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Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI

Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Theatre & EventsDate NightRainy-Day Pick

Providence Performing Arts Center

220 Weybosset St · Providence, RI

Why you should go…

The Providence Performing Arts Center opened on October 6, 1928 as Loew's State Theatre, a movie palace designed by the theater architects Rapp & Rapp. Today the 3,100-seat house presents touring Broadway productions, concerts and other live shows, and it has launched 24 national tours since 2008. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and its 1927 Wurlitzer organ, with five keyboards, stars in the theater's Wonders of the Wurlitzer program.

  • #broadway shows
  • #historic theater
  • #live music
  • #performing arts

Good to know

General theatre & events guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Curtain time is firm

    Latecomers are commonly held at the back until a scene break, so build in a buffer.

  • Study the seating chart

    Price and sightline vary a lot within the same house. A few rows back can be the better seat.

  • Rush and lottery seats exist

    Many venues release same-day tickets at a discount if you are flexible about where you sit.

  • Arrive with time to spare

    Parking, bag check, and finding your row all take longer than you think on a full house.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Providence Performing Arts Center, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Providence, Rhode Island

    Free

    Rhode Island's compact capital, nicknamed the Creative Capital for its arts scene, riverfront, and dining.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Waterplace Park

    Free

    Stroll cobblestone riverwalks and Venice-style footbridges downtown, the setting for WaterFire bonfires.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    History Buff

    RISD Museum

    Under $25

    An art and design museum in Providence with more than 100,000 objects spanning ancient to contemporary work.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Rhode Island State House

    Free

    Tour a white marble capitol by McKim, Mead & White and look up at the Independent Man on its dome.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    Symphony Hall

    $25–$50

    Hear the Boston Symphony Orchestra or the Boston Pops in a 1900 concert hall known for its lively acoustics.

    40 mi awayMore like this

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    Shalin Liu Performance Center

    $25–$50

    Ocean-view concert hall in Rockport hosting chamber music, jazz, and more.

    71 mi awayMore like this