Darren C

Review of AT&T Performing Arts Center

This is a good venue for live theater. During the ...

This is a good venue for live theater. During the last few years we have experienced musicals, plays, ballet, opera, and even the Blue Man Group here. I love watching the chandelier and taking in the city from the outside balconies. Overall, I can always count on a fun evening here.

I really only have two real issues with the space. One, the stairs are rather scary when everyone is flooding out to leave. You can feel them and the landings bouncing just slightly. Second, the view from the top balcony can be a bit frustrating sometimes. Many of us can't afford the expensive seats so we are relegated to the cheap seats in the nose bleeds. In this particular venue this can be an issue if there is a lot of action that takes place at the back of the stage or, as I have seen a couple of shows, the staging at one point requires the actors to move to a raised platform. There was one show where I watched 10 minutes of feet and I was on the second row of the top balcony. I could hear them fine but visually it was a let down. I sat in the Twilight Circle once and, while the seats are usually super cheap, they are so high up that it's just terrifying.

If heights aren't an issue and you're okay with watching feet then go for the cheap seats. Otherwise you'll just have to find a way to swing the cost of a lower level. Trust me, even going down one level is a great improvement.