The Paramount Theatre — Attraction in Austin

When I think of going to the theater in Austin, one place immediately springs to mind: the venerable Paramount, located on Congress Avenue just down the street from the Texas Capital. Every time I step into the ornately decorated theater, I feel transported back into a time when going to see a movie or performance was really an event, something that you looked forward to and dressed up for. The Paramount is a restored vaudeville theater which has hosted lots of great names throughout its history; if you look up at the domed ceiling, you can still see the spot where Houdini hooked up a rope during one of his tricks. Today, it focuses more on concerts, lectures, comedy performances, one-person shows, and film screenings, including the well-known Paramount Summer Film Series of classic films. This is absolutely not to be missed: each summer the theater screens a wide variety of repertory films from the silent to the modern era, and seeing them on the big screen is an experience I highly recommend. The theater is largely staffed by volunteers, many of them elderly retirees, who are more than friendly and happy to answer any questions about the theater or its storied history. I should note that the seats are a bit cramped, which isn't much of an issue for me (I'm 5'0") but can be rough for those who are more vertically gifted. I've been told that finding a front or aisle seat where you can stretch out can help with this. The Paramount keeps a full schedule, with plenty of events to choose from; if you're interested in culture in Austin, you'll find yourself here...

We recently attended the Carbonaro: Lies on Stage show featuring Michael Carbonaro in his touring, one man magic/comedy act. My wife had snagged two tickets a few months earlier in the balcony section for half the price of the orchestra section.

As fortune would have it, two weeks before the event she injured her knee and had to rely on crutches as assistive devices for 6-8 weeks until the internal injury heals naturally. We began to wonder how our upcoming Paramount experience would be, with her on crutches. Negotiating crowds may pose problems due to parking, climbing stairs (there are no elevators in this historic building) and just general movement using crutches. Note: if you have a similar situation call the theater BEFORE the show to let them know so they can arrange accommodations.

When we finally arrived at the front door of the theater EVERYONE associated with the venue, from security to the bartender to the ushers, were extraordinarily nice and accommodating with my wife and her mobility problems. Rather than have her/us climb stairs to our assigned seats, the usher escorted us directly to the orchestra section, approximately 8-10 rows from the stage, to two aisle seats. Wow! We had a great view of entire show, which was top notch, BTW.

Thanks again to the entire staff at Paramount. And I highly recommend the Carbonaro: Lies on Stage show. It's 90 minutes of fun, magic, laughter, comedy and surprises for the...

I wanted to express my frustration regarding the VIP for the Dallas Cowgirls Cheerleader Experience at the recent event at the Paramount Theater in Austin.

As someone who was one of the first to arrive, I expected a seamless experience, but unfortunately, that was not the case. The venue seemed unprepared for the event, and the VIP perks were underwhelming. The tickets included minimal swag, which felt lacking for the price I paid. Additionally, we had to wait for over and hour without access to food or drinks, which was quite disappointing.

Moreover, I witnessed several parents who had paid over $334 for VIP tickets being removed from the event. This left many of us confused and frustrated, especially since they were here seems unreasonable to have parents removed while their kids stayed, especially when they had paid for the experience.

The event's organization appeared to be lacking, with long waits and confusion on where to go next. The situation was exacerbated by the handling of guests and the overall staffing at the venue. I believe this needs to be addressed to ensure future events do not replicate this experience.

Given the circumstances, I cannot justify attending another VIP event at this venue again unless major improvements are made. Thank you for your attention to...