Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

This is one pretty theater. The building itself and the actual theater. It was my first time here a few weeks ago to see CATS the show. It is a but confusing on how to get into the actual theater and the staff who I asked told me directions but they weren't too clear. When I finally got into the theater itself and found my seat, it was not the most comfortable seat that is for sure. Felt like I was sitting on hard cardboard for a 2 and a half hour -3 hour show. Plus also, my seat, I felt like I was blocking the little two steps to get down to the next level. My seat was kind of like just on its own. I had no seat in front of me. It's hard to explain. This place has a very small concession stand when you walk into the building itself and a small merch booth also in the lobby when you walk in so there are a few different lines and it can get hectic in the lobby. Not many food choices I only saw a few bags of nuts and the two styles of popcorn. Which by the way the popcorn flavor I got was the butter one and it tasted like only one piece if popcorn actually had butter on it and it tasted a bit stale. I was not really impressed by the food choices. The theater has an upstairs level too that seemed like it was nice. The bathrooms are a bit confusing I did not know which stall was open until a lady pointed out that on top if it was a green light it was open and a red light meant it was being used. I feel that the staff should let people know this or there should be a sign. I do not think I would notice if that lady did not say anything. Would I come back to see a show here you may ask... the answer is only if it's a show I REALLY want to see.

The new Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC - NYC) set in the plaza of the World Trade Center and Oculus is a welcome addition to the downtown Manhattan performing arts scene. The cube shaped space consists of three theaters which are capable of transforming to several different configurations. PAC is a space designed for emerging and established Artists in Dance, Music, Theater, Opera, Media and Film - offered at reasonable prices. PAC's intention is to serve as a cultural beacon and venue where the arts can both "inspire and unite us". This afternoon we attended the musical theater performance of the 1491s ensemble of BETWEEN TWO KNEES - a narrated and acted tale of the history of the indigenous people of the Americas told from their perspective, although very tragic it was presented with a somewhat comedic bent. In the future, we look forward to seeing what new talent and upcoming performances lie ahead. Especially when the annual Tribeca Film Festival is in town this Spring, the location is perfect. **The space is also home to Metropolis restaurant, by famous chef Marcus Samuelsson** Thank you for reading.

I really enjoyed this space! It's new and well designed, with lots of seating on the first floor. The theatre itself was very well designed. There didn't seem to be a bad seat in the house.

The PAC is the last piece of the Ground Zero project. It rises up, an enormous, impressive, glowing gold and brown marble cube, with the freedom tower glimmering in the background. I saw the inaugural show here--Watch Night. It was edgy, inventive, thought-provoking. It was a mixture of hiphop, interpretive dance, orchestra, beatboxing, breakdance, ballet, spoken word, and an all-out opera. There are multiple theater spaces, and what makes PAC special is that all of the spaces can be reconfigured in multiple ways--I think over 60 different configurations are possible. The space I was in was very intimate. There were some balcony seats, but none of the seats were overly far away. I sat in the second row because I didn't know how the space would feel (sometimes the front row is looking directly at the front of the stage and you have to crane your neck). But the stage for this production was low to the ground and the front row would have been perfect. That being said, this particular configuration was great in the way the seats were offset and each row was slightly elevated above the row in front of it, so you don't run into some some tall person's head ruining your night. I am so appreciative that this center is ready to host shows representing multiple cultures and communities. Aside from Watch Night, there are several shows I'm interested in attending. There is an indigenous comedy troupe who is associated with the hit TV show Reservation Dogs. Laurence Fishburne has an upcoming one man show. There is a celebration of street dance with Afrikan Party, a futuristic ode to dance form in Africa, as well as an all-styles dance battle, which covers the multitude of street movements emerging in New York. So many other very cool, unconventional shows that utilize multiple media forms to entertain, intrigue, and stimulate. Ticket prices generally range from the 50's to around 130 for premium seats, but it's variable. I noticed that the Laurence Fisburne show has tickets as high as 158. Some shows are as low as 48 and max out in the 80s. This is also built as a community space. There is a beautiful common lobby where people can come and watch performers and small concerts for free. There is a small concession stand with wine, water, soda, nuts, snacks. The architecture and lighting are beautiful and help slip you into a serene mood. Marcus Samuelsson's newest restaurant, Metropolis, is also here. I have written a separate, detailed review on this venue. I am so excited to see what the PAC brings over the coming years!

Nice theater. Seats have decent room & leg space just not much cushion if the show is SUPER long. No middle aisle in orchesta seating so have to go thru long line of seats if sitting in middle seats. Parking garages nearby so not a huge walk to get to, and subway nearby as well. Thankfully, an elevator was available at main entrance versus 2 HUGE flights of steep steps to climb to enter. New Marcus Samuelsson restaurant in lobby, Metropolis, if want to eat before or after a show. Nice sitting area available in front of restaurant as wait for either restaurant or theater to open for showtime. Staff was super helpful with directions to restrooms, questions, etc. Theater restroom kept very clean. Just have to walk down one & half flight of stairs to get to. Theater ushers were pleasant as well.

This was the biggest missing puzzle piece in the WTC complex. And it opened its doors in mid-September to audiences eager to enjoy the space as much as the performances within. "A Spectacular Marble Cube Rises at Ground Zero" announced the New York Times. Seems like half-a-billion of funding has been put to good use in developing this center for the performing arts in Lower Manhattan. I was at a concert for their inaugural season. It was part of a series titled Refuge that featured five days of a diverse mix of performances. Childhood Sings: Memory as Refuge featured performances by José Feliciano, the Trinity Youth Chorus and many other passionate musicians. They performed spectacularly well to a full house. The space itself is more intimate than, say, the Carnegie Hall, which I believe is by design. Some of the details like the acoustics, movement of patrons, etc. need to be adjusted over time, which is understandable. There is also a contemporary American restaurant Metropolis that I hope to try next time I visit PAC NYC. What a welcome addition to this part of the city. I can't wait to return.

This is a newly structure for entertainment in the World Trade Center arena. This is a beautiful designed center. The inside is nice and cozy and it gives you an old New York in the theatre house. The acoustics is really good to hear from all sides. This was my first time here and look forward to seeing more theater production at this center.

Beautiful building and theatre. The performance area is quite comfortable with good sight lines (unless you're short and sitting in the first orchestra row because the stage is high). The journey from the street to the theatre is unexpectedly difficult. To get to the theatre level you must take some combination of two elevators or four flights of stairs. The elevators, and the theatre-level concourse are small leading to slow entry and exit. The Metropolis restaurant and the second level is an asset. The venue is on the WTC campus with very easy mass transit access.

Excellent venue and a range of performance categories. The bar, lounge Nd restaurant are excellent too.

We saw the Cats! ballroom musical here and it was fantastic! Beautiful new venue right next to the former World Trade Center monument. The staff were all incredibly kind and inclusive, and the lighting and audio was immaculate. My only complaint was the foam on the seat went fairly flat, but of our 3 shows in New York this was definitely the stand out.

One amazing experience. We enjoyed "Just Like In The Movies" and an evening of delicious dining. Lawrence Fishburne was magnificent telling lies in his one man show.

Don't worry about access, people of limited mobility. Basic circulation is daunting and public space is cramped, but with some advice from the nice staff, you can find your way to your seat with two different elevators. Whether or not you will want to go back anytime soon, I suppose, depends on the attraction.