Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

This is a beautiful building, great design. This is a fairly small intimate theater, I was here a few months ago to see a play called «Proof» which I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you want to avoid the crowds in SF, be around nice people in a more relaxed environment and pay a fraction of the cost, check this place out. It is conveniently located in downtown Mt View, so they are a lot of food and drinks options after you are done.

Came here to see my friend’s kid perform. The place itself is big and has a nice underground parking.
The elderly gentleman in the ticket booth was not nice and ruined my mood for the day. I wanted to buy one kid and one adult ticket. However, I asked him if they had a student discount for adults with the student ID. He stared at me and said, «anyone under the age of 21.» So I asked again, because clearly I am way over 21 but it doesn’t mean that I can’t be a student. And most places have student discounts regardless of age. This is America-​we don’t discriminate. He stared at me again and just repeated himself like a recording. Seriously, just because I wasn’t born in U. S and you were, doesn’t mean that I don’t understand English. At this point I gave up, because he was obviously doing this on purpose.
So I handed my credit card to pay for the tickets and he said that I needed to sign my card. I never ever sign my card. So I showed him my ID and he insisted that I sign my card. Who the heck is this guy? So arrogant and disrespectful!!! I did not sign my card and ended up paying cash. I have never had any issues paying with my credit card and just showing my ID. I seriously hope that someone in the management will do something about this.
Just remember, what goes around comes around!

********************* 1310 **********************
I came here for Smuin Ballet last weekend and the show was great, just as I saw it in San Francisco.
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts is a smaller theater than San Jose and SF. Will call line was long, even though we came 30 minutes before the show.
The café next door serves only 1 red and 1 white wine, quite simple, a few more pastries and snacks, but nothing was it for this kind of theater and guests. We don’t mind to pay more, with better option and quality of food and wines.
The volunteer ladies are nice. We got to chat with Liz, she has been there for a long time. A sweet and kind volunteer that loves arts. She was kind enough to let us put our to go food in the office during the show.
The theater is beautiful, clean, decent chairs. Although if you are 6 ft tall or over 200 lbs, it would uncomfortable to sit in these chairs.
Free parking on Castro on Sunday!

Very nice theater. We saw the barber of Fleet Street here and it was a great production but more importantly the facility was also great. Every seat has a great view and the stage is very modern with great lights and sound.

Know what I liked about this place? That I didn’t pay full price for my ticket. I bought them off goldstar for the Sweeney Todd Musical in October.
I got balcony tickets for about $ 17.50, which isn’t too bad for about two and a half hours of entertainment. Anymore than that, I would’ve been an unhappy camper.
First let’s talk about what was right about this place:
— It’s a small venue so the show seemed a bit more intimate
— The tickets were easy to pick up from will-​call
— Seats themselves were pretty comfortable
— Décor is nice. No special architecture here. Just clean.
Okay, now let’s talk about what could’ve been better:
— The worst part about this venue is the seating. The seats aren’t staggered, so the person directly in front of you could definitely block your view. Definitely a problem if that person is tall, wears a hat, or has big hair. I spent a good majority of the show leaned forward and swaying from side to side trying to see.
— Sound doesn’t carry too well in the theatre. I wish subtitles were an option for theatre performances.
If tickets are cheap enough and it’s a show I really want to see, I think I’ll come back here, but I’d have to really think about it.

I saw the Tony Award winning musical Sweeney Todd here and was pleasantly surprised at how well-​run it is. I bought my tickets a couple of hours prior to the performance at the on-​site box office. If I recall correctly, they accept all major credit cards. The staff was knowledgeable, efficient, professional and courteous. Definitely a pleasant experience. When it came time for the show, the staff was no different.
TIP: You can avoid paying the $ 6 per ticket processing fee from TheatreWorks by buying your tickets at the ticket office rather than online. (The fees for buying on the phone through the box office are less. I think there are other ways to buy too, but the only way I know to avoid any fees is in-​person at the venue box office.)
There is a large staircase as well as an elevator to get to the balcony /​upper level. On the ground floor near the main entrance there is a café with food and beverages.
My only complaint were the carpet and restrooms could use some cosmetic refreshing. I hear this center is very well funded, so perhaps they should put some of that funding to good use!

This is a review of the box office staff at the Mountain View Center, not the performances there. Do not make the mistake that I made and try to purchase tickets on the website because at least when I tried it, it did not work very well. No where on the website did it say that the tickets that had seat numbers on them were for GENERAL admission with no reserved seating. The ushers were downright unpleasant to deal with when the problem was pointed out to them, and a follow-​up phone call was met with deaf and indifferent ears. Shame on you folks for treating the public the way you did!

WILL-​CALL (incl Goldstar) was INSIDE, not at Box Office outside. SEATS — read online that Balcony seats sucked, but we had second row ~2 o-​clock and they were really fine. So, wouldn’t spring the $$$ w/​o some compelling reason. PARKING underneath was full on a weekday matinée. (Maybe people doing biz with City Hall?) If you say you’re seeing a perf, the guy at the «parking full» sign gives you a ticket that validates you for a nearby lot (about 2 blocks away.) Also, noticed library (right next to center) has free underground parking???
Lovely facility, but there were an excess of semi-​crabby ushers plus the guy at will-​call who was very off-​putting when I asked if this perf was heavily sold. After saying, no, he felt it necessary to remind me that it was reserved seating. Look, if there’s empty seats that are way better than mine and I’m thinking of moving at the interval, why insult a potential repeat patron with that attitude?

Water By The Spoonful Performance
How this filthy play received a Pulitzer Prize (book) is beyond comprehension.
Many walked out of last night’s performance and I suggest in the future, such «trash» receive a Rating, so no children are taken to the theater to see this show, with it’s foul language that will even make a wild boar blush.
All the most disgusting «F» word phrases were used (even the one referencing a «mother») … and one could see anyone over the age of 30 shake their heads in disbelief.
It will be awhile before I ever take anyone to this theater again. Shame on You, Mountain View Center of the over-​the-​top FOUL LANGUAGE «Arts» !
Thanks for a thoroughly horrible evening … fortunately, an early dinner saved the day !

Came one time and I’m a fan!
My friend had an extra ticket to Spoonful of Water; a 2012 Pulitzer Prize winning drama.
The actors were fun and believable. Awesome choice of music: Coltrane.
The stage is multi level: perfect to keep you engaged.
Décor: very nice.
Customer service: very nice.
Parking: ok
Tip: they have a coffee/​dessert/​wine bar. Reasonable prices too. The desserts looked yummy.

Came here to watch ‘XXCENTRIC’ last weekend and was impressed by the company and venue. I have no place critiquing the artists, but I have to say it was an entertaining show to watch. The venue was great and there doesn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house =)

Watched sherlock holmes and the hound of the baskervilles on Saturday and I really enjoyed it. If you’re into performing arts, the Mountain View Center is definitely an A+ for entertainment. =)

A nice sized venue for a performance. We saw a ballet performance there. We got there early and it was lovely to have a little café in which to hang out before they opened the auditorium. You can preorder a desert for intermission. The staff were lovely and directed us toward a pre-​event talk which we had’t known about.

Great family event done annually. Wonderful way to spend time with the kids, grandkids etc. A tradition w us!

Quite a nice venue. First time here. Won’t be my last. Enjoyed Warrior Class quite a bit. Enjoyed the fact that the line to grab a glass of wine at intermission was small.
Four stars not five because as a tall (6’6) man, the seats were… cozy.

A friend and I came here a few weeks ago and saw a play. The space was really nice. It was new, clean and comfortable. The seating was well planned so you could see above everyone’s head and you were close enough to feel like part of the action.

I really liked this venue. It seemed the kind of place that doesn’t have a bad seat in the house.
We had spectacular seats, but looking around the layout is very nice. Unlike other venues, I felt close enough to the stage to remain engaged, and I didn’t feel smooshed up against my neighbors.
The facilities were clean and functional. Always worth a star!
Lastly, it’s nice to see so much local support in the lobby. Art, menus, coupons, etc. In a non-​cluttery, but full of life way.

Regional Acting at its finest! Came to the Mountain View Center for performing Arts (aka, TheatreWorks) to see SUPERIOR DONUTS
Super-​powerful performances punctuated a tale about the owner of a donut shop in Chicago; the boy who comes to work for him; the relationship that builds between the characters & the patrons of the donut shop… reminds us to follow our dreams of youth and persevere
Really cool area — nice & open, lots of parking available, lots of restaurants around
Lobby is large & open — very inviting; staff was laid back & welcoming
Venue is intimate, seats were comfy & views were unobstructed, sound was okay — could have been just a teensie bit louder but still okay overall
I’m liking this venue & want to come back for more!

Saw a fantastic performance of The Light in The Piazza and loved the Center. Free underground parking (always a plus for us city folks), a wonderful fountain in front of the entrance, decent café next door, and immaculate restrooms. Acoustics were great and the temperature controlled environment was not to cold or too hot.
And of course this production of a Tony-​award winning musical (based on the novella by Elizabeth Spencer) was extra special since a friend of ours sang the role of Giuseppe Naccarelli (the brother of Fabrizio the protaganist). A great story that left us asking questions and wanting more!

I was pleasantly surprised by this venue. My daughter performed in her ballet studio’s production of the Nutcracker here. This isn’t a huge theater, so all of the seats are good. It provides an intimate setting for the ballet and other performances.
Free parking is available at the theater and across the street.