Phoenix has two theaters worth traveling for on their own - and that's before you factor in everything else the city's performing arts scene delivers. If you're only going to see one venue in Phoenix, it should be ASU Gammage in Tempe.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Last Gift
ASU Gammage is the last major public building Frank Lloyd Wright designed before his death in 1959. The curved, interconnected arches of the exterior look like nothing else, and the 3,000-seat interior is one of the best-sounding rooms in the Southwest for Broadway touring productions - which is exactly what it hosts. The Broadway-in-Tempe season runs October through May with the major touring shows, and the design makes even familiar productions feel like you're seeing them for the first time. Tempe Town Lake is walking distance; grab dinner at any of the Mill Avenue restaurants and walk it off along the water afterward.
The 1929 Survivor
The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix is the other anchor - a 1929 Spanish Baroque Revival building with an elaborately painted interior ceiling that looks like someone accidentally did a perfect job. It hosts concerts, comedy, and special events rather than a dedicated Broadway season, which means the programming is eclectic and worth checking regardless of what's on. The lobby alone is worth the price of admission on a slow Tuesday.
The Resident Companies
Herberger Theater Center on Civic Plaza hosts Arizona Theatre Company and a rotating roster of other regional companies in two theaters - the downtown resident theater, ambitious in programming and consistent in execution. Phoenix Theatre Company, the state's oldest arts organization, runs its own season across town and regularly produces work that travels beyond the Valley.
The Laugh Rooms
Stand Up Live in downtown Phoenix is the headliner room - nationally touring comedians, proper club setup, food and drinks throughout. The bookings are reliable; check the calendar and you'll find someone you recognize on any given weekend. Tempe Improv out on Mill Avenue handles the same function on the east side of the metro. Both deliver what a comedy club should: a dark room, a bright stage, and someone making you laugh until it hurts. Find Phoenix theater and comedy tickets on Evil Tickets.
