Let's Go to the Show!by Rose DiGraziaIf you are visiting or you live in Austin this is the time of year to see the Summer Classic Film Series. Come one come all! For years the films have been shown at the Paramount Theatre. However, due to the the major restoration in over 50 years you might want to check film listings for locations of each film. Some films will be at the State Theatre and others will be at the Bob Bullock Museum IMAX. The film I had the pleasure of seeing was July 5th at the State Theatre this year. Beauty and the Beast was my movie of choice yesterday. I have always loved theatre coming from a family of actors including a cousin that appeared in Wicked on a Broadway tour in San Antonio not too long ago.On this afternoon, the theatre was packed with baby beauties dressed in their Beauty and the Beast attire. Prior to the film, little girls adorned the steps in their outfits spinning around on the stairs prior to the movie. It was an adorable sight to see. Make sure to get popcorn and a drink next time you attend one of the movies or a glass of wine. For movie lovers, be sure to check out the site for all films this summer. There are so many I don't want to miss this year. This is a wonderful yearly thing to do in the heat of the summer in downtown Austin. It is a delightful way to cool off and enjoy a show.In this film, a beautiful, and brilliant young woman is imprisoned by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she learns to see beyond the beast's exterior and realize the gentle heart of the true prince within him. It is a wonderful movie about seeing the beauty in all. This is one movie I would recommend to old and young alike. For information go to boxoffice@austintheatre.organd info@austintheatre.org or call (512) 474-1221.

Had a terrible experience at this venue. The drunk patron next to me screamed in my ear and got mad when I covered me ear, insisted I move and then went and got a staff member when I did not move. The staff member further screamed at me that I am at a comedy show and therefore screaming is allowed. I said she leaned over and screamed in my ear and covering my ear is not allowed? He was extremely condescending and would not even listen to what I had to say. DONT go sober because you might be asked to leave for sitting quietly in you seat.

What an iconic theatre!Lots and lots of lights, NO neon......and it reeks of nostalgia from another time when theatres like this were the ONLY form of entertainment.Lots of original features and a complete contrast to the sterile feel of a modern place.I genuinely loved visiting and watching the lights dance in the night.I hope this iconic building has a preservation order on it, Austin should be rightfully proud of this place.

My wife and I saw the band of heathens here last night. Great show. We sat in the second row of the mezzanine, a little too far to the right, for my liking, but, candidly, I think the first three rows of the mezzanine, if you can get toward the center are a fantastic seat, as the mezzanine extends as far down as about the 10th row of the orchestra section. Good sound quality. Street parking within a few blocks. Easy in and out. Bathrooms can get crowded at intermission. Enjoy!

We did a day trip from Houston and met family from San Antonio to see John Cusack at the Paramount. Fantastic show and theatre - loved both! He had another show in Houston but we love the intimacy of the Paramount (1200 people versus 5000), so decided the drive was worth it. Last time we came (Aug 2022 to see a comedian) the show was supposed to start at 7pm but started well after that. This time, the show was supposed to start at 8pm and surprisingly it actually started on time. The difference may be live performer versus seeing a movie followed by Q&A. If you sit in the upper levels or Balcony, when you exit - to avoid the crowds and lobby - go up to the top and take the exits to the outer stairwells - which will exit you directly to the street (then turn left to head to the parking garage). Buy your parking voucher at the Box Office or if you plan to buy a drink or water, you can get the parking voucher at one of the bars. If you buy water, ask for a cup of ice. Regarding tickets, by the time we bought ours a couple days before the show, the only ones available were Row T in the Upper Balcony. No problems watching the movie from that height but I wish we were closer for the Q&A with John Cusack. Even so, it was still a cool experience. Based on other reviews I was worried the seats would be too cramped - but they were fine for our group of 4 (height ranging from 5’10 to 5’0”). Be forewarned, the stairs are steep and there are a couple spots without handrails, so be careful about tripping. Knowing this I still wore heels and was fine. As others have said, given this is an old theatre, the seats are small and the space between the rows is pretty narrow. If you have long legs or knee problems, you may want seats on the aisle. Our tickets were directly in the middle so people had to stand for us when we exited to use the restroom before the show started. Street parking using the meter was a little over $5 an hour so the $10 parking offer (for the whole evening) in 600 Congress was a great deal. The garage is very tight with fairly narrow parking spaces and very low ceilings so keep that in mind when deciding what to drive. To access the garage, you need to be in the right lane. As you drive in, take a parking ticket, then purchase a voucher at the box office or bar. You will feed both tickets into the machine when you exit. After 5pm, you can park on any floor as long as the space does not say reserved. To leave the garage and go to the theater, you will walkout through an office building. When you return, to avoid the long lines for the elevators in the office building, you can walk up the same entrance ramp you entered when you drove in. Overall, a fabulous evening and look forward to returning!