Performing Arts

The Valley has a slew of venues for catching a play, concert, or dance performance. Phoenix Symphony Hall (75 N. 2nd St., 602/495-1117) is home to two of the city’s most respected cultural institutions. For a dose of Verdi and Puccini, the Arizona Opera (602/266-7464, www.azopera.com [1]) produces lavish spectacles that range from traditional to the occasionally experimental. The Phoenix Symphony (602/495-1999, www.phoenixsymphony.org [2]) performs classics, chamber orchestra, and symphony pops throughout the year.

Also, in downtown Phoenix [3], the Herberger Theater (222 E. Monroe St., 602/254-7399, www.herbergertheater.org [4]) stages a host of performances by Valley drama and dance groups.

The ornate Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St., 602/534-5600) is once again wowing audiences. A massive $14 million renovation restored the historic theater’s Baroque architectural details, and its auditorium creates the illusion of sitting in an outdoor Spanish courtyard, complete with a ceiling that changes from a blue sky with floating clouds to a golden sunset and a starry firmament.

Nearby, Broadway shows, comedy acts, and concerts by Jay-Z, Coldplay, and Diana Krall take the stage at Dodge Theatre (400 W. Washington St., 602/379-2800, www.dodgetheatre.com [5]).

Celebrity Theatre (440 N. 32nd St., 602/267-1600, www.celebritytheatre.com [6]) is one of the best venues to catch a show in Phoenix [3]. Its in-the-round stage and small theater guarantee that “no seat is farther than 75 feet from the stage.” Recent performers include Smokey Robinson, Lucinda Williams, Tony Bennett, and Dwight Yoakam.

In the East Valley, the modern Tempe Center for the Arts (700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., 480/350-2829, www.tempe.gov/TCA [7]) overlooks Tempe Town Lake [8], and its two theaters stage performances by local arts and children’s organizations.

The Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Gammage Auditorium [9] (1200 S. Forest Ave., 480/965-5062, www.asugammage.com [10]) regularly hosts touring Broadway musicals and plays, as well as concerts and lectures.

Further east, the boldly designed Mesa Arts Center (1 E. Main St., 480/644-6500, www.mesaartscenter.com [11]) has four theaters for visiting acts and regional arts groups like the Southwest Shakespeare Company (480/641-7039, www.swshakespeare.org [12]).