The Bushnell Performing Arts Center — Attraction in Hartford

The Bushnell theater was beautiful! I hadn't been here since I saw Lion King about 20 years ago. This time was to watch Hamilton. Unlike my previous visit when I was dropped off at the front of the Bushnell with the rest of my party, I drove and needed to find the closest parking available as I fell recently requiring ten stitches in my right knee. I asked Google to get me to the closest parking near the Bushnell... well I was in the 3rd closest. Not too bad but it was a walk. Next time I will make sure to get a parking spot right next to the theater! Our seats were up the stairs, so half way up, I couldn't do it and went back down. It was still in the high 80's and humid af at 8pm in downtown Hartford. We were so hot from the walk there and then climbing the stairs, we sat down while the play started. We rested and then a staff member came over to check on me. She brought us water to help cool ourselves down. She asked why we didn't take the elevator. We heard from a woman walking down the stairs earlier saying that the elevator wasn't working. She sent us upstairs where she had another staff member escort us to our seats. Remember the seats are 16" wide and the my friend is 6'5"and 285lbs, a big tall man. He tried to get comfortable but his legs were jammed into the seat in front of him. I also wear a metal brace on my left leg and recently had 10 stitches removed from my right knee, both knees hurt a lot. So at Intermission the woman who seated us noticed he wasn't enjoying the show and she came over to speak with us. I mentioned that I had tried to change our seats but I purchased my Hamilton tickets via a broker and NOT from the Bushnell. The Bushnell had no idea of the broker's location, how much I paid for the tickets and therefore I couldn't upgrade to the lower level where handicap people sit. She sent us down to the woman who helped us when we first arrived and she put us in more spacious seats for our legs to stretch. We missed about a half hour of the beginning of the show but finally able to enjoy the second half thanks to the wonderful staff at the Bushnell...

I purchased tickets to see the Blue Man Group with my girlfriend last night and had a less than pleasurable experience. The performance was to take place in Mortensen Hall and we arrived around an hour before the show started. It was my first time attending anything at the Bushnell and I was very confused as to the layout. I saw a sign above a set of doors which read to Mortensen Hall and went though the entrance. After waiting for a minute or two we were greeted by an employee of Bushnell asking what we were doing in there and insisting we leave. Before we even had a chance to say anything, we were greeted by a less than friendly manager who began asking us in an even more derogatory tone why we were in there and insisting we leave immediately. So we waited for a few minutes outside the doors until they opened which was around 45 minutes before the show began. I asked an employee where the entrance to the balcony was and he pointed me towards the elevator. A kind elevator operator brought us up to the balcony where we were greeted with more employees with astonished looks on their faces. Once again we were questioned with what we were doing there and told that the theater wasn't open yet and to go back downstairs. The elevator operator apologized and brought us back downstairs. The fact that this happened twice and we were treated so disrespectfully for something which was to no fault of our own is simply unfathomable. This completely ruined the performance and the night for both of us. I will also comment that the seats in the balcony were less than comfortable. I am only 5'9 and my knees were aching by the end of the performance. I give the venue 2 stars due to the beauty of the theater and the convenient parking across the street. I strongly recommend if you are interested in seeing a show that you attend...

Exceptional Service and an Unforgettable Night at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center!

Last night, I attended Les Misérables at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center with my dad, and I was absolutely blown away—not just by the show, but by the outstanding customer service that saved our night. We drove four hours from Staten Island with tickets I had purchased on StubHub three weeks prior, only to be notified at 7:20 pm that our tickets weren’t valid and could only be refunded. Heartbroken and frustrated, I thought we’d missed our chance after all that planning.

Then came Paulette, the true hero of the night. She stepped in at the box office with empathy, kindness, and incredible efficiency. Not only did she find us second-row orchestra seats at the last minute, but the new tickets were far better than our original ones—and for $100 less! Her genuine care and quick action turned what could have been a ruined night into one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I didn’t get the chance to thank her properly after the show, as she had left by then, so I hope this review conveys just how grateful I am.

And, of course, the show itself was nothing short of spectacular. The performances, the music, the emotion—it was all breathtaking, and I found myself in tears more than once from the sheer beauty of it. I would gladly make that four-hour drive again just to experience the Bushnell’s incredible service and performances.

Thank you, Paulette, for making this night unforgettable. Bushnell Performing Arts Center, you have a...