I have been here many times. Parking is confusing - we saw a sign across the street and parked there. Turns out we had to leave the show early since they lock the garage at 11pm! Sat at the very top. There must of have a dozen rooms with 50+ seats...only one entrance in and out. Very awkward. Its also very steep up top which provides a good view. The staff is very nice; bathrooms are not clearly marked; sound was good but not great. I would go back; but not the greatest place around.

Great theater. Not a bad seat in the house. Plenty of paid parking nearby. Some free street parking in the weekends.

Its interesting that they have port-a-potties instead of regular restrooms. There were a lot of womens potties than men so Im definitely happy. Plus they were clean and definitely fancier than the regular ones (thank God).Watched Miss Saigon and I like the fact that this place isnt that big. Im used to SF theaters so definitely a plus that is place is small.

The Center is well laid out and well light. Doors open about 30 minutes before the performance. If you arrive early, you can get on street parking. Of course, your experience will be guided by the performance that you see. We saw Lara Fabian, so our experience was near perfect.

Great place to see a show. Comfortable theater and always organized getting in and out. Could use a better arrangement on their restrooms as the gals seem to always have a long wait. Easy access to parking right across the street. A variety of excellent restaurants within walking distance

Central location with a few parking lots around but around show times they can get busy. There is a bag check before heading in and they run multiple lines for it. Place was clean but is getting dated. The refreshment stands payment methods are updated. Seats are on the smaller side with next to no room to pass if someone is sitting, with long rows with only side entrances this gets annoying when people keep stepping on you. Sound system was ok. Stadium seating is so so, I am tall but the person in front of me was blocking my view, so kids are pretty out of luck here.

Ive been here for several events over the years and Ive always had a great experience. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They do sell food and drink their, which are somewhat reasonably priced.

Nice place.. A little hard to get parking but so many options around.. Huge space..

Excellent shows throughout the year. Wonderful place to go out

Was there for CASMEC 2018 and the venue looked beautiful! Great acoustics. I highly recommend the balcony seats.

This is an excellent venue for medium sized performance. We recently saw Styx play here, which was a great show. There is not a bad seat in the house! Parking across the street was $20 but well worth it on a cold night!

We saw an opera in this beautifully restored theater building. They had food and beverage service during intermission. Also, the bathroom lines for the womens restroom moved very quickly because they had a woman directing patrons to the next open stall. If I lived there, I would be a patron of the local entertainment offerings.

Went to the theater on a warm day to experience the Ghibli symphony concert. I wished their AC was stronger to counter the hot weather outside. Nice theater with friendly staff to get you to your seats quickly.

I had my first visit recently to the Performing Arts Center to see Derek Hough on tour. Although my sest was virtually the last row in the orchestra section -- the farthest Ive ever sat from stage -- I could see and hear perfectly well. I could have used slightly more legroom but the seats were comfortable . This theater also has an interesting feature in that the balcony is pretty far forward. I would imagine people in the balcony could probably see even better than me, which is unusual. The only thing I did not like about this place was that there were two bars but they were very small and did not move people thru very quickly and they did not have cocktails or any decent food. You could only get wine or beer and junkie things to eat. There were two restrooms that I know of, with many stalls in them. So even though there was a line, there were at least a lot of toilets in there to move the line alone. There is a large parking garage close to the theater and a lot of street parking if you are able to walk. Unfortunately, I called ahead and asked about parking due to disabilities and the woman did not even tell me about the garage right next to the place. I parked two blocks away and had a painful walk. It is an interesting area of town to walk in. The main headquarters of some tech companies are along the way, as well as a memorial to soldiers, with personal stories from letters they had written to family.

A great theatre, visibility and sound seems decent from every seat

Ive never had a bad experience in all the years that I have been coming to the San Jose Performing Arts Center. The ushers and usherettes are very helpful and courteous. Parking is never a problem as there are many garages to choose from. In addition, there are many restaurants around the area, so one can have lunch before a matinee show or dinner for an evening performance. So, check it out, and enjoy a show or two.

Very nicely designed and constructed auditorium. Good ambience. Downside is the parking.

Saw Wicked. Sound was great. We had really good seats (3rd row), so cant really review view from any other part of theater. Parking was fairly easy in the garage right down the street. Would recommend this theater for a musical.

Nice venue! All places Ive sat for this concert series have been good so far! Parking across the street wasnt too expensive.

Saw Wicked tonight. Amazing show! I plan on seeing it again when it comes to Columbia,SC in January 2020.

Came here during Fanime weekend to see Joe Hisaishis Symphonic Concert. Was an incredible experience, seats were great; I could see everything clearly even though I forgot my glasses. Such a once in a lifetime opportunity, Ill never forget it.

Went to see Wicked and everything was just spectacular. The employees there were really helpful in finding my seat as Im quite a dummy with directions. Didnt realize we couldnt take pictures so I was asked to refrain from that. Sorry about that!

Close to the bus stop, beautiful inside and out. Doesn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house. Would appreciate the venue getting some sort of pouch to seal phones in to stop people from using them during performances.

The facility is nice but tired. The seats need replacing. The space between your knees and the seat in front of you. Very difficult for those trying to move by to get to their seat(s).Acoustics are good but not great.

Orchestra seats are great. You feel really close to the performers. The stage is as good as any in NY. We have seen Miss Saigon and Lion King. Both were great performances. It feels.so much safer than theaters in SF as well. Will most likely make San Jose Center and BSJ our first choice over SF.

Went to see Wicked and everything was just spectacular. The employees there were really helpful in finding my seat as Im quite a dummy with directions. Didnt realize we couldnt take pictures so I was asked to refrain from that. Sorry about that!

I went here to see a musical and LOVED it! Security kept everyone moving in line and there were no long waits. They directed the crowd each way they needed to go very efficiently. All of the staff members were nice and helpful.The theater has great acoustics and you can see the stage from virtually any seat, including those on the side. Prices for drinks and food are on the higher end, but thats to be expected. I have no bad things to say. I loved it!

Comfortable and long standing main performing space in town for theatre, dance, music. There is always a line in restrooms, but the ushers are great and keep things moving. Staff is helpful. Sound and sight lines are decent wherever you sit. In recent years, they changed policy and allow people to bring drinks in from the lounge bars into main theatre.

Performance was fantastic. It was awful that there were tons of people coming in once it started in the dark stepping on you etc. People not understanding the rows or seats, 3 different groups came down the row all the way to the middle only to realize they were in the wrong row having to come through our feet/legs again. No clear signage for handicap ramp exit. Several folks with walkers went down the stairs very dangerous.

Went here for the Chinese show. Old but ok. Watch out for parking space

Easy access from River Park Parking on Woz way by crossing over the bridge.Nice interior and good views.It would be great if there was at least one more aisle so that the people in the middle didnt have to walk so far from the sides.

Not bad. Bathrooms relatively clean. Seats couldve been comfier. Im pretty sure this place is kind of old and hard to upkeep. Photos were not allowed on the show I went to, not sure if it is always like that.

Love the CPA! Whether its a Broadway musical, nutcracker, comedy, musical performance your guaranteed a good time. Every seat in the house offers an enjoyable view, some better than others based on your price point. Highly recommend!

One of the few decent concert halls in San Jose, this place is huge. Very good for symphony and other concerts. It has a big balcony. Although the first row of balcony is blocked by the front bar, you may not be able to see much! I went to the Harry Potter film series with live music performance there which was awesome. There are lots of Parking lots around there. I usually use the one on Woz street for $10, there is another one on 1st st for $7. also there are electric scooters all over down town San Jose to reach there from your parking spot. They had ticket scanner that scan your ticket on your phone the last time I was there, so no need to print out your ticket. The staff are very friendly. Close to public transportation like bus and Light Rail and lots of restaurants in DT San Jose.

Was recently there for the IL Volo concert. Only real problem I had was the bathrooms were all upstairs( Im recoving from torn knee cartilage so this wasnt easy), and they were also rather small for the amount of people they were meant to handle. But besides that the crew were incredibly friendly and did their jobs swiftly and with great efficiency.

ONE OF THE BEST TIMES IN AWHILE

Nice, classy venue and nice people particularly audience! Good stage and light effects. Just dont take seats far away (rows 25+) from the stage to get better view. Easy entry with mobile ticket as well.

We have season tickets and love it. Saturday we saw Miss Saigon. It was done beautifully. The sets were amazing and the acting and voices were superb.

Of you ever get the chance to see the philharmonic perform the score of a movie when its streaming, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. We saw Star Wars Episode IV and it brought the music (already excellent) to a whole new level. At times, it was difficult to stay focused on the movie because youd get caught up watching the musicians instead :) .Im very glad this venue stayed open - they have a fairly diverse performance schedule throughout the regular season. The venue is lovely and holds enough people to give the audience energy but not so much that you feel overwhelmingly crowded during intermissions. The bathrooms were clean and the wait time wasnt too horrible.

It was wonderful...beautiful and I enjoyed the live play the Wicked. The seats didnt have a cup holder was my only concern. But everything else was perfect to me. It was super clean with adequate rest rooms. And super big.

Wonderful facility for the performing arts. The staff and locals are very nice hand helpful. Go see a show!!

Excellent shows throughout the year. Sound system is very good. Nearby parking is available.

Regular lineup of traveling shows. They only stop for a few days each, but the theater gets a nice selection. I saw Carole Kings Beautiful, which was a great show. I recommend the seats in the back row of the lower level.

We have gone to all of the Harry Potter symphony film showings here. Its a rather small theater but that adds to the coziness. If you are going to purchase tickets for a program here make sure you look carefully at the seats depending on which event you are attending. We purchased $70.00 tickets on the main floor. We chose seats at the end of the aisle so we would have easy entrance and exit. Unfortunately we didnt realize that the last two seats in each orchestra row have an obstructed view. This doesnt matter for a ballet, play, or a symphony. But for a film screening it was terrible. The people in our party in the end seats could only see 3/4 of the screen! Even the usher was shocked by this. The seat map did not indicate obstructed view. The usher found us seats further down the row after intermission so as well that ends well.If you have a chance to attend the symphony playing the soundtrack for a movie, go for it. It was great fun. The conductor encouraged audience participation and the audience obliged, hosting at the villans and cheering the heros. The ticket price was high for a movie that we have seen dozens of times and own on DVD but the money goes to the orchestra and they really did a fantastic job.There are several refreshment stands and a lounge serving wine, sodas,a few mixed drinks, cookies, and other treats. The chocolate chip cookies are fantastic. Everything is a little over priced but no more so than at other venues.There is balcony seating with stair and elevator access.Most events also have a souvenir table. This one sold tee shirts, wands, DVDs, and pins.This is a pretty little venue and the staff is very professional and accommodating.Parking is available on the street (limited so come early) or in a nearby garage. The garage offers $10.00 event parking however they only accept CASH so plan for that because there are no nearby ATMs.The setting for the center is right in the city but its very pretty and there is a lovely bridge over the creek thats great for photosIf this review was helpful, please click like. Have fun!

Just attended the Joe Isaishi concert. Our tickets were last row orchestra, last two seat on the right, but I still had a great view of the stage. Even with the balcony overhead I could still see the screen where they projected Miyazaki film clips. The acoustics were great. The venue is easy to get to and there is plenty of parking nearby.

Late 1960s architecture but still a nice place. The seats in the middle are hard to get to because there are no aisles. We like the seats closer to the outside so its easier to leave and get to the restrooms. View of the stage is really good from just about everywhere except one time in the balcony at the front row it was hard to see over or under the railing.

What an awesome theatre! The seating is inclined so nobody blocks your view of the stage. I dont think there is any seat that is a bad location in this theatre.

Great Venue. Old classic architecture.Loved the feel of this place

Was here for a show and I think the seating could have been better. Excellent employees and volunteers.

It’s good design for participants to looking. Voice already so nice

Came to watch Book of Mormon. Lots of elderly staff.. theyre nice in helping you find your seat. Sat in orchestra and had decent view and sound quality. The center itself seemed old..seats were way too close to each other. Parking was difficult to find and pricey

We were at the balcony, last row at the back. But we were about in the center, so we could see the whole show. We came to see wicked, which was pretty good. It was hard to make out faces, so every now and then it was hard to figure out who was singing. But the view was pretty good.

Excellent Harry Potter presentation. Only problem was the light on the first horns music stand in the center was shining out into the audience. Very distracting trying watch the movie with the light in ones eyes.

Good place to catch some culture. Seats are not great but everything else is fine.

We saw wicked here, great show and a great production. sound is excellent in the auditorium as is the staff and the concession standso why only 3 stars? looooong rows of seats with no aisles, meaning youre constantly getting up to let people through (or inconveniencing many others).

We loved the musical but the sound technicians were struggling. We were in a dead spot for the PA and it stole a lot of energy from an otherwise powerful performance. Also, some of the ushers were quite rude. I mean, Im sure you get tired of telling everyone they cant have food but there are no signs, youre selling food, and its literally your job...

Nice, local theater that has some good plays without having to go to to San Francisco. They bring in traveling Broadway shows, like Book of Mormon, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Wicked plus others not as well known. Performances may not be as great as a bigger theater, but that are nice and local. The aisles are long, so be prepared to maneuver through if you have center seats.

It was easy to find and access our seats but the place looked like it structurally hadnt been touched since 1967 , in a cool rat pack sorta way

Saw a fantastic performance of Waitress, but theatre itself is in need of a total remodel. Trying to sit anywhere mid theater is maddening where each patron has to tight rope walk in front of already seated patrons for several feet before finding/leaving the seat. it can also become frightfully warm if the house is full and become stuffy. Hoping to hear it will one day be refreshed cause san jose needs live performing arts in a abundance.

I have been here a couple times and each time the ushers have been very polite, helpful and respectful. The theater itself is very nice as well. Obviously not as big as say the orpheum in SF but still nice. I was seated in row 22 and could still hear and see most of the show clearly. The lack of seeing is more my eyes than the show, but could not afford closer seats. parking isnt bad, some places can get their tickets validated by nearby restaurants.

I saw the lightning thief musical

Great little theatre. Felt like I was sitting on the side of a cliff with our seats, but I enjoyed the whole experience! Plenty of restrooms, lounges and close to all parking. Was about a 15 minute walk from where we parked (and that was far away ).

Nice theater. I personally dont like the seats behind rows 15.. its hard to see expressions from any further back. Also the (for the captioned shows) captions are on the right side and its easily readable only till about row 20..

Helpful staff for disabled. Cool. Good seats for wheelchair and companion. Convenient rest room for disabled. --- Music too loud in the last row!

It was great I got there ten minutes before the show and they let me eat the candy I bought for 4$

The San Jose CPA is a large and beautiful place for both actors and visitors alike. Though the floors can often be a little dirty, such is expected of a theater and rarely ruins the enjoyment one can get out of it.

My husband and I visit every month for Broadway plays. Its a wonderful theater. Service is great. Staff is friendly. There are many good options for a quick bite before the show.

Our seats were very near the back and there was absolutely no obstruction of our view. The slope of the seating makes it unlikely that anyone in front of you can block your view. The production Wicked wonderful.

Pretty dissappointed you cant eat in the theater, at least before the show. I purchased candy for 4$ and didnt expect to not be able to eat it 20 minutes before the show. They allow drinks though, for some reason which are often messier than food. Im not quite sure of the logic, but its by no means obvious when walking into the theater. Spending 100$ for tickets you expect at least to be able to eat the overpriced candy they sale when you sit down at your seat.

A lovely venue; I just saw my favorite band there, and it was GREAT!

Easy to walk to from other stuff downtown. Est security line and lots of entrances. More leg room than I expected but one solid row all the way across.

Theres not a bad seat in the house. Easy parking and convenient...

The venue was wonderful. The symphony was first class. I wish the place had a central aisle. I bothered a lot of people getting out during the performance. The only downside was the recommended parking. While convenient, it cost $40.00 cash for about 3 hours. I may return for another symphony, but if I do, I will find alternative parking.

Beautiful,grand, and nice helpful staff. Only drawback is sitting in the middle of the rows in orchestra seating you are stuck. I will definitely be back to more shows. Beautiful sexy and amazing velvety venue. Easy walking from bars,dinner or any street events. Please no drinking or eating in Theater.

Beautiful brutalist modernist arts center - a gem - lot it so much

One of my favorite venues! The acoustics are INCREDIBLE, and there is not a bad seat in the house. Still small enough to feel intimate.

Went to see Jesus Christ Superstar. It was fantastic. The staging was excellent the voices were fantastic. Cast was wonderful. Oct.2019.

We went and saw the Blue Man Group, and aside from some technical issues, the show was great! The audience interaction was a unique aspect, and everyone enjoyed it!

Saw Wicked with my daughter. The venue was great. Even from not so great seats we saw everything and had a great experience.

Great venue, great performers and performances with plenty of near by parking options and restaurants. Only wish there were more shows here as it is SO much more enjoyable than dealing with SF.

Blue Man group was fun and the place is nice for being an older venue. Parking is the real problem. All of downtown San Jose is s parking problem. Liked the show.

Went yo see Shen Yun, beautiful performance, great show.... bring you to earth...

Very well run, reasonable ticket prices, great theatre selections, outdoor seated area to enjoy small food & drink offerings. Walk to abundance of good restaurants including those good food choices in San Pedro Square Market. Large outdoor wooden tables in eating area is very pleasant.

Beautiful place. We went here to see the Shen Yun show. Great architecture and great backdrop for pictures.

Enjoyed The Nutcracker San Jose 2019. Its always a special experience to attend an event at this venue.

Beautiful arts center. Loved taking my girls for the Nutcracker and very well organized for our girl scout event!

NEVER have I EVER been to a concert where you have paid ALOT of $$$ for specific seats ...then arrive at the venue and the seats have all been changed around to accommodate more people !!!! We had 2nd row CENTER seats for STYX last week. We were BEYOND excited !! Our seat numbers were moved all the way stage left behind the speakers !!! This happened to others as well and there was alot of CHAOS and ANGRY FANS !! Their apology was a free bag of popcorn !! REALLY ?? Un called for and VERY unprofessional. They didnt even offer us seats to another show. I will NEVER see another concert at this venue. I was very lucky to have earplugs with me. Being slammed into the speakers was very painful !

Easy access seating for Wheelchairs with clear view of stage.

I always went here in evening felt peaceful.

Great place to enjoy performing arts. Seats are a little crowded together and there is food and drinks available. During intermission you may catch some of the cast members by the concession stand towards the front the theatre. You can park behind the theater at the Acer Building parking lot for $10 / event (on Woz St.).

Impressive space! Bachelor live on stage was great!

We saw one of the Harry Potter in concert shows and had a blast! The orchestra was amazing and it was such a fun experience. We would definitely return!

Love the shows they put on but yesterday I experienced one unpleasant incident while I was there. I inadvertantly went to an entrance that turned out to be for members of the Presidents Club. The attendant at the door, when I asked her whats that? responded if you were a member you would know . Really????I would call that a very unwelcoming, rude response, not what I would expect from someone representing the Center. To say I was surprised by that response would be an understatement. She could have taken just a few seconds to explain about the club, instead she chose to give an arrogant response. Very disappointing.

We saw the Book of Mormon and it was amazing! Large theater, but not so large you wont see the show from far seats. The seats are labeled even numbers on stage right and odd numbers on stage left starting with 1 from the middle.

So much fun! Staff is very helpful. Very organized. Love watching shows here!

Went there to see Shen Yun, except for the parking situation everythings very well organized!

Great orchestra, but worst seats ever. So uncomfortable.

Great theater but they need a center isle and need to stop letting late people in. Toes can only get stomped on so many times and drinks get spilled on you so many times before the theater looses the appeal of going.

Great venue for theatrical performances. Good amenities. Parking in close proximity to the site. Staff was cordial and helpful.

Love seeing Harry Potter In Concert here!!