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Review of Durham Performing Arts Center

I am a second year Suntrust Broadway season seat h...

I am a second year Suntrust Broadway season seat holder and it is one of the best investments I have ever made. DPAC has done an amazing job partnering with theaters in NYC and securing some of the best shows to ever hit Broadway. My daughter is 12 and her love for theater and all things creative has EXPLODED since we began attending shows at DPAC. The most notable shows for us have been: Wicked, The Lion King, and Hamilton. When I was not completely mesmerized by these performances, it was a joy to watch the wonder that filled my daughters eyes.

DPAC itself is always organized and clean. The volunteers are friendly and helpful when you enter the building. Security is always present but not overbearing- you may not even notice them but they are there. Snacks are provided by Whole Foods and The Nutty Bavarian (my daughter's favorite) and there are drinks, wine, and beer available at each show. If you'd rather not spend money on drinks, which can get quite pricey, there are water fountains on each floor with disposable paper cups. Elevators are there for people who can't climb the stairs and booster seats are provided for those that are on the shorter side, my daughter still uses them at 12 years old. Over all the facility is very accommodating.

My only complaint is the bathrooms during intermission. It seems that when the building was designed and built they didn't take into consideration how busy DPAC would really be. They are always clean and there is an attendant present when you enter to make the line flow smoothly but the line for the women's restroom, on every floor, is ALWAYS impossibly long. So much so that it could cause you to be late returning from intermission. Which is not good because you are not permitted re-entry for 5-10 minutes while the play gets back underway. This problem could be rectified by simply making the bathrooms gender neutral. The men's restroom often has half the line the women's restroom does, or less! This is just my opinion though.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend everyone attend at least one stage play and one concert at DPAC in their lifetime. It's worth it and you won't regret it.