1683 Best Performing Arts Venues in USA

One of the region's most highly respected and innovative repertory theaters, Berkeley Rep performs the work of classic and contemporary playwrights. Well-known pieces mix with world premieres and edgier fare. The theater's complex, which includes the 400-seat Peet's Theatre and the just-under-600-seat Roda Theatre, is in the heart of downtown Berkeley's arts district, near BART's Downtown Berkeley station.

Set on 2,000 acres of gently rolling farmland where the 1969 Woodstock music festival took place—not in the town of Woodstock, 60 miles away—this sprawling complex is what put the Southern Catskills back on the map. It's a gorgeous facility, built of stone and wood. First and foremost there's the 15,000-seat outdoor amphitheater that draws some of the biggest names in the business. The lineup is heavy with classic rock, but more modern names show here, too. The museum tells the story of the momentous music festival and the era that spawned it with lots of colorful exhibits and a wry sense of humor. It's a captivating and, to some, emotional experience combining film and interactive displays, text panels, and artifacts that recreate the unique experience of the original three-day festival. There’s a gift shop here, as well as a decent café.

The summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra, Blossom Music Center has become something of a Cleveland institution since it opened in 1968. Set inside the park's grounds on more than 500 wooded acres, the striking, triangular pavilion seats 5,700 people with room for 14,000 more on a sweeping green lawn that fans out from the pavilion in the shape of a seashell. In addition to hosting regular summer performances by the orchestra, Blossom has welcomed international rock bands, country musicians, and other dance and musical acts throughout the decades. It’s a rite of passage for most Northeast Ohioans to bring a blanket and make themselves comfortable on the lawn underneath the stars for a live performance at Blossom. Grab dinner at Sarah's Vineyard before the show, then mosey over to Blossom with plenty of time to get that perfect spot on the lawn before the night's entertainment begins.

The three bald, blue, and silent characters in utilitarian uniforms have become so much a part of the Las Vegas landscape that they've outlasted the original Blue Man production in New York, which closed after 33 years in early 2025. But the tradition lives on at Luxor (as well as in Boston and Orlando), where the satire of technology and information-overload merges with classic physical comedy and the Blue Man's unique brand of interstellar rock and roll. After expanding the show to fill some larger stages, the cozy theater at Luxor brings the Blue dudes closer to their off-Broadway origins, letting the silent comedy be seen up close: paint splattering, mouth-catching marshmallows, and rollicking percussion jam sessions on PVC pipe contraptions.

Music lovers adore this intimate venue, which draws local and national acts—jazz, rock, reggae, pop, and more—throughout the year. Comedy acts take the stage, too. Acoustics are fantastic, and seating is at tables, all with excellent views. The atmosphere is sophisticated, and the food here is excellent, too, with small and large plates offered (there's a $10 per person food or drink minimum). It's worthwhile to find out who's performing while you’re in town so you can purchase tickets in advance, since the more popular acts sell out quickly. This 300-seat room is centrally located at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, so you can grab a drink at Duke’s before or after the show.

You can't get the full Nashville experience without a visit to The Bluebird Cafe, one of the city's most famous music venues. Catch a show on any given night and you're bound to see some of the world's best songwriters performing new and old material in a truly intimate setting. Be mindful of The Bluebird's reservation policy (online reservations only, seat vs. table reservations), and do your research before you visit.

The 1930s art deco–style Boulder Theater is a gem of a venue that hosts more than 200 events annually with national, international, and local artists, comedians, speakers, and a range of film events.

The Northwest's oldest performing arts showcase features nearly three summer months of concerts by some 90 international artists, offering everything from bluegrass to pop. The highlight is a three-week period from mid-June through early July that's centered on classical concerts by the superb Britt Festival Orchestra.

Founded in 1861 and operating at its current location since 1908, BAM is a more than music; it's a multidisciplinary performing arts center that now encompasses three edifices, including the Beaux-Arts, seven-story Peter Jay Sharp building. It's known for innovative performances within its facilities, including an unadorned \"black box\" theater, dance venues, a four-screen cinema, an opera house, a gallery, and an open-plan performance and restaurant space.

Fort Lauderdale's 2,700-seat architectural gem offers more than 500 events annually, including Broadway-style musicals, plays, dance, symphony, opera, rock, film, lectures, comedy, and children's theater. The theaters are state-of-the-art, and dining venues are available, including the restaurant Marti's New River Bistro and the Intermezzo Lounge. An elevated walkway connects the centerpiece of the complex to a parking garage across the street.

In addition to national tours of major Broadway shows, concerts, comedy acts, and family theater, The Bushnell is home to the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.   The box office is open Monday through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm, and 2 hrs before curtain.

Throughout the year, Camden's historic opera house presents a full calendar of concerts, plays, and dance performances, as well as an annual film festival.

One of the biggest and most colorful events of the year is the Camden Windjammer Festival, which takes place over Labor Day weekend. The harbor is packed with historic vessels, there are lots of good eats, and visitors can tour the magnificent ships.

For Broadway-style dramas, comedies, and musicals, attend a production at the Cape Playhouse, the country's oldest professional summer theater. In 1927 Raymond Moore, who had been working with a theatrical troupe in Provincetown, bought an 1838 Unitarian meetinghouse and converted it into a theater. The opening performance was The Guardsman, starring Basil Rathbone. Other stars who performed here in the early days—some in their professional stage debuts—include Bette Davis (who first worked here as an usher), Gregory Peck, Lana Turner, Ginger Rogers, Humphrey Bogart, Tallulah Bankhead, and Henry Fonda, who appeared with his then-unknown 20-year-old daughter, Jane. Main stage productions run from June to September and they offer children's programming in July and August. The playhouse is situated on the property of the Cape Cod Center for the Arts in Dennis Village. The campus also includes the Cape Cod Museum of Art, the Cape Cinema, and Encore restaurant.

The Egyptian-motif artwork, part of the original 1927 decor, has been restored in this historic 1,304-seat venue that now hosts touring Broadway shows, dance companies, and musical acts. A few blocks away (at 16 S. Main Street), the organization also operates Bank of NH Stage, a converted historic movie house that presents music, comedy, and other notable shows.

This grand 1913 theater with a stunningly ornate exterior was built originally for vaudeville and has been masterfully restored. It presents works by Ballet West and the Utah Opera in addition to hosting the JazzSLC series and Broadway touring companies.

Internationally renowned Carnegie Hall has incomparable acoustics that make it one of the world's best venues for music—classical as well as jazz, pop, cabaret, and folk. Since the opening-night concert on May 5, 1891, which Tchaikovsky conducted, virtually every important musician in the world has appeared in this Italian Renaissance–style building. The world's top orchestras perform in the grand and fabulously steep 2,804-seat Isaac Stern Auditorium; the 268-seat Weill Recital Hall often features young talents making their New York debuts; and the subterranean 599-seat Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall attracts big-name artists such as the Kronos Quartet and Milton Nascimento to its stylish modern space. A noted roster of family concerts is also part of Carnegie's programming.

The box office releases $10 rush tickets for some shows on the day of performance, or you can buy partial-view seating in advance at 50% off the full ticket price. Head to the second-floor Rose Museum (open daily except Sunday and before shows) to learn more about the famous hall's history through its archival treasures, or join an insider's guided tour (available most days; $20 for adults).

A large neon sign marks the exterior of this 1,400-plus-seat art-deco movie palace whose exotic interior transports you back to 1922, when the theater first opened. High-profile festivals present films here, along with classic revivals and foreign flicks. There are a few cult-themed drag shows every month.

Lines for the Castro's popular sing-along movie musicals often trail down the block.

More than 2,000 Native dancers gather in Juneau every even-numbered year in June to celebrate their heritage and the continued vitality of Alaska Native cultures. First held in 1982, this four-day cultural festival brings together tribal groups from all over the state, and includes a parade through the streets of Juneau for which participants don traditional, often very elaborate, handmade regalia. There's also a juried art show, Native fashion show, toddler regalia review, food contests, and a Native artist market. All events are open to the public, but the dance performances require a purchased ticket.

Regularly hosting big-name bluegrass, blues, and country acts, the beautiful 900-seat Charleston Music Hall shines. Home to the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, it's in the heart of Upper King and within easy walking distance of numerous popular bars and restaurants for pre- and post-show refreshments.

Since 2005, this annual fete has served as the city's marquee event for foodies. Spread over five days, it brings together the nation's leading chefs (including local James Beard Award winners), food writers, and, of course, regular diners who love to eat and drink. Held the first full weekend of March, it emphasizes the Lowcountry's culinary heritage. Savvy attendees grab up tickets quickly for the numerous dinners and special events held around the city.

Holding sway at 10:30 am Sunday morning, the Chatter chamber ensemble's classical-to-modern music program draws a devoted crowd of regulars. Free cappuccino and a spoken-word performance round out the one-hour shows. Expect the best of local and guest performers—Santa Fe Opera stars have been known to pop in during the season. Arrive early, as the seating is open and limited; it's best to buy tickets ahead of time online. Check online as well for their special first Friday "Late Works" evening programs at 9 pm and the Chatter Cabaret series at the Albuquerque Museum on occasional Sundays at 5 pm throughout the year.

An arthouse three-screen movie theater in Nob Hill, Cinema 21 shows independent and foreign films. It regularly hosts special showings, touring cinematic events, and the annual Portland Queer Film Festival in September.

The first collaboration between Cirque and Disney Animation is designed to wow both young and old. The story follows Julie, a courageous and determined girl who discovers an unexpected gift left by her late father: an unfinished animation piece. Guided by a surprising pencil, she embarks on an inspiring quest sprinkled with her Disney childhood memories. As you follow her journey, you'll be dazzled by pixie-dust performances that include fairy unicyclists, an aerial pencil, dancing sheets, gymnasts in perfect synchronicity, and acrobats on double wheels.

The 2,700-seat, vaudville-era beaux arts building is lavished in $35 million worth of gold leaf, lush carpeting, and rococo ornamentation, and it is the city's premier destination for touring Broadway companies. More locally, it's the home theater for Boston Ballet and all its productions, including its famous The Nutcracker.  The Opera House offers really cool guided historical and backstage tours, which must be reserved online in advance.

Each year this program includes more than 20 fascinating conversations with writers, composers, actors, politicians, scientists, and others. Past speakers have included Michael Pollan, Ken Burns, and Patti Smith.

The annual multiday festival draws hundreds of thousands of rock, EDM, and hip-hop fans to the Empire Polo Club grounds each April for two weekends of live music, DJ sets, Ferris wheel rides, large-scale art installations, and field dinners prepared by top chefs. Headliners have included acts such as Lady Gaga, Bad Bunny, Beyonce, Arcade Fire, Beastie Boys, and Radiohead. Attendees can shuttle in or camp on-site in their car, in tents, or in prefab safari studios.

This annual festival runs from early June to mid-August and presents the Bard's comedies and tragedies on the University of Colorado campus in the stunning Mary Rippon Outdoor Theater.

This lovingly restored art deco theater presents an eclectic and exciting selection of world cinema, including first-run art films, documentaries, and classics. There are six screens, and special programming highlighting experimental films is occasionally offered. The independent nonprofit art house also holds book readings, private events, and midnight screenings of cult movies. One of Coolidge’s signature programs is Science on Screen, a creative pairing of films with introductions by renowned science experts; the program has expanded to more than 40 independent theaters nationwide.