Pantages Theater

The Pantages Theater opened in January 1918 as a vaudeville and motion picture house, one of the theatres Alexander Pantages booked through a circuit that ran from Tacoma to the rest of the continent. It holds 1,274 seats and the venue’s own history describes the interior as designed in the tradition of the Palace at Versailles.

Today it is the biggest of the Tacoma City Theaters venues and the one touring shows, the symphony and the ballet use. If a national tour comes through Tacoma, it is usually here.

Buying a ticket

Tickets run through Ticketmaster and through each show’s own event page, not from a single season box office. The in-person box office sits just outside the theatre at 901 Broadway: it is open Wednesdays from noon to 4pm, closed the rest of the week, and extends its hours on performance days. The number is 253-591-5894.

That one-afternoon-a-week schedule catches people out. If you want to buy in person, Wednesday afternoon is the window; otherwise buy online and treat the box office as a place to ask questions on the night.

Before you pick seats

The venue publishes seating charts for each theater, and a 1918 house does not have the same sightlines as a modern road venue. If the show matters, look at the chart rather than taking the cheapest pair at the back.

Nearby

The Rialto Theater around the corner on South 9th is the smaller, older Tacoma City Theaters room and hosts the funkier bookings. Theatre on the Square is the third venue in the group.

For a full evening downtown, Museum of Glass and Tacoma Art Museum are a few blocks downhill, McMenamins Elks Temple is the nearest place for a drink afterwards, and King’s Books is the best way to spend an hour before a show. Our rainy Sunday guide covers the daytime version of the same downtown walk.