Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center — Attraction in Baltimore

I attended the Hippodrome Theatre with my brother to see the Shen Yun performance. The performance itself was nice; however, the rows in the center orchestra section were narrow, and accommodations that were made for 2 others that happened to be near us ended up being a major inconvenience to others who also paid their fair share to see the show. One attendee had a bit of an unruly service dog that couldn't quite keep still or quiet. This dog was supposed to be in the row behind me but would occasionally venture into my row or sniff my arm. I was quite frustrated as I had gotten dressed up to attend the show and did not see anywhere when choosing my tickets that accommodations are provided in the rows nearby to where we booked. At the beginning of the show, the dog barked loudly, disturbing and spooking the theater audience. It appeared to possibly be an emotional support dog. When the owner brought it in, they let it sit in the wheelchair ramp that was supposed to accommodate another guest while taking photos of it, which wasn't supposed to be allowed in the theater for this particular show. In addition, the wheelchair ramp accommodation ended up being a dangerous tripping hazard as an elderly man almost fell until he was caught. Another woman also tripped over this ramp as it had raised edges but no rails. This seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen. When tickets are being sold, it should be noted where the accommodation area is. Some people are allergic to animals, and it is not fair to make others suffer as a result. Also, no food or drinks were allowed for this particular show, so we were not able to purchase any food or drinks as it would have been pointless. For as much as the show cost, it should have been allowed so that people are comfortable, especially since many audience members were coughing. The theater itself is pretty nice minus the narrow rows. If I return, I will try different seating arrangements to see if that improves the experience, but due to the inconvenience, I did not feel like my seats were worth the money I paid. I believe each row that goes further back should be placed a little higher as it gets tough to see when people are so close in the row in front of you, especially when...

I purchased seats for myself and my daughter for her 18th birthday. The seats were quite expensive, as we were sitting in the first row. Mind you, I am a single mother and a cancer patient, and so I had saved up for this surprise birthday present for my daughter. I drove all the way to Virginia to pick her up from college in order to take her to this show. Unfortunately, it was the worst experience we have ever had at any theater. There was a young couple sitting behind us, maybe mid 20’s, and from the moment the Hamilton show began, The couple was extremely loud, boisterous, using all types of profanity, inappropriately making out, and even sitting up and pointing to the stage literally right past our heads. Everyone around them was extremely irritated. Neither myself nor my daughter could hear the actors during the entire show. During intermission, I complained to the usher who was kind enough to state he would speak to the house manager. He then came back and proceeded to tell us that they would monitor the couple and take any necessary action if they saw that they were interrupting the show. Well mind you, during the second act, the house manager did in fact come and talk to the couple, because they were loudly on their phones, ordering food during the middle of the show. They did end up putting their phones away, but everything else that they were doing continued. No one else bothered to come back during the show to escort this couple out. My daughter had to listen to them making out, cursing loudly, shouting, being belligerent and drunk, tripping over everyone while going back-and-forth to the bathroom, and many other things. Needless to say, this was a horrible experience, and I’m so disappointed regarding how the staff chose to handle the situation, or should I say actually not handle the situation. I am beside myself because not only did my daughter not get to enjoy the show, but I’m out of over $500 because of this horrible experience. I filed a formal complaint to try and get a fair resolution, and all I got was an apology from a staff member named Ryan. Oh, he also politely told me there would be no reimbursement or credit to see another show....

The Best of Baltimore party was held here in August. First, it was difficult to figure out how to get in, as the entry through the paid parking lot was blocked. Then, we had to wait, past 6pm, though we had VIP tickets. VIP was a waste. It was at an upstairs balcony with a few food samples and a bar with all the liquor one could drink. There were only a few chairs up there, and I believe 1 or 2 drink tables, which was not sufficient. Most of the vendors were not prepared to serve us at 6pm or even 7pm. Therefore, people naturally migrated downstairs. There were 2 or 3 levels of vendors. It was too much food to sample in one sitting. I got lucky and was given a small dessert container by a vendor. The DJ at the party was not good either. There wasn't enough seating period, for the number of people drinking and sampling food. The 360 machine was fun. There was a no in and out rule. Once you exit, that's it. When it was over, there were no signs explaining the best exit to get back to your car. I parked in the garage connected to the Hippodrome, which was locked by the time the event was over. I had to us to exit toward the main doors, not through to the garage, which was locked. So, I had to request re-entry to go through the doors that lead to the garage. Garage parking was a flat fee of $15. I enjoyed getting my characicture done, but $160 plus for VIP was too much in my opinion, to not have a plate, nor a...