Mahalia Jackson Theater For The Performing Arts

5.15.15
This is my first time visiting this theater. I am seeing the Louisiana Phil Harmonic do a Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon show. So far everything sounds and looks amazing! I’m giving four stars because parking and entering was very confusing. Also, the bartender can physically only pour a certain amount because all the bottles are on a measuring spout.

I’ve seen a great many shows here over the years, everything from local dance recitals, to the symphony, the opera, the ballet, and the Broadway Across America Series. It’s small enough that even the top row seats are pretty good ones and the sound quality is pretty decent throughout.
On the inside, it’s a very nice theatre but not opulent. (Nothing like the interior of the nearby Saenger, which is visually stunning in comparison). However it does gain some aesthetic points for the the exterior of the building which is quite pretty as it is surrounded with fountains and waterfalls and the front of the building is one giant window which showcases the very large lobby chandelier quite beautifully.
About 2 years ago they did raise the parking price from $ 10 to $ 15, which I think is a bit on the high side, but they kind of have a monopoly on that because there is almost no alternative convenient parking in the immediate vicinity. Also of note, I’ve found that lines for refreshments do not move too quickly and the same goes for the ladies room (because they are pretty small for a venue with so many people all in line at the same times), so if there’s an intermission, you may spend most of it in line.

I wish I could give Mahalia Jackson Theater a better rating, but it just wouldn’t fit. This is an absolutely functional event space. I have seen several great shows here and have had no problems seeing, hearing, getting in and out, parking, purchasing or picking up tickets, or with any employees. Tickets (in the back, where functionally poor people like me sit) are even relatively affordable for a variety of events. But really, it’s nothing spectacular. Just functional.
I have been to many beautiful theaters, elaborately decorated to the point where just being inside is worth half the ticket price. This building is definitely not that. Austere, plain taupe everywhere the eye can see. It’s not offensive or anything, but not anything spectacular or jaw-​drop-​worthy either.
I think the thing that irks me the most is that parking is $ 15. This is almost as much as I pay to get into the show itself. And from most of the spaces in the lots, after shows traffic is directed out the east side of the park which means you have to drive all the way around the block to get back to Orleans and headed toward the freeway. Again, this is not a deal-​breaker, just inconvenient enough for me to knock down to 3 stars instead of 4.
All in all, I would not say skip a show because it’s here; just don’t expect the building itself to be too incredible.

One of the best city owned venues in America featuring a sound system that is second to none. Since Katrina this has been one of the crowning achievements of the rebuilding of New Orleans.

We have attended two shows here in the last couple of years — The Jersey Boys and the Ron White comedy show. While we love the music of the Jersey Boys, this was a bad venue as the acoustics in this theatre are terrible. There are never enough bars or bartenders open either resulting in VERY long lines so you’re sure to miss a big portion of the show no matter what time you get in line.

Old school later 20^th century stylings (so no awesome gold leaf anything, just glass, wood, and poured pebble concrete) in a sweet back o’ the Quarter location perfect for local events (read: ballet) or midgrade national touring shows. A great asset to the city!

We went to the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts last night to enjoy the 10^th Annual Studio G Dance & Gymnastics Recital. It was really a family affair and we had front row seats as my niece, her husband and their daughter took to the stage. As it was Father’s Day, there were several performances that included daughters dancing with Dad’s. The evening covered the gamut from the toddlers that cracked me up as they tried their best, to the mothers that had a great time showing they still had it. For the most part, the dance routines were crisp and enjoyable and it was obvious that a lot of time and energy had gone into preparing.

Saw Aziz here awhile back. There was a fight near me in the balcony. That was fun. I love the location in Armstrong Park. The building is a bit dated, but the experience inside was great.
Bar Tonique on Rampart is an ideal pre-​show drink spot.

This review is a bit delayed, all apologies.
I saw the Louisiana Philharmonic Symphony doing the music for Psycho while the movie was playing. I had never seen Psycho, but this was a great time, and leaves me excited to see more of the symphony. The theater itself was beautiful. Very nice venue. There were no kids, which was probably because of the show for the night, but that was good. No one in my area was getting up and down, and everyone was extremely polite throughout the show. I wish that all of my theater experiences were as good as this was.

This is one of the worst theater experiences I have EVER had. After seeing shows in NYC, Houston, San Francisco, and a handful of extremely small towns, I was completely unimpressed with how general rules of etiquette here were completely ignored and unenforced. I saw the Lion King here, and people surrounding me talked at full volume throughout the performance, they ate chips (!!!), crinkled their bags, unwrapped candies, and crinkled their candy bags. This was not only during intermission but throughout.
Aside from the talking/​eating, I would have given the experience 5 stars. The Lion King was truly a great performance, and I was so impressed that the Mahalia Jackson snagged it. But, I won’t be returning to see a show here any time soon.

For a theatre I expected a little more. The reason I’m giving this review such low stars is because of the lack if bathrooms. Went to see a show here and I was in line for 15 minutes to use the bathroom, then waited an extra 10 minutes after intermission ended and missed part of the show because the main level had three womens stalls and too many people were in line. For the size of the venue I would have expected more than three stalls on the main level. Especially since there are three levels to the theatre. Parking wasn’t bad, location wasn’t bad either, seats were comfortable.

I have to say I’ve never been here until Broadway Across America started showing at this theater. I’ve seen Wicked (section 1 and 11), Lion King, Ave Q, and Mary Poppins (all section 11). Parking was usually $ 10 but for Wicked 2013 it was $ 15.
There is an usher program you can volunteer for to watch the plays for free.

This place is an Oasis in a shady part of town. This theatre and its grounds are perfect setting for a night of theatre or opera or whatever the place has on tap for the night. Getting in is relatively easy and Armstrong Park has been revitalized adding to the allure of the place. Inside is also a great venue. I am not sure if the seating is the best for people in the back or balcony, but the aesthetics are nice for this area.
One of the biggest draws of this place is the Broadway in New Orleans series. This will be moving to the Saenger Theatre next season, so it will be interesting to see the differences and what is left for the Mahalia Jackson to host.
Tip: Parking out of the lot and walking and not recommended.

I recently saw Jersey Boys at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre. It was my first visit and I was overall impressed. The theatre is fairly small, which means that there isn’t really a bad seat in the house. Like in most venues, a seat near the center has a slightly better viewing angle than a seat on either side, but as far as distance from the stage goes, no seat is too far away.
Parking is available for $ 10 in a private lot around the theatre– conveniently located and reasonably priced. The grounds surrounding the theatre are very beautiful and welcoming. The theatre is well-​kept and accessible by elevator and stairs. There are a few bars located throughout the theatre that serve mixed drinks, beer, and packaged snacks like pretzels.
The one major shortcoming of the theatre is an apparent shortage of restrooms. During intermission there were nearly 50 ladies in line to use just 3 available stalls. Definitely didn’t seem sufficient for the number of people in attendance.
I definitely recommend visiting the Mahalia Jackson Theatre, particularly if you have the opportunity to see a Broadway Across America show.

I go to the Mahalia Jackson Theater about a half dozen times in a year, either to see concerts or opera. Once upon a time I wouldn’t have set foot in there. It was a run down dump in a bad neighborhood. But now it’s been renovated and re-​opened and it’s a great venue.
I usually get seats on the balcony. I’ve had ones at the front and ones at the back and I can that there really isn’t a bad seat. You always have a clear view of the stage and the production you’re watching.
Parking is pretty simple. It’s $ 10 for event parking, cash only. Lots are large and well light. I’ve never felt unsafe walking between the theatre and my car. Inside there are refreshments, including a full bar. I wish there were more bathrooms and more spacious ones at that, but it hasn’t really been an issue. Outside is a beautiful deck style area with a fountain and a large pond. It’s nice to be out there before a show or during an intermission.

Mahalia Jackson Theater is a great place to see a play, a concert, or dance groups. Come June, dance is all there will be as the local dance schools book Mahalia Jackson for their end of year dance recitals. But I digress; back to the review. I’ve been here mostly for Broadway Across America plays, but have caught a couple of music concerts. It’s nice to be able to see some Broadway quality shows at a local facility rather than traveling to a casino on the coast.
We have sat in several different locations in the theater and sight lines have been good. The lighting and sound work for most performances. (I won’t ding them for the one play when we were sitting in the balcony and the speakers sounded out of sync.) The theater is clean and the staff is fairly efficient. There is plenty of supervised parking on-​site. $ 10 isn’t excessive.
My only real complaint are about the seats. Or rather the distance between the seat cushion and the seat in front of me. There really isn’t quite enough room to move my legs when I have to sit for an hour or two. It can get quite uncomfortable. Not bad enough to not come back, but enough to dull the edge of the experience. Unfortunately, it’s just not only here where leg room is an issue.

The venue is impeccable. Went to see the Lion King and seats were located on the upper balcony [Sec. 15, Row C, seats 10 & 11] and they were great. There’s not really a bad seat in the house. Not to mention the full bar is a plus :) Only con is parking at the end of the Louis Armstrong park and having to walk thru is not to safe but thankfully there was a police man positioned inside the gate entrance/​exit!

Parking is $ 10. Be aware this is in one of the most dangerous parts of town when walking to and from your car.
Upon entering, plenty of ushers are standing in the aisles. The usher we approached did not bring us to our seats. He pointed to the first set of box seats and said to follow the numbers. Thanks buddy, way to make a guest feel special. We find our section of the box seats and the chairs are not numbered. So we took a guess at which ones were ours and sat down. We were wrong.
Box seats usually get a waitress. We did not get asked about a drink until we had been seated for over an hour. I had sent my husband to the bar to get a drink after we watched the rows of corporate suites in front of us get served a second drink. The bar consisted of one 80 year old bartender and the line was never shorter than a dozen people. So much for paying extra for box seats which by the way were about 40 rows from the stage.
The entire crowd was ushered out one door which happened to be on the opposite side of the parking lot.

FYI — OnStar navigation has a heck of a time finding this place. The address listed on Unilocal apparently doesn’t exist (or so they claim). OnStar has an address on Rampart Street listed, which is close, I guess, except you need to drive around the block to find parking. However, this isn’t a review of OnStar, so I won’t complain about that… just be sure to get appropriate directions if this is your first time going to the Mahalia Jackson Theater.
My first time was a few days ago, as a birthday present to my daughter — Yo Gabba Gabba Live. We were running a little late, but so was everyone else.
Parking was relatively easy and nearby, with the Mahalia Jackson parking lot charging $ 10 per car (or you can try to find cheap/​free street parking).
The staff still politely ushered us to our box and we had time to spare before the show began. My only real complaint with the service here is the lack of concessions. They had a full bar (yeah, it’s New Orleans) for a kids’ show, but not many kid-​friendly options. There was a «kids pack» for $ 6, but the package of Capri Sun sugar water, pretzels, and fruit snacks left something to be desired.
The seats aren’t comfortable at all. This is the major reason why I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5. Other than that, the show was enjoyable, the view was decent, and the theater itself was clean and well maintained.

I just love Mahalia Jackson Theater. I was able to attend the Color Purple Musical and had a wonderful experience at the show. Great staff, helpful with finding seats and just friendly! The stage setup was great to view the show from just about any seat in my opinion.
During intermission time it’s kind of hard to get anything from the concession lanes. Maybe something should be set up to direct lines and have things move a lot smoother.
Overall I enjoyed my experience as always