talk to you, as the contact # for the box office is hidden somewhere on their website. Also, I have a problem with using Ticketmaster for any purchase. Set up your own system like they have at the Philadelphia Orchestra site which I used for years before I moved to Raleigh.

Opening night was a blast! Let's get into my personal haunted endeavors metrics:…read more Spookiness: 10/10 so scary, much more panic inducing than Panic Point, on par with Woods of Terror Scare actors quantity: could've been more Scare actors quality: 10/10. They were terrifying and got in my face. One of them spooked me so good I tried to high five him and he was so respectful of the no touching rules that we air fives instead. Set design: 6/10. There were several rooms of pitch black darkness with no indication of where to go so I kept walking into walls. That might be the kind of spookies you, person reading this, might like though! Wait times: zero waits Clear signage: lacking. It was unclear how many houses there were/separate lines because several houses are on one trail. The Internet came in clutch. Access: having to show my phone to scan at every house was a bit annoying. What if it died?! All in all, my advice is: GO OPENING NIGHT. EVEN IN THE RAIN. The scare actors were SO ready for the jump scares that they had to hold in all year. The design and entire place is awesome, just make sure you look at a map and figure out which houses are where when you get there, show up with a fully charged phone with your tickets, and be ready for some serious darkness. I'm so happy this was my first adventure of the season!

Awesome set design and experience. Very fun for two adults and two teenagers…read more We bought the fast-pass and it was well worth it. Bring cash for parking, t-shirt, and drinks. The main attraction is a mile long walk through multiple themed houses. The actors are believable, intimidating, and hide in all the right places. Jump scares are guaranteed. The path is very uneven, music can be very loud, and groups of people get clustered together. We saw young kids crying. I would rate this experience PG13.

I went to see the Paranormal Cirque on a Monday evening. The parking was free and effortless. I…read moreenjoyed this unique experience. This was an immersive events that included thrill, horror, excitement and comedy. There were some surprisingly talented acrobatic moves in this Cirque. I enjoyed when they pulled people from the crowd to take part in the entertainment. Some scenes were super entertaining and others left me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed this event. It was a bit long though. A solid 1.5 hours was good enough for me but after 1.5 hours they took an intermission and I left. I had seen enough! It's only so much of the thrilling shock effects I could take lol. I do recommend attending this event as a date or just a night out. Worth the price and the seating was decent.

This was my first time at the show and was pleasantly surprised at all the preparations, costumes…read moreand staging. The little horror house upon entering the tent was a nice touch. I was disappointed about the cash only policy, that should have been boldly posted repeatedly in advertisements and ticket purchasing. Freddy Kruger and Micheal Meyers silently siding in vacate seats next to people was hilarious. I had a truly fun experience and look forward to next year!