The touring production of The Phantom of the Opera at Paramount Theatre was absolutely fantastic. The cast was incredible, and the production itself deserved a much better audience environment than what the theater allowed.Unfortunately, this was one of the worst theater etiquette experiences I’ve ever had. During the first act, a man seated behind us repeatedly sang along during the performance. When I politely asked him to stop, the person next to him sarcastically pointed at the stage and said, “The show is over there,” while the behavior continued. Around us, multiple people talked throughout songs and scenes, and later in the evening I even saw someone openly filming the show on an iPhone.I eventually had to leave my seats (Main Floor 2, Row G) and speak to management because the disruptions were so bad I couldn’t focus on the performance. The only solution offered was seats in the very back of the orchestra. By that point, the experience was already frustrating enough that it took a while to calm down and enjoy the show again.What’s most disappointing is that this is the SECOND time I’ve experienced terrible audience behavior at this theater. I previously saw Back to the Future here and dealt with nonstop talking during that performance too.I attend theater regularly in Southern California at Segerstrom Center for the Arts and also frequently see shows in New York City. Ushers there actively monitor audience behavior and quickly shut down disruptions. At the Paramount, it felt completely unmanaged.For the prices being charged — around $350 for my tickets through Ticketmaster — audience members should not have to deal with talking, singing, and filming throughout a Broadway performance.Amazing production. Extremely disappointing theater management and audience control.

Saw Phantom of the Opera. Wow, what a show! The staging, sound, acting, singing, and those dazzling costumes—absolutely top-notch! I’d shout from the rooftops to go see this production. But, let’s talk about the Paramount Theater (Seattle)... the seating? Hmm, not quite a standing ovation. My seat was cozy and in tip-top shape, but I was parked all the way back in Row Y (yep, that’s 25 rows from the action). Seeing the actors’ faces? Forget about it! The seats seem built for average-sized folks, but the crowd that night was anything but average—there were some big personalities (and bodies) in the house. The floor just isn’t sloped enough to see over the sea of heads in front, and I ended up feeling a bit squished as my neighbors spilled into my space. Oof! So, I made my dramatic exit at intermission. Did I pay $250 for my ticket? Sure did. Next time, I’m aiming for first-row balcony, aisle seat only. Lesson learned, theater fans!

Terrible acoustics. Had to leave Stereophonic show yesterday. While you can barely hear the vocals, the screeching music was ear splitting. At intermission a lot of people left the show. This venue is good for regular plays, but anything with music sucks. It seems like they just turn up the volume with no equalizer to balance the sound. The audio engineer should be replaced

When we discovered that the acoustics/sound system in the ancient Keller auditorium in Portland was terrible, we traveled to the Seattle Paramount to see if that was any better. It’s not, so I guess we’re out of luck seeing touring Broadway shows in the PNW. The Paramount and the Keller would be fine for music or dance, but they’re definitely subpar for any thing with spoken words. I guess that’s not surprising in old theaters, but it’s just too bad.

After plenty of opportunities to ponder my decision and at considerable expense I've decided to no longer visit this admittedly beautiful old theatre. The problem is that I just can't cope with the terrible acoustics. Every show I've seen here for the last decade has struggled with the sound. Two of my friends walked out of one show because they just couldn't make out what was being said on stage. I've seen comedians, musicals and rock bands. I've sat downstairs, upstairs. left and right, back and front. It's just dreadful all over. Rain! the other week was the last straw. Booming base, thin vocals - awful. I saw them twice at Chateau St. Michelle and they were stunning. Not here. The 5th Avenue Theatre also struggled with their acoustics but cracked the problem with some investment which included a state of the art mixing desk. Is it too much to ask a venue that charges Broadway fees to similarly invest in their building?