We did an evening here watching the play Back to the Future. It's a fairly modern and large theater…read morethat was well designed when built. It's starting to show its age with things like worn carpet. Our seats were in the 'nose bleed' section and although the entire stage was visible we were quite a distance from the performance. Bathrooms were under built for the number of people. Concession stands were also under sized for the number of patrons resulting in very long lines. The play we saw was excellent, the theater needs some work.

TPAC has a great selection of events, between Nashville Rep Company, Nashville Ballet, and touring…read moreBroadway productions. Views and sound are great throughout the orchestra, grand tier, and balcony section. I also love snagging a deal in the loge section, with slightly obstructed views. The ushers are always very helpful in answering questions and assisting in locations your seats. The location of the stairs/elevators and the bathrooms create frequent bottlenecks around the theater. I also never purchase concessions due to the pricing.

Over the years I've heard jokes about "Community Theater" but this is the first time I've ever…read moreactually been to one. It's a unique, but fun, experience. Imagine coming to a friendly strangers house and watching friendly strangers perform a play for you in their living room. That's the Lakewood Theater experience. The better half and I saw 39 Steps, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The players do a wonderful job of telling a story with a bare minimum of props and some pretty decent acting. If you are looking for a Broadway experience, you'll probably be disappointed but if you are looking for some fun in an intimate setting I highly recommend it.

STILL SCRATCHING MY HEAD!…read more Let's be honest, Lakewood Theatre is a very small, very old, slightly neglected theater. HOWEVER, this little theatre really delivered when it came to their recent production of A Christmas Carol. My husband and I were simply bewildered by the talent here as it is a very small town and this venue does not exactly scream: Talent resides here! According to one audience member, the theatre has been around for approximately 30 years but the building is quiet a bit older and this is most evident with the seats. The wooden seats are super narrow and somewhat uncomfortable for those that are fluffier than most. They appear to be at least fifty years old. The production was very professional as was the cast. My husband and I both agreed that this group of talented actors and actresses deserve a larger and much nicer space. Regardless of the venue, the play did not suffer one bit. We enjoyed every aspect of it including the singing and instrumental performances. This play was perfect for the entire family and proudly represented the spirit of Christmas. Lakewood is a great little theatre and worth checking out if you are looking for great plays and performances.

I've attended two different productions at the Arts and Center Street. Both times I was overwhelmed…read morewith the talent and emotion that was portrayed on the stage. All of the productions were original content that was relevant and thought provoking. I saw on Facebook that they have a new production coming this fall. I can't wait to attend!

I went to see the new production last night: Alien. Not only did I laugh and cry and laugh again…read morebut I was challenged and provoked by the historically relevant issues presented in this one of a kind stage work. Original music, powerful lyrics, and acting that drew me deep into the story line. If I were not leaving the country today my wife and I would actually go back to see this musical again!

The Grand Ole Opry is the iconic venue that you really have to see if you're in Nashville. A…read moreperhaps lesser example is First Avenue/7th Street Annex in Minneapolis. It also doesn't hurt to have seen the Ken Burns Country Music production to add a bit of history and context to this place and Ryman. Auditorium. It's a decent Taxi/Uber ride out here (and back), with drop off and finding one to go back pretty easy. There are snacks and a gift shop here, but if you want to make it a dinner and a show, there are places nearby. Gayle and I, along with Erin and Jim attended the April 30 performance of Opry Country Classics. The Larry Gatlin (and Brothers) were the MCs, with the Opry band handling the backup music, and Charlie Mattos doing the folksy "Play by Play", all live on WSM (We Shield Millions) Radio. Performers were Janie Fricke, Hanna Dasher, Moe Bandy, and Daily and Vincent as the featured artist. It was a great show! We had a nice 4 seat pew near the front, the sight lines (direct and via screens) were clear, and the sound quality/mix was excellent. Daily and Vincent (with the guest banjo player) were fantastic and I've already preordered their next album. The only minor irritation was Hanna Dasher shamelessly promoting her cook book (Stand by Your Pan), but even that added to the high quality entertainment value of this show. I'd love to experience this again.

The Grand Ole Opry refers to a live country music radio broadcast, not a theater. Founded on…read moreNovember 28, 1925, it is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history, with over 5,200 episodes. The Grand Ole Opry has operated out of several venues, and since 1974, performances have been in the Grand Ole Opry House; previously, it was the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville between 1943 to 1974. This year (2026) is a special year, as the Grand Ole Opry turns 100, and on February 28, 2026, there was a performance to celebrate 25 year anniversary of the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" The movie is well known for its soundtrack, and it introduced bluegrass music to a new generation. Performing were several artists from the soundtrack, such as Alison Krauss (my fifth time seeing her!), Emmylou Harris, Dan Tyminski, The Whites, The Fairfield Four, and the actor Tim Blake Nelson. There were also numerous other artists performing songs from the soundtrack such as Old Crow Medicine Show, Billy Strings, Sarah Jarosz, Molly Tuttle, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, and many, many more. Even though I didn't know most of the performers, I really enjoyed the show. After the performance, there was a Q&A with Tim Blake Nelson, Dan Tyminski, and Chris Thomas King. [Yelp collections: Nashville, TN 2026; Plays, Shows, and Musicals]

The lovely and talent ladies of Nashville's Music City Burlesque are a reason to be proud of living…read morein this city. Beautiful and skilled burlesque dancers who make me proud to be a woman! Most of their performances are at Marathon Music Works, though I have also seen shows at Darkhouse Theater and Exit In (I have reviews for all the venues) but the Marathon shows are the best. They have a Cabin Fever show each winter which is worth braving the cold for. They have done special shows with the touring Suicide Girls and with local songwriters. The tickets are always reasonably priced so there's no excuse not to go. These ladies are not strippers. They are dancers, classical and edgy. So many people I know are nervous about going to one of their shows but these are classy, fun girls providing classy, fun entertainment. The crowds are energetic and great to be a part of. The dancing is about tantalizing, teasing, enticing...and it's fun! Their skits are a combination of dance and humor and beauty. I would highly recommend attending one of these shows. You will not be disappointed. I am proud to say I attend every show I can and I bring anyone I can with me, and everyone has fun...so check out their website and check out their shows!

True burlesque performers, with one eye focused on the origins of the art and another on the…read morecutting edge. These girls have it all! Every member brings their own style, grace, and energy to each act. There are the burlesque purists, the sex bombs, the comics and the alternative performers. If you are new to Nashville, a long time fan, or just passing through: add an McB show to your to do list.

What a GEM of Entertainment in City Square! Had no idea what to expect. Efficient check in from box…read moreoffice to getting seated. Concession Stand was just right for this venue. Theater layout is audience close and no bad seats, Sound & Lighting were perfect! We saw Cherry Bomb, Improv Musical the Sat Night we went. Laughed SO MUCH. Will book a play soon and have this local establishment on our list of regular outings.

From the owner: Hendersonville Performing Arts Company is Sumner County's non-profit community theater. We have…read morebeen in existence for over 25 years and have everything from shows to enrichment programs for youth to classes.

This is my favorite theater here in Nashville! They have so many unique movies as well as new and…read moreclassics. The midnight movies are always such a fun time! It's also great there is free parking included in your movie ticket. The only thing to note is that there is a small theater upstairs, so good to get those tickets early because they sell out so fast.

First time at the belcourt and it did not disappoint.. friendly staff, excellent seating and the…read moremovie was shown in 35mm film! Just a great experience!!

One Saturday in August of 2010, I was having lunch at Panera with my then-girlfriend now-wife. We…read morewere discussing our plans for the day, and what we could do in the evening. It so happened that my eyes fell upon a pretty grim and ominous looking poster tacked to the community billboard at the back of the Panera. "Twilight of the Gods - Great minds die alike." A play by a new theater company in Nashville called Blackbird Theater. Curious, I looked it up on my phone and found it interesting enough that I bought us tickets for that very night. Since that first night, we've seen 3 other productions by Blackbird Theater: Arcadia, Magic and their current production, Amadeus. Blackbird Theater is a Nashville theater company by Greg Green and Wes Driver. They bill themselves as theater for the "intellectually adventurous," - in other words they specifically select plays that are challenging - in their dialog, in their ideas, in their acting and also in their production. From my experience they certainly deliver on all these. Production quality: From their very first play, I've always been impressed with their production quality. From the stage, to the props and wardrobes, to the acting - they've always have managed to create scenes specific to their era and to the mood. Acting: They've also been very skilled at finding impressive talent for their roles: In Twilight of the Gods, they had to cast for Mark Twain, Rasputin, Annie Oakley, Nietzsche and more. When you've got characters who are so well known to the public, it's easy for them to appear as caricatures, but in every case I've found the roles to be very convincing. Play selection: While I've missed two plays out of the 6 shows they've now done, from the 4 that I've seen I would say that while I definitely appreciate the plays they select, they are also not for everyone. As I mentioned, they select plays which tackle difficult material - philosophical, scientific, mathematical. That being said, the plays are far from being college lectures - they are entertaining, they are emotional, and even thrilling. As an example: The first play they had put on, Twilight of the Gods, was written by themselves (Wes Driver and Greg Green). It's a murder-mystery with notable Victorian people as the main characters. To put it brief: Clue for Grown Ups. The premise is that a wealthy intellectual is able to find historical luminaries reincarnated into present day people. With some convincing, he is able to transform these people back into their former selves - upon which they take on the appearance and mannerisms of the figures. The man's goal is to create a more enlightened age by specifically choosing a set of people who were experts in their own rites, and can discuss issues in a productive way. These discussions begin to be interrupted as the people are suddenly killed off - one by one. I managed to catch their current production, Amadeus, on opening night. Having seen the film, I wasn't sure what to expect. To put it simply, I was blown away. It was profound material and delivered better than Hollywood. For a play to span more than 30 years of time means a lot of scenes, and for characters to age. The actor who played the lead role, Salieri, was incredible as he transitioned back and forth between the young Salieri to the old. Most importantly, they managed to capture the mood, music and emotion of the story in a way that was deeper than the film (I could hear sniffles and tears of the audience). My major criticism unfortunately is with the venue - Blackbird Theater has all its shows at Lipscomb's Shamblin Theater. The theater itself is not bad: I like its proximity to some restaurants and coffee shops you can visit during intermission, and the main area is set up with circular tables that give the stage production more depth as those at the tables often feel more immersed within the play. What is really problematic for me are the chairs - which is not something I'd normally complain about. Shamblin Theater's chairs are awful - they are stiff, and upright in such away that three-quarters of the way through the production, you find yourself with a stiff lower back, and neck. The chairs are so bad they can sometimes become distracting, as you can't find a comfortable position. All in all, I'll finish off by saying that I look forward to future productions by Blackbird Theater, and there's a lot that can be said about a theater company when my only complaint is with the chairs. I encourage everyone (even those who may be intimidated by the idea of "intellectual theater") to give Blackbird Theater a shot - they're a small, local theater company that puts on high quality productions with ticket prices far less than what you'd find at TPac.

From the owner: Blackbird Theater produces two shows a year - original works and rarely seen plays by artists like…read moreStoppard, Shaw, and Sondheim. Our Mission: To create entertaining, enlightening stage productions that reawaken audiences to the thrill of theater. Our shows will be intellectually challenging and imaginatively rendered, focusing on inventive original works, rarely produced plays by renowned playwrights, and one-of-a-kind special events--all of which celebrate the vitality and immediacy of the live theater experience. Blackbird - Nashville's most intellectually adventurous theater.

My husband and I and a good friend went to the Nashville Repertory Theatre for the first time last…read morenight to see "Inherit the Wind," a classic play about the Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee. The theater is small and intimate, and you have a great view of the stage from the seats. The production was wonderful, the theater intimate, and the experience delightful. I'll certainly be back at the Nashville Repertory Theatre the next time they have a play I'm interested in, which I imagine will be soon!

Turn your AC on in the Polk Theatre, pretty please?…read more I went and saw Spank on Saturday and the musical itself was amazing, but I thought I was going to have a heat stroke sitting there. Shew! I could hear a lot of people around me discussing the same issue too. I've never had any problems with the rest of TPAC though. It's a great place to see live theatre and I've definitely got my eye on some season passes for next year. They always have such wonderful performances. I also love they do Twitter deals for discounted play tickets. My love for TPAC can't be tamed.