I love going to the theatre. Whether I’m going to the movie theatre or a theatre to see a show on stage I always have a great time. Now that I have been to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, CA a few times I am learning how to make the most of my experiences. Are you planning on seeing a show at the theatre? Here are 5 things to know about going to the Pantages theatre to help you have the best experience as well.
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First off, I want to share how much I love the beauty of the theatre. It is incredibly stunning and full of history! Did you know that the Academy Awards were held here back in the day? The theatre has also been home to a few movie premieres but it is known for hosting a lot of fantastic Broadway-style shows. On your way to the theatre be sure to look for some musical theatre legends on the Walk of Fame. The star for Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber is out front.
How to Get Discounted Tickets to the Pantages
There have been times when I have paid full price to see a show at the Pantages. However, I try really hard to make sure that I am able to get discounted tickets to the Pantages. My first piece of advice is to join the Pantages email list. The Pantages will send emails with special offers. Sometimes though, the best seats are hiding in plain sight. When I received an email with a special offer for Anastasia I searched the seats on the far sides of the orchestra and found individual seats that were $15 less than the ones I got the email about.
Thank you @1043MYfm for such a fun night seeing @OnYourFeetBway at the beautiful @Pantages pic.twitter.com/Z7Mfk7AhAG
— Michelle Mink (@la_dreaming) July 27, 2018
I have even received free tickets to the Pantages by winning contests from 104.3 MyFM. There are three potential ways to win tickets from the station. You can play the Battle of the Sexes (the will typically announce what the prize is and it will be the same prize all week), enter to win tickets on the radio stations website, and enter their social media contests. I won the tickets to see On Your Feet via twitter.
If you are willing to risk not getting to see the show you can try the lottery. For select shows like Hamilton, the theatre will hold a daily lottery and the winners get a $10 ticket to see the show. Sometimes the prices are higher but never go above $25 for the lottery winners.
Parking at the Pantages Theatre
Previously I have parked across from the theatre and down the street at Pep Boys. One parking lot was under construction and Pep Boys wasn’t allowing cars in their lot when I went to see The King and I earlier this month. I found parking for $10 on the street behind the theatre on Yucca. The lot is not too far from the theatre and has the best price for the other ones that are close by. Make sure to bring cash with you as the majority of the lots do not accept credit cards.
If you are able to take the metro that is the most affordable option at $1.75 each way. The metro drops you across the street from the Pantages.
Eating
If you want a nice meal in Hollywood my first recommendation is Yamashiro. It is a Japanese restaurant on a hill overlooking the city. The food is phenomenal and the atmosphere is wonderful! You will need a reservation as close to opening as you so that way you can still make it to the show without any worry. The Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood might be a great option as well.
There are several places to eat within walking distance of the Pantages Theatre. There are a lot of great places to eat in Hollywood that you can stop at as well before you get to the theatre. Since free parking is hard to find in this part of town I recommend parking at the theatre and then walking to dinner. That way you don’t have to pay for parking twice. The Shake Shack recently opened on Hollywood Boulevard. It is less than a five-minute walk from the theatre.
Shake Shack is a popular burger chain in New York. In 2016 three Shake Shack locations opened in the Los Angeles area. On my most recent visit to the Pantages, I was excited to check out the burgers that people have been raving about. In N Out is still my favorite burger place but the Shake Shack was delicious! The fries are fabulous and I was very impressed with the burger. This is an inexpensive place with great food. I highly recommend going here for dinner before the show.
If you want to get drinks before a show I recommend going to The Frolic Room right next door. This dive bar is one of the many famous locations in the area that has been used for filming. You might recognize it from L.A. Confidential. I’ve eaten at Soprano which is an Italian restaurant on the corner of Hollywood & Vine. It is okay, not my first suggestion but it is good food that is close by.
This is not food related but if you do need to kill some time before the show I highly recommend checking out the nearby Funko Pop Store.
Seating
Sometimes the seat you are in can make or break the experience for you. We all have different preferences when it comes to seating but I highly recommend sitting on the far left or right side of the orchestra level. Why do I think this is such a great area to sit in? If you can get a seat towards the front of that section you will be in a short row. I love sitting in a row of 2-3 seats so that I don’t have to walk across people to get to my seat and vice versa.
The view from these seats is wonderful for me. I have always been impressed with my view. If you get a seat across the aisle there can be a big price difference. Sometimes it can be a price difference of $50. The seat I was in was $38 before service fees and is fabulous for people who don’t want someone tall in front of them or would like extra legroom. The section is WCORCL. Fabulous seats for a great price.
I love sitting on the orchestra level due to the fact I am able to get such amazing deals. However, the two times that I sat on the balcony I did not feel like my experience was bad. For Hamilton, I sat on the far right of the balcony which was good, and for a concert, I was in the last row of the middle part of the balcony.
Try And Meet The Cast At the Stage Door
Want to get your playbill autographed? Head to the stage door located on Argyle Avenue. Bring a Sharpie with you.
Interested in checking out other theatre experiences in LA? The Pasadena Playhouse is very charming.
