State Theatre

Attended the most recent David Gray concert here on Monday night. It was my first time at the state theater. The staff were friendly and great and the line for getting through security and checking in went extremely quickly. We ordered cocktails which are extremely expensive but it's expected when coming to a theater like this. Our seats were in row R on the main floor, and the seats were comfy and I was able to see the singer the whole time due to the staggered seating...yay for this short girl. People did stand for some more upbeat songs but I still could see through the heads of people in front of me. The bathrooms were great with no wait. I recommend the ones in the basement.

NOTE: Check out their website on their security policy. All guests are subject to a metal detector and bag search. No video or photography inside the theatre. Staff were all friendly and helpful. Concessions had limited options of Carmel corn, candy, and beverages. Beautiful Italian Renaissance style theatre with great acoustics.

A very nice place to see a show, concert or movie. I was fortunate enough to be here for the Prince Celebration 40th anniversary of Purple Rain event. Very nice inside and great views all around including from the balcony. Not supposed to take photos inside but we got away with it the first day but they cracked down on the second day. Got to see Prince concert footage and then the movie Purple Rain with a crowd of Prince fans who knew every line and song, what an amazing experience. Then had a panel discussion with The Revolution about the movie. Second day more Prince concert footage, sneak peek at the upcoming Purple Rain Musical (which will preview at The State Theater in April 2025 before opening on Broadway in June 2025), and then concerts from Taj Farrant, The NPG, and Morris Day.

Fanciest venue for a comedy show I have ever been to! It was gorgeous! The chandeliers on the ceiling were beautiful and the whole place felt like an opera house. The seating was so comfy and the balcony made for easy viewing. The bars had very efficient service for drinks and there were some snacks you could grab as well. I would definitely recommend coming here for a show!

This place was great the seating was amazing. It did look like there would've been a bad seat in the house. They had 3 different places to get a drink and the bathrooms were clean. When it came to the theater part, it was clean and looked very nice. I would definitely recommend seeing a show here.

This was our first time here. We got to see Bill Nye the Science Guy and we were just mesmerized but it all. It's all beautifully designed and gives a very high class vintage feel. It's a large theatre with tons of seating on multiple levels. They do a security check/metal detector - that's pretty standard for most places now. They had a few spots to order drinks and small snacks/candy. We had great spots at row D seat 11&12. Sound was good and not too loud. We loved Bill Nye and his wonderfully presented subject - climate change! Science is cool!

State Theatre is an amazing venue for a comedy show. Seems like every seat has a good view, just depends how close you want to be. Our seats were on the side up front and they are angled so your neck won't be hurting. Here's to the usher that told me to put my phone away, I got some great photos anyways, haha.

State Theater is a lovely, ornate old theater built when beauty in architecture mattered. It was so nice to sit inside a place bursting with aesthetic vision, not shackled by whatever budget concerns loomed at the time of its construction, but obviously made because the beauty was intrinsic to its value. Bear in mind, however, that this means it was built at a time when, in general, Americans were not quite so generously sized. The seats were a bit of a tight squeeze for some people in my row. They were clearly uncomfortable and embarrassed and my heart went out to them. As other reviews have mentioned, the rules are pretty strict here and the ushers are authoritarian and unsympathetic. We were there for a Rifftrax Live show and usually those are held at a smaller, more relaxed venue in Nashville. It is typical for some fans to dress in costume and often bring props. However, when we were entering State Theater, security held up a man in costume because he had a prop attached to an extendable pole. They would not allow him in unless he surrendered the prop because it was made out of a selfie stick and those are banned and it could be used as a weapon and those are also banned. To be fair, the rules are clearly stated on the theater's website as to what is and is not allowed, but most of the patrons of this show are super fans and showed up as they usually would. They take security VERY seriously at this theater probably because downtown Minneapolis is Sketchy. That's right, with a capital S. By the way, if you visit here I hope you have the opportunity to retreat from danger, if necessary, because that's all MN will allow in terms of defending yourself. Also, don't take pictures in the theater because that's bad. Apparently.Anyway, all the stars are for the dead guys who built the place. They made a work of art.

It had been over a decade since I hit downtown Minneapolis to take in a show. I did a quick search to determine whether the Twin Cities had the Nutcracker and stumbled on Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy. I booked it well over a month early. It was at the State Theatre.A day after a snowstorm, I was to attend this ballet and dance performance. I left the hotel an hour before showtime. I actually cut it close, getting to the parking lot a block away ten minutes before showtime. It was snowing lightly as I drove over.When you enter the theatre, you have to unbutton your coat or jacket. Security is checking for rifles and guns. It's distinctly different than going to any show in Toronto.Next up, if you have a purse, you have to open it up for a security person. I had a small one. I did so. All was great.Third checkpoint was going through the metal detector. I was fine.I then had to show my ticket. My ticket was confusing to look at. I had a digital version on my phone with a QR code. It said 2:30 pm. At first, I thought that my show was at 2:30 pm, but I knew that I would not book a Friday matinee. Instead, it was 7:30 pm. Weird.Anyway, the nice woman scanned my QR code. I asked her where I should go. I was looking at the FF row steps away. She was great pointing out my seat. I thanked her.My annoyance is more with the attendees. My seat was 5. I looked over and it was taken. I spoke to the first four people in my row. They relayed the message down the row that someone can't read or count properly. Sure enough, I saw a shuffle of ten people move over a seat.Really? I've never seen a group in double digits completely get their seats wrong. All ten of you?!I thanked the first four people as I moved past them to finally sit in my seat. The woman who had warmed up my seat apologized. I was polite, as that's who I am, the Canadian, by saying that I thought that I had the wrong row. Nope, she apologized again for making the mistake.Minnesotans are typically good admitting when they are wrong. Minnesota nice was strong that night.I then had to deal with a boy in front of me. The rows of seats on the main floor slant upwards slightly as you move away from the stage. However, this boy's huge afro made it difficult to see the stage at times. Add the fact that he decided to raise his hands over his 'fro did not make things better. I was not impressed.At this performance, you cannot take any photos whatsoever. A young woman in front, over to the right, pulled that stunt. I saw an usher swoop over to her like a hawk with a flashlight to tell her to stop. She did.The performance started off slow. It had a full orchestra, which I loved. It got better and picked up in pace as the performance went along.There was one intermission. The woman who sat in my seat and her partner left the show. Afro boy and his mom decided to change seats and moved up several rows.Theatre goers are weird here.The second half of the show was awesome. You got the conclusion of the Nutcracker, with modern dance mixed in. I loved it. The dancers were wonderful, graceful, and incredibly flexible.The seats were comfortable. I basically wiggled out of my puffy jacket and let it sink into my seat. I had lots of leg room.After the show, I had to find the women's washroom. It was downstairs. This theatre is deemed historic. There were carpeted stairs that led you downstairs. I didn't see an elevator, so I can't speak about accessibility.The washroom was clean and pretty. No complaints.The theatre's interior is gorgeous. I found the box office. It's to the right when you enter the theatre. There's a restaurant on the left, which was closed when I was heading out. It was lightly snowing, which you could clearly see with all the lights that the theatre had everywhere.There was a small merchandise table outside the auditorium. I got a set of cards. I sent a few to friends as Christmas cards. I paid with a credit card. They were $10 for five cards with envelopes. Done!I had a good experience taking in my first ballet and modern dance performance in Minneapolis. Despite folks not knowing where to sit, I'd return for another performance at this theatre and hope for better company.(494)

This venue had a great setup for any style of entertainment. I've been here for a couple concerts now and the sound is amazing, but the seats are kind of tight. It didn't affect how fun all the concerts have been. The ushers work hard at getting you to the correct seat, however there were a lot of other fans that sat in the wrong spots and caused a lot of disturbance. We found a parking lot for $5 a few blocks away behind the Saloon. There are a lot of restaurants/bars around this area but hard to find a spot at night or on weekends and is more upscale.