1679 Best Performing Arts Venues in USA

The Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, and their combined arts education programs are all housed in this complex.

Cinephiles flock to Woodstock for five days in October, for the fiercely independent Woodstock Film Festival. Celebrity-led seminars, film screenings, and raucous parties—most in Woodstock—will keep you buzzing until morning.

Built in 1901 to commemorate Yale's bicentennial, the 2,650-seat Woolsey Hall hosts performances by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Yale Symphony Orchestra, Yale Philharmonia, Yale Concert Band, and Yale Glee Club, as well as occasional guest recitals on the Newberry Memorial Organ.

This publicly funded local amateur theater school hosts plays and musicals at Columbia College's Cottingham Theatre.

An ice-sculpting extravaganza, these competitive events that unfold from late February to late March draw ice artists from around the world.

At the weeklong World Music Festival in September, international artists play traditional and contemporary music at venues across the city.

The intimate 500-seat theatre is home to more than 200 musical, comedy, dance, and theatrical events each year. 

The Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet perform in this center's two side-by-side venues, the Roy and Lillie Cullen Theater and the Alice and George Brown Theater.

Don't expect retro old-timey burlesque. But more than 20 years at the Flamingo speaks to the consistent quality of this dance-intensive topless revue with an edgy attitude and impressive video and lighting effects. A comedian doing a 10-minute set is the only spoken contact with the audience. It's a generally louder, more rocking vibe than the more theatrically old-school Fantasy at Luxor, with a bit more of a strip-club, pole-dancing vibe. But even the more intense gyrations are leavened with a winking humor. Once only a 10 pm \"late show,\" it now offers an eyeful as early as 7 pm on select nights.

This mammoth amphitheater hosts nationally known rock, pop, country, and hip-hop artists as fans congregate on a giant lawn or covered pavilion seating.

This theater stages both premieres and fresh interpretations of classics from October through May, and has been the home stage to dozens of future Hollywood and Broadway stars.

Most of the 200-plus performances in the impressive roster of concerts by the Yale School of Music—featuring students, faculty, and guest artists—take place in Sprague Memorial Hall, and many are free. Other venues include Woolsey Hall, Sudler Recital Hall, and Marquand Chapel—all on the Yale campus.

The fair, one of the oldest in the state, is held over five days in early July. Traditional activities include a demolition derby, amusement rides, kids' games, petting farms, 4-H exhibits, and various musical performers.

Performances by the Phoenix symphony and others are hosted by the Yavapai Symphony Association and usually held at Yavapai City College; call ahead for schedules and venues.

Across the street from SFMOMA and abutting a lovely urban garden, this performing arts complex schedules interdisciplinary art exhibitions, touring and local dance troupes, music, film programs, and contemporary theater events. You can depend on the quality of the productions at Yerba Buena. Dance groups that perform here include the Smuin Ballet ( www.smuinballet.org), ODC/Dance ( odc.dance), and Alonzo King's LINES Ballet ( linesballet.org). Lamplighters ( lamplighters.org), an alternative opera that specializes in Gilbert & Sullivan, also sometimes performs here.

In addition to its live music, dance, comedy, and special film screenings, this performing arts center run by the Great South Bay YMCA offers educational programs and classes representing Long Island's cultural diversity.

Various theater and music programs are held throughout the year, and one of the best loved is Lee Stetson's portrayal of John Muir in Conversation with a Tramp and other Muir-theme shows. Purchase tickets in advance at the Conservancy Store at the Valley Visitor Center or the Tour and Activity Desk at Yosemite Valley Lodge. Unsold seats are available at the door at performance time, 7 pm.

The YouTube Theater is a modern, state-of-the-art performance venue with a diverse range of global entertainment offerings located steps from SoFi Stadium. Opened in 2021, it attracts top performers to its relatively intimate 6,000-seat space. Its cutting-edge audio and visual technology makes it a favorite for not just concerts but also comedy shows and various competitions.

The early February Yukon Quest calls itself the "toughest sled dog race in the world," passing through historic early-gold-rush territory. In odd-numbered years the 1,000-mile race starts in Whitehorse, in even-numbered ones in Fairbanks. Both the start and finish are festive events, with huge crowds on hand even when the temperatures plunge.

One of the city's most vibrant and innovative theaters, this expansive multistage complex hosts a number of theatrical performances, intimate celebrity talks, and special events year-round. An integral part of the Austin community for more than 90 years, ZACH also serves the local arts community with a year-round season of shows, theater camps, and educational activities.

As Nashville’s oldest comedy club, many of the biggest stars of the genre have graced the stage and had their faces enshrined on the mural on the side of the building. The intimate setting of ZANIES is shared between big-name touring acts and local talent. Shows typically have a two-drink or food-item minimum from the bar’s menu, but the venue's up-close seating is a plus for many comedy fans.

Bring a blanket and picnic basket to this natural amphitheater and enjoy a Broadway-inspired musical under the warm Texas sky. Right in the heart of the Zilker Park complex, this locally run outdoor theater production company has been performing family-friendly musical theater on the hillsides just across from Barton Springs for almost 70 years. The shows run through summers only; check the events calendar for updated showtimes and information.

The Phoenix Zoo celebrates the holidays each year from Thanksgiving through New Year's with ZooLights.

This ultraquirky venue presents plays, musical acts, and comedy shows, along with visual and related arts. Top events include the Throckmorton Theatre Mountainfilm Festival (TTMF), the Sunday Sessions pro showcase, and a weekly show with satirist Mort Sahl. Stunning murals cover the theater's ceiling, and the foyer has on old-fashioned popcorn maker.

Inspired by Milan's La Scala opera house and completed in 1857, the Academy of Music is the oldest grand opera house in the country still used for its intended purpose. An architectural marvel as well as a center for culture, the Academy features a lavish, neo-baroque interior, with red velvet seats, gilt, carvings, ceiling murals, and a huge crystal chandelier. Home to the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Ballet, the landmark also plays host to performances by major orchestras, theatrical and dance touring companies, and solo artists.

Socially conscious, unconventional, and politically themed shows are the focus here. Helmed by artistic director Tim Robbins (who was also one of its founders in 1981), the Actors' Gang also has educational and outreach programs to benefit local students and the community. Their Prison Project initiative, for example, conducts acting workshops at California state prisons. Famous actors are also known to make cameos at the theater. In summer, the Actors’ Gang offers adaptations of Shakespeare for free in Media Park. Call or check the website for the schedule.

Presented by the American Indian Film Institute, this event has been based in San Francisco since 1977. Each November the festival takes over various venues, including the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.

This community theater also houses an acting school, providing young local actors with an audience. Productions include musical dramatizations of musicians' biographies, as well as straight drama in small but careful productions. Some casts include local celebrities.