Ahmanson Theatre
Ahmanson Theatre
4.5
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Monday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Friday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Saturday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Sunday
12:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Downtown
Downtown Los Angeles is a busy metropolis of towering buildings, bustling streets, and industrial warehouses. There is a distinct multiplicity of cultures here with a growing influx of business professionals and hipsters. Many call the evolution of Downtown over recent years gentrification. New lofts, bars, hotels and restaurants are popping up regularly. Downtown is home to some of the very best restaurants in the city leading the LA foodie scene, plus it is the location of cultural and sports venues including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Staples Center, and the Coliseum at the University of Southern California.
How to get there
- East LA Civic Center • 5 min walk
- Civic Center/Grand Park • 5 min walk
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4.5
109 reviews
Excellent
66
Very good
35
Average
6
Poor
2
Terrible
0
Jennifer S
123 contributions
Jan 2020
Everyone is busy nowadays so taking a break to enjoy a live show and experience the theater is such a treat. We saw Sting’s The Last Ship. It was a Friday evening and the Ahmanson was packed. Before you get to the theater, the vibes kinda sets you up for a wonderful evening. The ushers were nicely dressed, helpful and friendly. The theater’s feel staged a relaxing evening. Seats were comfy and the stage props and lighting complemented each other. As the musical went on, you focused on several parts of the stage where the actors were not like a typical movie where you just looked straight ahead at all times. It was a favorable experience and worth the drive. You have to stop and smell the roses sometimes to enjoy the little treats in life.
Written 18 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shanelle
Santa Monica, CA7,742 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
Long-standing performing arts center in DTLA. Came here most recently to watch Peter Pan: The Play that Goes Wrong and we had a good time. There’s paid garage parking available. Street parking is on the difficult side but there’s limited metered parking spots available if you’re willing to walk. There’s plenty of restaurants in the nearby area and it’s a big theater, but you can still feel really immersed in the show. Plenty of restrooms are available for during intermission. We’ve always had a good time at this venue and I would highly recommend watching a show here if given an opportunity.
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zoom_Gotti
Henderson, NV1,506 contributions
Mar 2022
Back again, post pandemic, seeing how it feels to go to live theater again and sit next to a stranger (still masked). This is probably your best shot in LA for Broadway style theater, often with members of the original Broadway cast. It's in the Music Center complex, easy to find, underground parking, with Metro Rail nearby. On this occasion I came to see The Lehman Trilogy. this is the first tour of this play off of Broadway. Not very satisfied with the script. My understanding was that the original detail was about 5 hours, but cut for Broadway to over 3. So the end is muddled and the beginning far too long and culturally obsessive. Anyway, the three principal actors, playing varying roles, did justice to their parts. If you enjoy Broadway events but are in LA, give this venue a try. Attendance still isn't back to normal and last minute seats won't cost you much. Box office people are very friendly. You should call before if you have questions prior to your arrival.
Written 28 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
too_few_trips_1
Irvine, CA937 contributions
Jan 2020
We recently saw a show at the Ahmanson Theater and didn't by any means have the best seats. That said, we have a great view and the acoustics were fine. The lobby areas may be a bit small, but the outdoor patio offers an overflow area.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
phvi2617
Anaheim, CA641 contributions
June 2022
I came to the Ahmanson to see "Come From Away," which was terrific. The auditorium isn't huge, and both the view and sound from the balcony was fine. Although it's more than 50 years old, the venue is in great shape, and it's very easy to navigate. The plaza outside is also a nice place to hang out before or after the show.
Written 1 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James Weaver
Irvine, CA2,289 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
Tonight we attended a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, not the corps de ballet variety we are accustomed to. This was 9 women and 16 men, in a Palace Bedroom and a Seedy Bar Club staging and sets among others. The swans were a brutal group of bare back men, and if you were sitting in the front row, their sweat hit you numerous times. The movements were fast, sharp, and ominous. At times violent. The theater is old, the carpet and seats in need of replacement. Our entry theater was down a flight of stairs, into a small bar and restroom area. But from row C a great view of the performance.
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
travelingworkingmom
Los Angeles, CA377 contributions
June 2015 • Family
I have enjoyed productions at this theater in the past. They are efficient, parking is easy, there is a good restaurant super close (Kendall's), they have go sessions inside but lines get super long. However, If you have bad seats it is unpleasant because it feels really high. I have had bad seats I at other theaters and still enjoyed myself but we went to see Matilda with our Girl Scout troop and had cheap seats and it really ruined the experience. We were so high one mom got really anxious and wanted to leave. I would recommend skipping if you have to get cheap seats. Cheep seats at Pantages are much better.
Written 20 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gail G
Torrance, CA158 contributions
Jan 2014 • Couples
I've been attending shows at the Ahmanson for years, but only recently has it occurred to me to post a review-- specifically a few nights ago, after attending the Closing Night performance of Peter and the Starcatcher. As we were leaving the complex, my husband commented upon how orderly things were, and how completely different from our last (horrific) experience attending the Nokia.
For those not in the know, the Ahmanson is part of L.A.'s Music Center, consisting of (from north to south) the original Music Center consisting of The Ahmanson, The Mark Taper From and the elegant Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; and on the next block the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The center is basically right off the freeway and across from the County Courthouse. There are several levels of subterranean parking shared with the courthouse at a reasonable rate for downtown Los Angeles-- and additional parking beneath the Disney Center. Main parking is entered off of Grand Avenue and there valet/handicap parking available curbside on Hope Street.
Early arrivals may find it pleasant (weather permitting) to either dine at the open air restaurant in the center of the complex, or to simply purchase wine or a snack from one of the bars catering to patrons. There are usually street entertainers, and the ever changing fountains in the courtyard to lull you into a pleasant state of relaxation. Relaxation in the heart of downtown Los Angeles is something of an art, and it's possible to achieve that quite nicely at the Music Center.
Depending upon the configuration, I understand that the Ahmanson can seat between 1600 and 2084 people with wheelchair access available as well (call the Center Theatre Group directly for handicap seating information.) Acoustics, I am told, are surprisingly good for those with average hearing-- and for people like me, hearing devices are readily available. There are three levels of seating as well as boxes on the sides of the theatre, having occupied all the the above I would advise steering clear of the balcony (mezzanine is fine!) and the boxes (the angle is awkward and visibility poor.) Personnel is helpful and courteous and the entire experience is low key and pleasantly civilized. Really, it's a lovely place to spend an evening.
For those not in the know, the Ahmanson is part of L.A.'s Music Center, consisting of (from north to south) the original Music Center consisting of The Ahmanson, The Mark Taper From and the elegant Dorothy Chandler Pavilion; and on the next block the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The center is basically right off the freeway and across from the County Courthouse. There are several levels of subterranean parking shared with the courthouse at a reasonable rate for downtown Los Angeles-- and additional parking beneath the Disney Center. Main parking is entered off of Grand Avenue and there valet/handicap parking available curbside on Hope Street.
Early arrivals may find it pleasant (weather permitting) to either dine at the open air restaurant in the center of the complex, or to simply purchase wine or a snack from one of the bars catering to patrons. There are usually street entertainers, and the ever changing fountains in the courtyard to lull you into a pleasant state of relaxation. Relaxation in the heart of downtown Los Angeles is something of an art, and it's possible to achieve that quite nicely at the Music Center.
Depending upon the configuration, I understand that the Ahmanson can seat between 1600 and 2084 people with wheelchair access available as well (call the Center Theatre Group directly for handicap seating information.) Acoustics, I am told, are surprisingly good for those with average hearing-- and for people like me, hearing devices are readily available. There are three levels of seating as well as boxes on the sides of the theatre, having occupied all the the above I would advise steering clear of the balcony (mezzanine is fine!) and the boxes (the angle is awkward and visibility poor.) Personnel is helpful and courteous and the entire experience is low key and pleasantly civilized. Really, it's a lovely place to spend an evening.
Written 14 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
leklekblue
Westchester County, NY964 contributions
Feb 2020
Before seeing "The Last Ship" starring Sting at the Ahmanson, we got a glass of wine at the music center's wine bar and sat outside to watch the Pavilion fountain light show. The theater itself was large and comfortable. It was a great experience!
Written 26 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irvinggetthecar
San Diego, CA416 contributions
Dec 2019 • Friends
Truly the most incredible performance of the most talented choreographer with such amazing brilliance and talent and skill of all the performers. The costumes were awesome and the new choreography update was breathtaking.
Sometimes the lack of an orchestra could be noted as the richness of the music and the notes were lost to the audio.
Some of the far left and right seats
Even in the 1st 8 or 10 rows of the orchestra section have portions that get blocked.
The theater does need an update and the lighting is very dismal.
But the performance of Swan Lake should not be missed it is a once in a lifetime are hopefully a multiple in a lifetime experience to witness this true masterpiece
Sometimes the lack of an orchestra could be noted as the richness of the music and the notes were lost to the audio.
Some of the far left and right seats
Even in the 1st 8 or 10 rows of the orchestra section have portions that get blocked.
The theater does need an update and the lighting is very dismal.
But the performance of Swan Lake should not be missed it is a once in a lifetime are hopefully a multiple in a lifetime experience to witness this true masterpiece
Written 22 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChuckMitchell700
United States
Meeting someone for a show this Sunday evening。
We want to meet someplace South of Downtown Los Angeles， safe to leave one of our two cars。
Any suggestions？
Thanks！
Written 15 February 2019
download spot hero. It’s a great parking app that offers discounts and gives locations of where to park. Every time I’ve used the app I’ve not only felt safe but the price has been affordable .
Written 16 February 2019
Outside doors open between 7:00 and 7:15 for an 8:00 show.... once inside the doors to seating open about 7:30.
Written 6 January 2019
Looking for dinner recommendations prior to a show at ahmanson. I’m with my husband and 3 young adult sons. Looking for good quality food and a fun vibe. Thanks.
Written 19 December 2018
What restaurant would be suitable for kids within walking distance of the Ahmanson? I dint think Kendalls will work.
Written 2 November 2018
The most casual option would be whatever is set up on the plaza itself: the weather is almost always comfortable enough to order in line, then bring it to a picnic table/bench to enjoy. Bonus: you'll be there early enough to park underground, and you will not have to rush to your seats because you're right outside the theater. (These days the options are a Latin Grill and a Burger Station. Refer to The Center Theatre Group website for more information.)
Written 19 December 2018
Parking
Self-Parking is available in The Music Center Garage for $9 at the Grand Ave entrance. (Please note: for weekday matinees please arrive between noon and 2pm and you will be charged $9. Parking before noon is $20.) The garage sometimes fills up on dates when all three theatres at The Music Center are operating.
Valet parking is available for $23 at The Music Center's Hope Street entrance.
Handicapped Parking is available for patrons displaying a handicapped placard at both The Music Center Garage and valet parking. The charge at both locations is $9. To arrange mobility services from The Music Center garage to the Ahmanson Theatre or Mark Taper Forum, please contact The Music Center Access Disability Line at 213.972.0777.
Parking rates at The Music Center are determined by the County of Los Angeles and are subject to change without notice.
Written 18 May 2017
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