Performance Venues

Located at Seattle Center, Climate Pledge Arena is the first net zero certified arena in the world. The redevelopment of this historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, was completed in October of 2021 and is an industry first. Home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA's Seattle Storm, and the world's biggest performers of live music and events.

The Marleen and Kenny Alhadeff Studio Theater at Cornish Playhouse is a vibrant theatrical and educational facility, a landmark of modern architecture built for the World’s Fair of 1962. Operated by Cornish College of the Arts as its most high-profile venue, the playhouse presents to the public a full range of professional and student performing arts productions. In its 476-seat main stage, its black-box theater and its generous lobby, Cornish and its professional partners offer rich experiences not only in theater but also in dance, music and the visual arts. In keeping with the College’s mission, the Cornish Playhouse provides students aspiring to become practicing artists with educational opportunities of the highest possible quality, preparing them to contribute to society as artists, citizens and innovators.

KEXP is a nonprofit arts organization serving music lovers through in-person, broadcast and online programming. KEXP operates one of the most influential listener-supported radio stations in the world, 90.3 KEXP-FM Seattle, with online and on-air service reaching over 200,000 global listeners each week. Visit the KEXP Gathering Space to experience music and connect with other music lovers. Grab coffee at Café Vita, then settle in and watch KEXP DJs work. Shop for records at Light In the Attic Record Shop. Catch your new favorite band performing for free in the viewing gallery. Go behind the scenes with a free station tour exploring the music library, live performance studio, and production rooms.

The region's premier performance venue, home to Pacific Northwest Ballet and Seattle Opera. McCaw Hall encompasses the state-of-the-art 2,900-seat Susan Brotman Auditorium, the 380-seat Nesholm Family Lecture Hall, Prelude Café, elegant lobbies fronted by a luminous five-story serpentine glass wall, two beautiful donor/special function rooms, and a 17,800-square-foot public plaza (the Kreielsheimer Promenade) that serves as an entry into McCaw Hall and the Seattle Center campus.

Pacific Northwest Ballet is widely recognized as one of the top ballet companies in the country. Under the artistic direction of Peter Boal, the company performs a wide variety of classical and contemporary ballets in Seattle and on national and international tours.

The mission of Seattle Children’s Theatre is to provide children of all ages access to professional theatre, with a focus on new works, and theatre education.

Seattle Opera - Founded in 1963, Seattle Opera has developed into one of the leading opera companies in the United States. Under the leadership of general director Aidan Lang, the company is recognized internationally for its theatrically compelling and musically accomplished performances. Seattle Opera's summer presentations, particularly of Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen, have been acclaimed often and widely as the Pacific Northwest's premier cultural events. A new production of the Ring was presented in August of 2001 and was remounted in the summer of 2005. August 2003 signaled the debut of Seattle Opera in the new Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

Seattle Rep puts theater at the heart of public life. Founded in 1963 and winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is currently led by Artistic Director Braden Abraham and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. Over a season and throughout the year, Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Rep’s nationally recognized programs include the New Play Program, Public Works Seattle, the August Wilson Monologue Competition, Pay What You Choose ticketing options, and numerous audience enrichment and engagement opportunities including post-play panels, discussions, and community events.

Seattle Shakespeare Company is the Puget Sound region’s only year-round professional classical theatre dedicated to producing the works of Shakespeare. The company’s growing success stems from a deep belief in the power and vibrancy of Shakespeare’s words and ideas along with a commitment to artistic excellence on the stage. The results have been provocative performances that both challenge and delight audiences while fostering an appreciation for the greatest playwright the world has ever known.