1679 Best Performing Arts Venues in USA

The oldest extant theater company west of the Mississippi, the Santa Fe Playhouse occupies a converted 19th-century adobe stable and has been presenting an adventurous mix of avant-garde pieces, classical drama, and musical comedy since 1922—the season runs year-round. The Fiesta Melodrama—a spoof of the Santa Fe scene—pokes sly fun from late August to mid-September.

Housing three theaters and boasting the same artistic direction for 50 years, this unpretentious venue brings a number of original plays, touring companies, poetry readings, spoken-word events, and revival shows to the stage. The Family Theatre Musical Matinee Series features family-friendly reworked classic plays. Educational programs and workshops are available for all ages.

The annual festival, held for 10 days starting in early February, is the oldest winter carnival in the country. It includes a lighted ice palace, fireworks, and a costume parade. Inner-tube and ski races, hockey tournaments, and snowshoe-softball games are among the sporting events. The whole town gets into the action, so there are concerts, dinners, and dances at Hotel Saranac; breakfasts at the Masonic temple; and shows at the Pendragon Theatre.

Performing in a historic 1,122-seat, downtown theater, the Sarasota Opera features internationally known artists singing the principal roles, supported by a professional chorus of young apprentices. The season typically lasts from February through March, though a few special events take place throughout the year.

Performers have included members of the Florida West Coast Symphony, Florida String Quartet, Florida Brass Quintet, Florida Wind Quintet, and New Artists Piano Quartet. There are several performance series throughout the year, including Masterworks, Pops, Great Escapes, and Chamber Soirées.

The Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, a celebration of music written for ensemble groups, is offered for several days through the Saratoga Performing Arts Center but presented at the more intimate Spa Little Theatre, next door.

Changing exhibits in this 2,000-square-foot art gallery and theater-performance space showcase works by local as well as nationally known artists. At the theater here the Saratoga Film Forum shows mostly art-house movies (tickets $6) Thursday and Friday nights in fall, winter, and spring.

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is the summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The open-air venue, with both assigned amphitheater seats and lawn seating, also hosts concerts by big-name pop acts.

This weekend-long tribute to the late, great Louis Armstrong---nicknamed Satchmo---honors the man each August with jazz performances staged throughout the Quarter, seminars and discussions with Armstrong scholars, a Satchmo SummerFest Second-Line Parade through the Tremé and French Quarter, and plenty of local food to taste.

A local favorite since 1982, this free outdoor musical event is held annually in late September. Thousands of concertgoers pack Forsyth Park's expansive lawn with chairs, blankets, and picnic spreads for several nights of live jazz performances. Given the ideal weather this time of year, this festival puts Savannah's foremost green space to great use. After the evening headliner, head to local clubs to check out the nightly jam sessions, where unexpected collaborations are the norm.

Formerly called Cinema Paradiso, this arthouse theater operates out of a former church south of the New River near the county courthouse. The space doubles as headquarters for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF), while still playing films year-round. FLIFF's website is the easiest way to see what's playing on any given evening at the cinema.

Autumn has become increasingly popular thanks to the growth of this culinary festival, which runs about six weeks. It consists of an islands-wide series of events celebrating local foods and beverages, including farm tours, film screenings, and harvest dinners.

The splendid home of the Nashville Symphony is a modern take on a great European concert hall. In addition to the symphony, the Schermerhorn hosts many other concerts and boasts an on-site café.

This weekend event is jam-packed with arts and crafts—and music every March.

Performances at this cultural and entertainment complex typically emphasize contemporary art and artists. You might be able to catch a comical, interactive performance, or an installation of modern dance or music. The acclaimed Scottsdale Arts Festival is held annually here in March.

Foodies from across the Valley mark their calendars for this outdoor weekend festival in April, which offers creations from some of the best chefs in town.

Here you'll find a year-round schedule of musicals, classic dramas, and works by up-and-coming playwrights, as well as everything from a youth theater to drag cabaret nights.

Top-notch productions of new works join adaptations from classic children's literature here. After the show, actors come out to answer questions and explain how the tricks are done.

Housed in the beautiful Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, the opera stages productions from August through May. National and international stars make their way to the stage as part of the wide-ranging schedule of classic and new operas, drawn from around the world. Additional educational and community events aim to bring diverse crowds out to enjoy the genre.

During its season (September through June), the Seattle Repertory Theater brings new and classic plays to life. Adoring fans flock to new takes on choice classics as well as works fresh from the New York stage, but the overall mission is to produce shows that reflect the experiences and perspectives of people in the region. You can preorder your drinks from the lobby bar to enjoy during intermission.

This theater, built on Sonoma Plaza in 1934 by Italian immigrant and entrepreneur Samuele Sebastiani, books films, comedians, and musical and theatrical performances.

In addition to offering classes and workshops in all media, this center hosts the Plein Air Festival for a week in October and has a retail gallery selling works of local and regional artists. There's no sales tax, since it's a nonprofit.

This nine-day festival takes place in late February and features independent films from all over the world.

World-renowned plein air artists take inspiration from the red rock landscapes surrounding Sedona as they paint in competition downtown, creekside and at the airport.