Charleston Gaillard Center — Attraction in Charleston

I am disabled and in a wheelchair most of the time including this one. The place overall is very beautiful. However , if you are in a wheelchair plan ahead. Most handicapped seating is down on the first floor . To get there you must go all the way to the back from front entrance then go on an elevator up 1 floor and go back to the front of the building and get on another elevator and go back down. To make matters worse, there is only one entrance to get to the seating for a wheelchair. Also there IS NOT ramp on the right side of stage . Only stairs. So if you need to go to the restrooms you must wheel through all of the other guests to get back to the other side. To add insult to injury with only one elevator and many lazy people you can't even get on that elevator . There are about 8 steps up to the next floor to exit. So after you enjoy a wonderful concert. You get knocked around and pushed out of the way so all can rush into the 1 elevator to exit . Then go up a 2 floors at the rear and go forward another front elevator and go back down 1 floor to get to the exit. Then after a full tour of trying to get in and out you have to go to the parking garage. It too is a fiasco. Steep grades,cobblestone and brick ramps and parking at the rear of the garage for handicapped parking. Who designed this place. Boy am I glad there wasn't a fire! All this being said the performance of the musician was outstanding! He was a delightful person and put on a fantastic show. So if you can walk you will have a beautiful place to go but if you can't walk it's still beautiful but very difficult to...

I have seen several productions at the CGC. The sound has always been superb. I had been looking forward to hearing Patti LuPone in concert. My seat was Row L in the ORCH; pretty much dead center. The minute she started to sing it just didn't sound right. I can only compare it to being in a fancy restaurant that is located nextdoor to a bar. You can hear the noise of a female singer. You think you know the tune, but you can't tell for sure. Ms. LuPone deserved better. The minute she left for intermission, everyone was complaining. Several had gone to find the House Manager. I called the box office. The gentleman who answered suggested I get up and let the House Manager know. 😳 I'm in the middle of the row, besides that, isn't that his job? He does add the show is not using CGC's sound equipment. We were all hopeful it would be corrected upon Ms. LuPone's return. Sadly, it wasn't. I could somewhat distinguish the final 4 songs. I will probably never get to hear Ms. LuPone in person again. And now I am stuck with this memory.

And..CGC, PLEASE, PLEASE start employing a better seating policy for latecomers. Ushers were leading people to their seats during the opening song!! It's disrespectful to your artist and plain rude to the patrons who can tell time. We were trying to watch the show as your ushers were seating all over the theater. Thank you for allowing the latecomers to interrupt our view...

While it’s a beautiful theater architecturally, I’ve found the musical theater options significantly lacking. Shows that come have usually been on tour for years and are only playing for one night. The sound system also needs some work as many actors can’t even be heard. A couple of the ushers really discourage me from purchasing more tickets though. They don’t make me feel welcome, more they play the role of a hall monitor and I’m waiting to be scolded. Prior to Covid, one yelled at me for taking a pre-show photo of my playbill to share on social media. I was floored when that happened. Now I understand the need for Covid protocols, but when an usher stands in an aisle, angrily waiving a laminated sign that says “wear your mask” at people sitting up in a box for several minutes, it really ruins the joy of live theater. They were enjoying their $20 wine after all. Then in the middle of the performance that same usher keeps walking around waiving that sign and walking into rows—it just hits on the level of ridiculous. Everyone who entered had to be vaccinated or have a negative Covid test, the angry, sign waiving, eye glaring usher really is a touch over the top. But hey, maybe there will be a Tony award handed out for the Best Covid Scorn by an...