The Worst Theatre in the US- Page 2

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 11:31am

The Auditorium Theater in Chicago is beautiful!
Great to see a concert or dance... but the balcony/Mezz is SO far away from the stage! Not good for theater... but... they don't really run much theater there since it was taken over by Roosevelt.


kmc

[cubanito2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 1:25pm

As far as South Florida goes, the Broward Center really isn't that bad. It's WAY superior to the Carnival Center in Miami, IMO. The Carnival Center looks like an office building or a mall from the outside. Every show I've seen at the Broward Center has just been a better theatre going-experience than at the Carnival Center.

[dburns08]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 2:00pm

Last year I saw the Chicago production of 'Light in the Piazza' at the Auditorium Theatre. Not only was any sense of intimacy lost from the production, but the acoustics were simply awful. This theatre should be used only as a concert or pageant hall and not as a venue for musicals or touring productions.

As for South Florida, I prefer the Carnival Center in Miami over the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale. The Broward Center's decor in the upper regions of the actual theatre (with lattice-work lining a portion of the roof) resembles a barn-like environment). Also, the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach is equally as beautiful as the Carnival Center as far as interiors go, but the exterior is the most beautiful I think I have ever seen.
Updated On: 8/3/08 at 02:00 PM

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 2:32pm

Definitely Wolf Trap's Filene Center. Horrible acoustics, really long rows.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 2:42pm

Our two huge touring houses in Seattle are both beautiful, but lacking in view and sound quality. Both are longer than they are wide, both are converted movie houses (again, gorgeous, just alienating to sit in), thus providing an awful view anywhere beyond the first 10-15 rows.

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:00pm

The absolute WORST THEATER in the country for tours is the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT. I don't even think they book shows anymore. My god is it terrible. HUGE and feels like an arena or convention center. And the worst accustics in the world.

[musicandtemiror]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:11pm

Not the worst but The Academy of Music in Philly...depending on where you sit its great and horrible.



I sat 5th row in orchestra for Wicked there and it was an amazing experience. Now on the other hand I saw the Lion King on the VERY side of the balcony and couldn't see a thing. Half of the stage was hidden. And not to mention my Hairspray experience when I was stuck behind a pole and was constantly moving from one side of my chair to another.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:14pm

I agree with the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Simply HORRIBLE for musicals. I once bought a seat in the balcony, and a huge pole was in front of me. If I just sat normally, I'd be staring at a beige pole for 2 and half hours with no view of the stage whatsoever (thank goodness I was able to change seats). For people that have never been to this theatre, it'd ALMOST be like watching a Broadway musical in Radio City Music Hall.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 03:14 PM

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:32pm

The Academy in Philly is stunning, with a spacious (and gorgeous) lobby. Sitting in the orchestra is great. Sitting in any of the balconies is tragic.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:38pm

I've always sat in the balcony at the Academy of Music, and it's fine as long as you are in or near the center. If not, you won't be able to see a thing.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 3:39pm

I was going to say the Opera House of the Kennedy Center as well. Orchestra was fine, if large, but when you get up to the second tier, it's awful. My seat was on eye-level with the chandelier. When I craned my neck to see down, I had a better view of the orchestra pit than the stage.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 03:39 PM

[showprince2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 4:06pm

I couldn't agree more! I go to the Ahmanson whenever possible

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[philly03]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 4:59pm

The Academy really is the worst I've ever been in, especially balcony wise! Don't even talk about how they'll sell you a "partial-view" seat when sitting NOT DIRECTLY behind a pole, but somewhat split between the two 3/4ish.

I don't remember why they decided to switch over to that full-time now, why not use the Forrest (ACL is going there...don't think I've seen anything there since Phantom 2 years ago!)....it's beautiful, and the way upper balcony is reallllllly bad, but its better than a lot of the seats in the Academy! (The Forrest is above!) The Walnut is another one of those entirely bland theatres. Nothing spectacular about it at all...it's too bad they can't move into the Forrest!

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:10pm

The problem with the Forrest is logistics.

It's incredibly time consuming to load-in a show there because the dock is actually on a side of the stage adjacent to the neighboring hospital/clinic. You have to back the trucks up INTO the hospital garage! THEN the dressing rooms are IN ANOTHER BUILDING that one must either cross through the alley, or go through an underground staircase to get to.

Because of the difficulty loading in/out of the Forrest, most shows need to run at least a month there, and the Philly market (with a few "Big Show" exceptions) usually can only house a tour for 2 weeks or so.

It's unfortunate because the Forrest is a GORGEOUS venue! I had a great time at that theatre for 2 or 3 months back in '03.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:35pm

The Keller Auditorium in Portland, OR is pretty terrible too. Most shows get lost in it because it's so huge (2,992 seats). Even big shows like Wicked and Phantom can seem smaller because of how wide the theater is. And if you're not sitting in the first 10 rows in the 3 center sections, you feel like you're miles away.

This is the view from the stage:


And the view from the front of the first balcony:


There have also been a few times they've booked shows into the Schnitzer which, while also seating close to 3,000 at least has some character.


I don't know why for smaller shows like Avenue Q, Spelling Bee, Sweeney Todd, etc., they can't book them in the Newmark which is not only much nicer aesthetically speaking, but is much more appropriate for shows that size.

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:41pm

Is the Newmark owned by the company that books the tours into Portland?

[thejcm]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:43pm

[IMG]

[IMG]

Definitely far from the worst, but Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center for the Arts is so boring! And orange! It's where I see most of the touring shows that I've seen and I can only afford to sit in the balcony most of the time (unless the tickets are a gift, then they're usually better).

I definitely have to use binoculars to really get into the show because from the balcony you can't see a single facial expression!

I've only been able to sit on the floor for a couple of shows there and it's been great, but man, the balcony sucks. I feel like I'm 1000 miles from the stage.

It also has that problem of no aisles down the middle sections so you have to walk across about 100 people to get to the middle.


[IMG]

Now, the Louisville Palace on the other hand has great seating, plus the advantage of having many aisles. Unfortunately, it rarely houses the touring shows. The only shows I can remember being there recently were RENT last year and Avenue Q this year.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:45pm

Yes it is, TourBoi. They own the Keller, Schnitzer, Newmark, a small 200-seat theater and a block-box theater.

[musicandtemiror]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 5:45pm

I saw Avenue Q at the Forrest and loved it
I had PERFECT seats
Front row in the Mezz

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 6:04pm

Odd, I saw Piazza at the Auditorium and loved it. We had fantastic orchestra seats, though.

I have no complaints about the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center where I live. However, the Oshkosh Opera House is a GORGEOUS theatre with one problem: it's too small for most touring operas and musicals! Now they mostly show musical movies there.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 06:04 PM

[tourboi]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 6:45pm

The Fox Cities Perf. Arts Center is FANTASTIC. Appleton has a real treasure in it.

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 7:26pm

any on that iloveflops is sitting in.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 8/3/08 at 11:36pm

Good Lord the Broward Center looks like a baseball stadium.

Tarrytown,NY Town Hall is not the worst theatre by any stretch of the imagination. It's very beautiful and very old but very uncomfortable. It was built in the late 1800's or early 1900's I believe and I think the seats were from that time also. I could barely fit onto mine and my knees were hitting the person in front of me in the head.

I think they just do concerts there now.

Updated On: 8/3/08 at 11:36 PM

[25th Annual Speller]

Posted: 8/4/08 at 12:38am

There is a horrible theatre in San Antonio... I think it was called the majestic.

[16andschizo]

Posted: 8/4/08 at 12:46am

in south florida, i definitely like the kravis better than broward.

I'd post a picture if i could figure out how to do that...