The Curran Theatre

The Curran Theater was built in 1922 and more than a hundred years later…it’s still beaming with pride & beauty!! The second you step inside you feel the electricity and excitement! Seen The Jersey Boys and The Golden Girls lately and the theater hasn’t lost its touch. If anything it’s even more beautiful! Props to the ticketing people…they are as nice as can be! Me and my good friend had the best time ever!!! I cannot recommend this theater more even if I wanted to! 👍🏼👍🏼❤️❤️

Beautiful old theater. I was impressed with it's beauty. The accustics were great. No bad seats. Handicapped seating is available. Lighting was done well.

Attended two different productions in the fast 2 months. Each time I simply could not get over how beautiful this theater is. Don't get the "lemonade". Too sweet. But other cocktails and drinks and snacks are available.

Get there early to enjoy all the architecture and remodels from the last 7 years. Gorgeous old theater with some really nice comfortable, modern amenities. Prices for any snacks or drinks. Prepare to dip into your retirement for that. Gorgeous bathrooms. Very efficient, friendly staff. Small enough theater that most of the seats have fabulous views. Parking paid lots. Only downtown San Francisco. Also near public transit and of course taxi and rideshare. Work very well. Don't come at the last minute you ruined the show for other people because they will seat people unbelievably late into the show which ruins the experience. FYI.

A great fun night out ! A very nice theater , seats are a little tight but comfortable ,it's an old theater so expected ,but a lovely venue. Big enough for over 1000 people but it's still intimate enough that you can pretty much see the stage from any seat. And they had 2 interpreters for Sign language and wheelchair access also , they catered for everyone. And the staff were super friendly. As usual as most theater's if you want an interval drink it can be a chore but nothing you wouldn't expect. Overall a very nice time had by all ,I would definitely go here again . And if you get a chance to see this show , do! It's a lighthearted fun time! #TheGoldenGirlsLive

Beautiful theater, but I wouldn't recommend watching musicals here... Acoustic is terrible, especially on the upper levels, and the way the seats are arranged also means you have to lean forward to see the stage.

The Curran Theatre, located at 445 Geary Street between Taylor and Mason Streets in the Theatre District of San Francisco, California opened in February 1922, and was named after its first owner, Homer Curran. As of 2014, the theater is owned by Carole Shorenstein Hays. Capacity 1,667 In the 1950s, the theater was used for the interior and exterior scenes of a Broadway theater in the movie All About Eve. The original main floor interior lobby can be seen in this film. All the theater scenes were filmed at the Curran except for the dressing room interior. The television series The Streets of San Francisco filmed an episode inside and outside the Curran. In the program, the Curran is used as the setting for A.C.T. In reality, A.C.T. operates at the adjacent Geary Theatre which is also visible in some shots.

My niece is a drama student and this was our first time. She loved the theater. Beautifully taken care of.

I was at the Curran Sunday, December 15, 2024 for a 2:00 PM Matinee. I checked in at approximately 1:45 PM. The play was The Golden Girls Christmas Episodes. Finally, after 10 years wanting to see this play, I made the trip from across the bay to SF via BART. It is my first time at the Curran. Other venues I have been to in the past were the Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatre. The Curran is indeed a beautiful venue, and the decorative scenery in the play is marvelous. It sure got me in a festive mood when the audience, including me, were doing sing along Christmas carols. "Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh..." "Deck the halls with boughs of holly...don we now our gay apparel..." "...yule tide carol, fa la la la..." It was a fantabulous and enjoyable matinee during this holiday season for the cast and audience. I recently turned 73 years old and I have started my bucket list. I can think of no other way to start the list than going to the Curran to watch The Golden Girl Christmas Episodes. I had to see Blanche (Matthew Martin) perform. After the play, I stood in line for the photo op, so I can say hello in person to Matthew. The last time I spoke to him (telephone conversation) was over 10.5 years ago. It made my evening to finally meet an elegant "lady" who is quite a dancer.

First time ever visiting the Curran. The venue is extremely spacious. It is a beautiful venue with many levels, multiple restrooms on each and refreshments throughout. The architecture is absolutely stunning. The lower level restrooms have been recently renovated and have numerous stalls. The other levels have single or two stall restrooms. Seating is quite spacious sitting next to another. The seats have great cushion being folding seats, I was able to survive 2 hours without feeling uncomfortable or needing to adjust. Ample legroom to stretch. It is a 5 minute walk from Powell Bart station and easy to navigate. I made the trek to see The Golden Girls Live! Such an amazing cast and show. It was almost 2.5 hours and worth every second spent viewing. I was disappointed when the show ended because it was that amazing! If you have the opportunity to attend a show, go! It is so worth the time, money and experience.

Well maintained and clean theater in a better part of the city. I went to see the golden girls live show. The staff were great with organizing the entry and service was great. Just make sure you be careful buying tickets online there are some third parties that rip people off.

I love the theater! Especially for the historical aspect and design. I like this theater out of the others in San Francisco. - Close walking distance to BART. - Nearby parking garages. - Shops and restaurants- after all, it is in Union Square, duh! - Main bar at the orchestra level and another bar upstairs. Be forewarned if you need to use the restroom, it is located downstairs.

Please see my review listed on under Curran Theater site. Nutshell I would recommend this venue. A lovely theater. I feel we need to preserve our older structures.

QUAINT THEATER I've never been to this theater before. Last March I came here to watch the play "All Things Equal", which is based on the life of RBG. I sat near the front of the stage. When I watch a play the most important aspect is if the seat is comfortable. The play I saw that night lasts 90 minutes long without intermission. There wasn't a time when I felt uncomfortable sitting during the play. The theater is an intimate granted I sat near the front. If there are other shows that I'm interested I can see myself coming back to Curran.

We are so lucky to have so many amazing theaters in SF, this is a beautiful place to see some amazing shows. I will always remember the Harry Potter days but we love seeing anything that showcase here.

This theater is more intimate than the Orpheum, so the seats are all closer to the stage. I was seated in the side orchestra, row S, and had a good view of the stage and everything happening. My one complaint is that there's not a lot of leg room. My legs aren't exactly long, but I found myself feeling a bit cramped. When I wanted to cross my legs, it was a difficult move! This has nothing to do with the theater itself, but I wish smokers and people wearing strong perfumes could all be seated in an isolated section together! The woman next to me was an obvious smoker; the odor of cigarettes was so strong that it came through the mask I was wearing. It really made it unpleasant for me as I'm very sensitive to heavy scents. Other than the awful smell, the show was fantastic!

What to say? Well getting there is one thing . And once you're there having to walk to the venue. It's disgusting. The area around it doesn't seem safe. It's filthy, trash everywhere and there people nodding off or doing drugs on the sidewalk. Once inside it's a neat looking theater. The AC either wasn't on or not working. It was so hot during Swan Lake we left at intermission. I wouldn't go to this theater again.

Came her on a Sunday for Dog Man, it was a great show good audio. Only thing is if a big guy sits in front of you, you have to close one eye for the whole play in order to block his body out to view the rest of the stage. All the other seats were fine because the kids heads were not blocking. I probably blocked the person behind me as well. I would opt to get loge seats next time.

I was here twice in a two week period. When I was here the first time, the elevator was broken, so if you needed to use the ADA restroom you had to be walked to the hotel next door. The elevator was still broken when I returned. The first time I went, I was in the front row of the balcony. I had to walk down steep stairs with no hand rails to get to my seat. I felt like I was going to fall down the stairs and over the front of the railing the whole time. The view from my seat was great, but I was afraid to stand up after the show was over, because I was afraid I would topple over the edge. I had orchestra seats the next time I went. Getting to the bathroom was still an issue, but I didn't feel like I was going to fall anywhere. I was disappointed that the j.k. Rowling carpet was still in place from the Harry Potter show, months ago, especially when the current shows are during Pride month. I know the theater had been closed for renovations some time ago and I would have thought that would have been taken care of then. The ushers didn't request that we turn the cell phones off until right before the show. People usually need multiple requests before they comply. Multiple requests and signs are needed.

Historical jazzy cool theater in the heart of downtown. Near Union Square. This is a classic gilded theater that hosts a panoply of plays. Really well organized. No hassle no hustle theater. A wonderful experience. Parking is conveniently nearby (pricey $$$). Come early and take a walk on Union Square or get a meal at a nearby restaurant.

Our first time seeing a show here and it definitely will not be the last. This venue is gorgeous, with nicely tiered seats that have plenty of room to be comfortable. As usual for this historic theaters, the ceiling is breathtaking. The Rocketman Show was phenomenal, and I'm happy to know they bring such great shows to SF. Extra points from me to be walking distance from home.

We attended a concert that was so loud we couldn't stay for more than 15 minutes. The management would not accommodate us because the group had their own sound tech. The person at the front desk agreed that it was much too loud , even during sound check. The venue has a responsibility to its patrons and to not allow sound levels to be damaging. I'm sure many went home with ears ringing and possibly permanent hearing damage. Fortunately, we took care of ourselves and left, but it cost us a lot of money and disappointment.

I got FOMO when I heard Harry Potter & the Cursed Child in San Francisco is closing next month! I attended a Sunday afternoon showing, which was perfect for a day trip from Sac. The play was pretty long at 3.5hrs but I guess it's better and more convenient than how it used to be split into 2 different showings. I really liked the play but I feel like you need to be a big Harry Potter fan to really enjoy it. Also it was my first time attending a play play which makes me appreciate and realize I prefer musicals with singing. The magical special effects were well done and pretty cool, I wish there were more throughout the show! Overall thought the price was more expensive than the hype and what you get. Although I'm still glad I was able to experience it! The Curran theater is old. The seats weren't that comfortable, not much leg room, and worse if someone needed to get past your seat. Also if the person in front of you leans forward your whole view is blocked. That was annoying. It's a trek and lots of stairs to get to the downstairs bathroom. Not easily accessible for people with mobility issues especially in the short intermission time. I wasn't able to get a more centered seat but Loge B 24 was still great! As long as the person in front of me wasn't obscuring my view my seat was perfect. I think Loge A in the center would probably be the best seats in the house. Parking was easier than expected. If you park right around the corner in the Mason O'Farrell Garage and have your ticket validated in less than 6hrs, parking comes out to $15. The garage staff is great, ready and waiting for Curran theater patrons going back to the garage right after the show. Just line up at the machines by the elevator and they help you validate and pay for your ticket before returning to your car.

The Curran is a smaller theater compared to New York City Broadway theaters. Smaller theater = better front row orchestra seats and seeing the casts closer to the stage. Curran is in the sf tenderloin district. I want to vomit as I'm writing this review bc tenderloin is disgusting. The streets outside filled with feces, pees, homeless, drug addicts. It was not pleasant. It's unfortunate that the theater is located there. Nevertheless, it brought in so many international tours and local tourists to see Broadway shows. The theater itself was gorgeous, small scale, interior was very upscale, lots of security guards outside of the doors. Concessions was right by the front. There were QR codes in front of each seat to order concession through there n there's full service to bring the food to your seat which was very sf and tech oriented. Who wants to leave their seat to wait in line for food when you're watching a show. We went to watch HP and the cursed child over the weekend. We snagged the front orchestra seats like in the P row I want to say. In the beginning no one sat in front of us which we were hoping so. But like 25min in, the attendees arrived late and we were blocked somewhat to see the play. The HP play was so magical. The sets is where the magic happens. Honestly idk how they even fit a pool area into the stage which was so cool. The casts were phenomenon. 10/10 I would go back to watch it again. I don't think I let my eyes wonder around during the whole show. I was so focus in the story. There weren't any singing in the play which was very nice. The set music was in point!!

When I went to see the Harry Potter play, it was my first visit to this theater. The location is good, but you have to do your homework to find good parking. If you are picking the closest lot with valet options, you'll find yourself waiting in a long line to pick up your car after the show (we found this out our first trip when we showed up at the door - I think it was January 2022 - and found out the show was cancelled due to COVID). A couple months later we returned and parked a tad further and had a better experience with parking (we parked on Market St. and did the walk to the theater). The theater itself is neat because its so old, but renovated. The history gives it character. However, the age makes it a different type of space - it was cramped and besides the single bathroom on the level we were at, during intermission you have to go ALL THE WAY DOWN to the basement for the bathroom - and the line for the women's room winds all the way to the top floors. I made the mistake of going down the men's side, and they made me go all the way back up to the end of the line and the top, just to come back down. They do move you through quickly with helpers, but its painful. The areas to get drinks and souvenirs is also very tight. Although its not a bad theater, I'd say its not my favorite. I know there's little they can do, but the bathroom scenario itself will make me think twice about returning for another show.

I can't recall the last time I was here at Curran. However my daughter & I came last night to see Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. We had will call tickets. We were instructed to pick up our tickets no later than one hour before showtime at 7pm. Doors to the show opened at 6:30pm. I picked up our tickets at 5:50pm. Where to kill time in the meanwhile. We headed over to Macys. We returned around 6:35pm. They did a bag check. Wouldn't you know it? I had to relinquish my pepper spray. It'll be at will call after the show. Later at intermission we decided to head to the ladies restroom. It's down in the basement. The ushers did a great job of keeping an orderly line. Intermission is 10 minutes but believe it or not we were back in our seats in plenty of time. We sat in row D, seats 9 &11. The theater had plenty of empty seats. We could have played musical chairs but stayed put. Face masks are required but many patrons were mask less. We opted in. The theater was renovated in 2017. Our seats were comfortable but tight. Watch out for those knees. Our seats were staggered so we were able to see the stage without looking at the back of heads in the the row ahead of us. There have been times in the past where I've found street parking or parking in one of the parking garages. This time we took BART to & from the Curran. We felt relatively safe. Plus I got my pepper spray back after the show.

First time going here to watch Harry Potter & the Cursed Child. The play was very well done and the effects were amazing! The theater is quite old with a few updates that I can tell like the bathrooms which was pretty clean. All the staff there were pleasant and nice. They don't serve any food only snacks, drinks, and a small charcuterie box. The chairs were small and tight so there's really not much room to stretch around specially for hours while watching a show. The seats also don't have any cup holders so you have to hold everything, your snacks, drinks, and your bag. There isn't much space from your chair to the chair in front of you so it's a squeeze. We sat by the "orchestra" which was all digitized and the view of the stage was great! Would go here again to watch another great play. I would recommend eating food beforehand since the snacks here are just popcorn and candies.

We wanted to do something special in the city. Big fans of Harry Potter and wanted to see the show before it closed. The theater is tucked in among other buildings and has charm on the outside. It was weird that they allowed you to go in an hour early but then the lobby gets so jammed packed it's almost chaos. All the staff was friendly and helpful. Big bathroom is downstairs and is super fancy and was always clean. They had an usher helping traffic to make the bathroom traffic go faster. Downside, if you needed to go to the bathroom, you better run out as soon as an act was over with, otherwise you'd be waiting awhile. The seats were okay, not the super comfortable. I'd go back and see another show.

The Curran has implemented a very hard core policy about bringing food in, including bag searches. I had dined an an expensive restaurant prior, and had about $30 in leftovers to take home (not to eat in the theater). The security guards made me throw it out before coming into the theater. I asked if there was any place I could check the food (like coat check) and they rudely said the trash can. During intermission I asked whether there was a water fountain and was told that I could get water from the bar. Instead of providing a pitcher of water and cups, one had to wait in line behind people buying food and drinks in order to get tap water. When I asked an employee about it, he rudely told me that I would have had to wait in line at a drinking fountain also. Finally, in addition to the rude employees, the center mezzanine seats seem to not be staggered so the person immediately in front of you is completely blocking your view. If SF is striving to keep people going to the theater, perhaps the theaters could be more welcoming. I'm hoping to avoid the Curran as much as possible in the future.

My 14-year old daughter and I enjoyed the museum very much. Great exhibits, lots of space and friendly staff. Recommend visiting.

2/13/2022 Two years in the making to see Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. The J.K Rowling helmed play was delayed multiple times during a pandemic and has finally resumed during an endemic. This is technically my first ever show here at the Curran. Location: easily accessible in the upper downtown area, and directly on Geary Street. The nearest streets are Powell, Sutter and Post and the closest transit stop is the 38 Geary. Service: we were advised to arrive an hour prior to the show as patrons are to show their vaccination cards for validation. We arrived just over an hour prior and began our wait quite early, rather early actually. It was fast, and the staff were courteous in the whole process. The Theater: the Curran doesn't look particularly look big on the outside, but the theater itself (seating and stage) itself is well sized. I can't say how many patrons were there on our Sunday show, but it was certainly a full house. We were upgraded to Orchestra seats due to delays and the updates play (we originally booked the 2 part in a single day, and the new play is edited to be half of the original). Effects: most plays, musicals, and in this case a mainstream broadway show; sets are made precisely in a minimal manner. I felt that the sets and props made great use in multiple ways. For instance, roll-away luggage were not only used as luggage, but also as seats for the Hogwarts Express scenes, and for the headstones at Goddricks Hollow (not exactly a spoiler, but more so praise for utilization). I'm not sure how the production crew made the stage look as if it shook during some time travel scenes; but it looked incredible. I mean Harry Potter is magic after all. What I Wished For: it would have been awesome if The Wizarding World brought Butter Beer to this Harry Potter attraction (I can dream right?). Many of the patrons felt that the bathrooms were a bit out of the way, especially when one has had a bit too much to drink and felt the urge to find one during intermission. I fortunately did not have the same urge but felt that it might have been a hassle. For that reason; I missed not one second of the show. I also wished that maybe there could have been some singing? I'm so happy this Harry Potter show is playing so close to home at the Curran.

POOR ORGANIZATION. Our tickets instructed us to arrive an hour early, only for the stairs to be opened at 1pm and for us to be stopped halfway up the stairs to be told our seats(and only our seats) wouldn't open for another half hour. This left about twenty people crowded on the stairs, which is an obvious fire code issue, waiting to finally be able to sit down. Whoever coordinated this needs to fix this problem because there are a lot of very unhappy patrons sitting on the stairs right now. Two thumbs way, way down. Get your act together, Curran. (Ba dum tss)

Theatre is very beautiful! Unfortunately they have you come an hour early for security checks then cram hundreds of people in the lobby! Most people are unmasked! We saw the Harry Potter show which had amazing sets and special effects. The actors speak very fast and they are difficult to understand but their acting was incredible! The show has Amazing special effects and overall was insanely good!

Our first time at the Curran to see Harry Potter and we loved it! Beautiful establishment, very clean and overall great experience Would recommend researching parking ahead of time because there is a garage right behind it that is a little tricky to find.

The one star this establishment received was only because some of the staffing was courteous and pleasant to speak with and that the theater itself is beautiful. The lack of stars is purely based on a lack of service & accountability when it really mattered. That being said, my fiancée and I just paid my 1st (his probably 15th-20th) visit to the Curran, this time for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Upon seating we discovered that my fiancée could not see because the man sitting front of him was particularly large (see picture). It's not this man's fault. Everyone else around made comments on how they felt bad because he couldn't see anything. If my fiancée could move his neck around like a chicken he might have seen have half the stage, but he suffered a broken neck as a teen, and can't do that for long with causing bad injury to himself. So, he sought assistance. My fiancée asked the service manager if there was anything that could be done such as movement, compensation, etc. The guy said yes, told my fiancée to stand by the wall next to an attendant while he works it out. He and the attendant watched him run around for a minute and then go right back to work, totally ditching my fiancée with no resolution. The lights flashed and he had to get seated, so he reluctantly returned to his seat. Literally all he could see was a sliver of the right stage and limited area around this man's body. Almost all of this play my fiancée had no idea what happened. At the end of the show my fiancée asked the manager what happened, and the manager claimed to not know where my fiancée went. My fiancée then noted he stood exactly where he was told to, next to an attendant, the attendant and he watched the manager the entire time and then watched him ditch my fiancée, until he was left with nothing. My fiancée described everything he watched him do, the manager guy didn't like that that was pointed out to him, and then said there's nothing he can do, he couldn't find him, completely absolving himself of responsibility. He is supposed to be the professional in a service position?! My fiancée even offered to show him pictures of his view, but he wouldn't view them. The guy didn't even offer to take our ticket info to see if there was anything that could be done after the fact. RIDICULOUS. In the last 30 years that my fiancée and his family have been going to the Curran, this was the first time he was treated so poorly. You do not expect this when you pay for the most expensive tickets and have been decades long time customers. Completely and utterly unacceptable!!!

Beautiful theater with so much history. The only reason why it gets four starts is because I wished there would be more shows here that I would like to attend. Perhaps shorter runs with more shows all year long would be fantastic. One of the best theaters in the Bay area.

Amazing experience and I love how the entire theater is themed. The carpet, the wall papear. Theater is really a escape from the realty. I want it to be successful and have more shows.

First time to the Curran theater for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" performance. The theater is generally in good up-keeping. I think that's because the theater is transformed with customized Harry Potter themed carpet and wall covering and the show just re-opened very recently. We had good seats on the mezzanine row B center seats 107 and 108. Good birds-eye view of the entire stage. As expected bar menu is on the expensive side, a small drink and a box of chocolate total to $21. During intermission, the staff helps traffic the line to the women restrooms. The top floor has a single stall and the staff discouraged patrons waiting for that stall. The line going to the basement restrooms though was long it moved fairly quickly. The intermission break is 15 mins and the staff kept telling all the ladies waiting in line for the restrooms that we will make it back before the second part of the show starts. Seat is on the smaller size with little knee space. If you are 5'-5" and above you will be quite uncomfortable for the duration of the 3.5 hour show. Also expect folks behind you bumping their knees at the back of your seat. There's the Mason O'Ferrell parking garage just around the corner. Curran website said present the show receipt/ticket to receive discount for $15/5 hour parking. I didn't use it because the day I went there was street closure so I couldn't get to the other side of the theater area. Otherwise it will be a good deal to park close to the theater if you don't plan on hanging around the area after the show. Overall a good experience with the theater and glad finally some normalcy is back!

This is an older theater with a fantastic location! You're blocks from Union Square and you're surrounded by hotels and restaurants. I saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child here and they were able to do amazing special effects even though this location is older. The bathrooms were so clean with plenty of stalls. The whole building was really clean looking as well. I'd definitely come back for another production. If you're a really larger person the seats might be tight and there isn't a lot of keg room for tall people.

Just saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child here and the show was amazing!!! I'll forever be wishing to get my acceptance letter... Aside from the show, the theater has its ups and downs, hence the 3 stars. On the one hand, it's a small theater so there's so many good seats!... But the bathrooms are in the basement except for two single stalls so the bathroom lines wrap up two or three flights of stairs... For women and men. On another hand, the hand painted decorative ceiling and interior is so beautiful! The colors are so vibrant and rich!... But the chairs are tiny. Width wise and length wise. It's like basic economy in a Spirit flight. Be ready to knee the back of the head of the person in front of you. Also if you're larger than a size 8, you'll prob be a bit uncomfortable. While the chairs are staggered, you'll probably still leave with a stiff neck as you still have to look around the person in front of you as their size, height and head size will affect your viewability. On the other hand, they offer food and beverage service to your seat. Skip those lines yo! But unfortunately it does not work for the extra long lines at the souvenir section.

Last Saturday we visited Curran for a double header of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Curran has put on nice decorative pieces for the show but I was surprised that the stage is much smaller compared to other venus. Restroom situation is a bit tricky. The one restroom on the mezzanine level is single stalled, which doesn't make sense for this venue. The bigger restroom is in the basement but getting there is an inconvenience, especially if you've the balcony seats. Seats here are kinda tight and not the most comfortable. The stairways are also tight which feels claustrophobic and somewhat unsafe when everyone is trying to leave at the end of the show.

We came to the Curran for the double-header play on a Sunday, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, parts 1 and 2. Tickets were booked online many months in advance and despite being #5000 or so "in line" we managed to score decent seats in the Balcony seats F101 (aisle seat) and F102. We got decent top down views of the stage and had no issues with folks in front of us. The theater is definitely rustic but they did so some upgrades for the venue. Decorative red carpeting with "H's" seen everywhere. The lower level was similarly decorated with "H's" on all the walls. As with all plays here, the bathroom situation during intermission can get ridiculous with lines to the basement restrooms backing up to several levels up! They also sell concessions on every level though keep in mind cold brews will sell out fast! Diet soda is your other low-calorie caffeinated option. The theater has decent sound reception, and the stage was well designed to show nice action and illusions in the dark. There were definitely some scary moments during the play! The seats themselves were fairly comfortable, with a nice spongy cushion. I wished they were a bit wider though. As for the play itself, its definitely 4-stars for me but most likely 5-stars for diehard Harry Potter fans who know the mythology and the plots from the books/movies. The play is well-acted and touches on many themes about adulthood, family, friendship, coming-of-age, and of course magic!

The extra 1 Star is because of the show I watched here and it was the Harry Potter Cursed Child show. I am giving 3-star to this place overall 1) Staff - Great 2) Drinks - Great 3) Location - Great 4) Seat space and quality - Good 5) Orchestra corner seat G15 literally - Bad (you cant see some pieces of the play and it's so sad because you pay $$$ to sit there, unlike other theaters) 6) Restroom Lines - Realllly Long 7) Restroom maintenance - Bad (one didn't have a knob, the other ran out of paper but no one to keep a check on all of it.. it was our start of the show and out at the intermission) The art in the theatre is amazing though, some charming corners.

The theater itself has so much character. And it's HUGE! It doesn't feel like it, but it seats around 1,600 people. We came here for the Harry Potter Part 1/2 showings last Saturday and let me tell you.. it was the best play I've ever seen by far. The effects and sound that they can pull off here is 5 stars. The downfalls of the venue quite frankly is the staff, the bathroom set up and the prices. I'd say you have about a 50/50 shot of having an employee extremely helpful and nice or someone who would rather be anywhere else in the world. Most bathrooms only have 1 toilet total, which backs up the lines. Because of this, you will start to hear employees randomly yelling at customers of where to stand or which bathroom to go to. I get it - I wasn't offended, but could tell other around me were. Prices for a beer are going to be around 12-15 and hard alcohol is going to run you around 22. Wow. Would I go back? Yes, the theater is really cool! There was also a decent amount of leg room for someone over 6ft to sit through multiple shows.

The Curran is beautiful and always has incredible shows but they don't do any sort of crows control at all. Everything spills into two hallways from the balconies and there are no stantons for lines out or the bathroom. It's the most disorganized chaos I've ever seen during an intermission or after a show let's out.

They have a COVID safety policy that they do not honor. I bought two sets of tickets: One set for my family of four and another set for an out of town visiting family of two. Prior to purchasing tickets, I reviewed their policy on COVID since that's been a large part of our lives lately. Their COVID policy states: ATG Tickets will permit you to (i) exchange your tickets for the same Event at a later date; or (ii) if such exchange is not possible or not practical, refund your ticket purchase if: 1) You or someone in your party has tested positive for COVID-19 during the 14 day period preceding the Event; 2) You or someone in your party is not feeling well during the 14-day period preceding the Event and has exhibited symptoms consistent with COVID-19; 3) You otherwise feel that you represent a significant transmission risk The family of two notified me prior to the event that they are exhibiting COVID symptoms. My family of four is healthy and still attending, but I immediately notified the box office 1 week prior to the event to get reimbursed for the two people who should not attend. The box office is refusing to refund me. After I provided the screen shot of their policy and explained that the family was out of the area so they are unable to attend a future show without incurring immense travel expense, they told me they would no longer be replying to my emails and would not be responding to any future communication. I understand that their policy typically does not include refunds, however they implemented a COVID policy as a temporary term/condition of ticket purchase that allows for refunds should someone become infected. The theater is adamant about not adhering to this policy. We are in a pandemic with many restrictions, but are trying to segue back to "normal" life. COVID policies are intended to allow this transition to happen while preventing the masses from getting exposed to someone who has COVID. When ticketholders infected with COVID (especially those with mild symptoms) are not allowed to receive refunds, they are presented with two choices: 1) Lose the money they spent (in this case we spent $500). 2) Attend the event to not lose the money spent, and risk exposure to the full theater, performers, and staff - causing a large ripple effect. If the venue does not want to give refunds, that is up to their discretion, however they need to eliminate this term/condition so as to not provide a term/condition to which they are not willing to commit.

I was recently at the Curran theatre to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I'm a Harry Potter fan and I loved the show. Also the beauty of the Curran theater enhanced the show in my experience. Since parking is so expensive we decided to take Bart and we're happy to realize that Bart is having a 50% discount fare when paying with a Clipper card in Sept 2022. The play was sold out and we had bought Balcony level tickets through Goldstar. The view of the stage from the Balcony was still very good! We sat on Row C in the Balcony section. Row G of the Balcony section has extra leg room! Also I noticed that Balcony seats have a very good amount of height difference between rows so you will not get blocked by the person in front, this is different from the seats in the orchestra level that don't have much of an incline. The space between rows is almost non existent, so be aware that your knees will be very close to the seat in front of you. I had to stand up and walk around during the intermission. The play lasted around 3.15 hours. Very cool special effects and fast storyline. Since the show has been updated to fit in just over 3 hours, the plot moves very fast and it might be confusing to those who are not extremely familiar with Harry Potter. So I recommend for those in your party that are not very knowledgeable about HP to watch the movies ahead of the show or at a minimum to read the brief synopsis that appears in the Playbill brochure. Also, the Balcony temperature was quite hot (high 70s low 80s), so dress accordingly. My husband wore long sleeve and pants and he was sweating! The balcony seats were not accessible, in fact the elevator only goes from floor 1 to the basement, but does not go to the mezzanine nor the Balcony. They sell HP souvenirs, since the lines are long during the intermission and at the end, my suggestion is to arrive earlier and shop before watching the show. Overall I loved the show and would see it again. My husband says he enjoyed it but was having trouble understanding the plot (especially the beginning) because he is not so familiar with HP, he has only seen the movies (several years ago). I'd say that the more familiar you are with the HP world would be an advantage for understanding and appreciating all the great details that were put into the production.

This theater is not accessible and when I called for info on seating width they told me "all seats were the same width." If you're a big booty person like me, prepare to be extremely uncomfortable in your seat. It was so unpleasant. The stair and bathroom situation is also an issue. Half of the women in line (including me) for the bathroom didn't make it in during intermission and had to go back. (We were told if you had to go to the bathroom during the play you might not be allowed back to your seat.) It's also extremely weird you are told to be there early but just have to awkwardly stand around since you can't go to your seats right away.

[Pre-COVID]. Been here a handful of times now and it really is a beautiful older theatre. Check-in process is pretty smooth and there are bars on each floor. If you don't want to wait in line, definitely head to one of the upper floor bars! Way quieter there. Downsides are that the drink prices are painfully steep and the bathrooms above the first floor only have one stall. If you make your way to the bottommost floor they have about 20 stalls there and the line moves pretty quick. I really like how they were able to change all the carpets to Harry Potter themed for the Cursed Child shows.

My bf and I went to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Curran Theatre (thanks to my bf for buying tickets!). There were staff members outside the theatre checking IDs and vaccination cards. Guests had to go through security/metal detector to get inside. Once through the door, staff were scanning tickets. I had pepper spray which wasn't allowed in the theatre so I was able to leave it with security/customer service with my name. I was told to present my ID to reclaim it after the show. The instructions on the tickets told guests to come early but no one was allowed to sit in their seats until 6:30 pm (for a 7 pm showing). The play was great! It evoked every emotion. I highly recommend this play to Harry Potter fans and those who aren't-although it would make more sense if you know the characters and story. My bf and I sat in the Mezzanine area, which was to the left of the stage. The cushioned seats may be small/tight for some. The only thing I really have to complain about isn't about the play/theatre but about the people sitting in front and to the side of my bf and I. The 2 people in front would "whisper" to each other during the play but since I was behind them I could hear their voices even when I didn't want to. I wanted to tell them to stop talking but I didn't want to be the one disrupting the show instead. Someone else sitting in the same row as them must have been frustrated too because during the second act, she shushed them. They immediately stopped but it didn't totally stop them from whispering, but they definitely whispered a lot less. And the person in front of me would move her head around from time to time and block my view (she was taller than me... sigh, short people problems, I even switched seats with my bf before the play began so that I could sit in the aisle seat and reposition my head and watch from the side). And there was a person to the side looking at his or her phone twice during the play so out of my peripheral vision I could see a bright white screen. A staff member approached that person to stop what he or she was doing. I am appalled by the rudeness of these guests! Do these people not know how to enjoy a live show without ruining it for others?! These distractions definitely tried to ruin my experience. When intermission came around, there was a long line for the women's restroom, I had to walk up several (short) flights of stairs to get to the end. There was a staff member to help direct the guests to the end of the line. Even though it was a long line, it moved pretty fast. There was a staff member in the women's restroom directing people in line to empty stalls which made the process efficient. The staff were nice. I didn't get a chance to explore the snack bar or gift shop-there were too many people around those areas. I would totally watch this play again. I am sure there are things I missed due to those guests doing distracting things nearby me as mentioned before. And I didn't forget to reclaim my pepper spray!

Just watched Dear Evan Hansen at the newly renovated Curran theater. It was a bit disorganized getting in line as there were 5 different lines pouring out of the theater. Once inside, it wasn't so bad getting to our seats, which were right in the front. I think they need more bathrooms. The inside of the theater was beautiful though and enjoyed Dear Evan Hansen immensely!

I am going to be buying my future tickets on the open market from now on. The service I get as a season ticket holder is pathetic. The pricing is double what I could have paid. And they nailed me on feed besides!!! Yikes!!

We went to there to see Harry Potter and the cursed child. The play was absolutely amazing and the actors were super good. The theater was pretty, the cocktails good, the popcorn generous and salty. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because it's super crowded.

Beautiful and clean theatre with friendly and efficient staff. The wine is way overpriced but it's our way of supporting the arts. The surrounding area is shady, disgustingly dirty, but this is of course, not the theatre's fault. Be careful on your way to and out of the theatre but inside, enjoy!

***Disclaimer*** This review is my experience of Curran theatre while attending Harry Potter and the cursed child. Although some aspects of the review might describe experiences that might be specific to the Harry Potter show, the over all review is for the theatre itself. The magical journey begins: The year is 2019. Being from a generation that grew up with Harry Potter, I was super excited to hear that Harry Potter in SF. The day the tickets get released there is a mad rush to book them. My friend and I secure 2 tickets for the next year. The year is 2020. Finally the day of Harry Potter and the cursed child. I drive to SF and park my car. Walk to the venue is the historic Curran theatre. ***Parking*** If you're driving here for the HP show, here are some recommendations for parking Closest ones: The Mason/O'Farrell Garage($15 for 6 hours but expect to pay $35 since you'll be here for the whole day),443 Mason street ($35 for the day. Valet parking) Alternatively you can even look up parking spots on the day of using Spot angels (https://www.spotangels.com) Street parking is also available but it's rarely available on a weekend. ***The check in*** For the HP show, the theatre has barricaded part of the street, so there's more place to stand in lines. They let you in about half an hour before the show. The lines move fast. You may want to finish your drinks as they ask you to throw away your drinks before entering. Bags are checked and you pass through a metal detector before entering. Some of the security seem like bouncers from a club. I saw a person getting yelled at for trying to move into a line that had less people. These are people who've paid $$ to come watch the show, not teenagers trying to sneak into the club. Something for the management to think about. ***On the inside*** There are food and drink stalls in the lobby of the first floor. Vendor stall on the right side. If that's crowded or has a line, you can go to the upper floor since they have the same things there as well. Same with the food stalls, there are 2 more on the upper floors. For the HP show, carpets and wall papers inside have been changed to monogrammed "H". Not sure if that stands for Harry or Hogwarts. The blue wallpaper on the inside is stunning. They also have it in the basement which offers spot for photo op. ***The inside*** The inside looks very historic. Seats are however very cramped. You sit so close to the neighbor, that you can end up accidentally eating their popcorn (Would not recommend that!) My knees were pushing into the front of the seat and it felt like I was in a budget airline like Spirit. Sitting like that for 6 hours is not the most comfortable experience and ends up being distracting. For an auditorium with long lasting shows, they could have gone for a little more spacious seats. I understand the historic nature of the place but there are other historic theatres that I have been to which have had much more comfortable seating experience, so that's certainly not an excuse. For the HP show, there are Hufflepuff attendants who take you're order from the seats during the break, if you so choose (Kinda house-ist!!!) ***The bathroom experience*** There's a mens and a women's bathroom in the basement that lines up all the way till 2nd floor. However they move fast. 10 mins into the break the lines fizzle out, so that's the best time to go for a bathroom break IMO. There are Individual booths on second floor (Mezzanine) and balcony floors but they tend to move much slower especially during the second half of the show. *** The break *** There's a two and a half hour break in between to grab food during the HP show. It would be a good idea to make reservation on Yelp around that time since it gets crowded pretty fast. If you haven't made a reservation and don't want to wait, you can walk a few blocks and get access to less crowded restaurants. Oren's Hummus is at walking distance. As far as the play's concerned, the special effects are amazing. I'll reserve my opinions about the story but the book's out there for you to read and form your own judgement. I had a good time at the show. Had the seats been less crammed, I may have enjoyed it more.

We saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child from balcony row A 106-108. Great view of the stage and the whole performance from there. Not the cheapest seats but worth the modest extra, especially if you are only going to see it once. There are 2, single person bathrooms on the top level, and though they don't recommend waiting there over going all the way downstairs, the hallway was fairly clear for the last 10 minutes of intermission. I wish venues like this would offer a way of providing water without standing in line for 10 minutes, but the staff are helpful and friendly.

Awesome unique experience of The Jungle. First time for me at the Curran Theatre. Stage and overall setting was very real, sounds, flashing light, smoke bombs, police in mezzanine , felt like you were in the middle of the story. Flat screens to cover any parts that are not viewable in certain seatings. Very clean carpets, good cushioned seats, although a bit lacking of leg room. Preorder drinks for pick up after intermission.