The Curran Theatre — Attraction in San Francisco

A 2 star review of San Francisco's Curran Theater. My family and I were on our first visit to the Curran Theater to watch the live Broadway show Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on August 20, 2022. The performance was phenomenal and the special effects were amazing, so the performance gets five stars. This two star review is specifically for the Curran Theater staff and management. After being told to arrive at the theater, one hour early, the staff had all people crammed into the lobby until thirty minutes before the show started. By doing this, the staff and management broke city fire safety codes. Most people were unmasked too. The theater capacity seats 1,667 people, and the theater was mostly full! Can you imagine how jam packed with people the lobby was? When the theater doors opened, there were no ushers inside the theater to help people fibd their seats. Secondly, two of three people in my group are physically disabled and therefore, were seated in the disabled section of the theater in Section U, we'll halfway through the performance, the lady who was an usher at the theater, told everyone seated at the disabled section to remove their purchased food and drinks off the bartop because they may spill. Well, that means setting your food and drinks on the floor of the theater! This is terrible and must violate all food safety health codes. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for a physically disabled person to have to reach to the floor for their food and drink? This is unacceptable. Thirdly, my watch face litup and the same usher had the nerve to tell me to turn off my watch! My watch had not disturbed anyone. I was seated all the way in the back without any people to my rear or beside me. My phone was already off as the theater announced before the Broadway show started. The service at this theater...

SO, this review is in regards to three aspects of The Curran Theater: I am a longtime group organizer and have bought many tickets for many shows, and am most impressed with all the aspects of the "new" Curran.

First of all, the Group Sales Manager, Anthony, is a consummate professional. He has, in his tenure, mastered the task of dealing with finicky groups and stressed out group leaders. Anthony is unflappable, personable, and detail oriented. No call, question, or order ever goes long without a prompt return.

Secondly, the staff in general. From the box office staff, to the friendly "shepard" ushers out front, in the lobby and in the auditorium, everyone had a smile and a helpful way about them. Even the bar staff were un-rushed and efficient. The line for drinks moved steadily.

Thirdly, the building; The Curran has been beautifully restored, made modern while still retaining the old-world charm that defines it. I like how the box office is more like a concierge desk than a steel-barred bank teller window. The open-style lounge areas are spacious and yet warmly designed.

As for the bathrooms, The Curran has done the best they could, given the age of the building, and the space. What I noticed in the men's room was that some women, who needed to use the restroom without delay, were given all due respect if they needed to use the men's.

Someone here mentioned that the show did not start on time.... We just saw four halves of the Harry Potter show, and they all started on time. We have noticed, however that the tardiness of starting shows is the fault of lackadaisical...

Went to this venue to see The Cursed Child. Absolutely amazing performance that really left viewers feeling the magic. The venue itself is decent but mostly a means to an end.

I'm a very tall and rather large woman. My friends and I sat on the uppermost balcony in row L, seats 101-103. This was perfect for our party of three as it's right next to the isle and next to me (103) was the projection booth. Luckily this spot next to a large wall did not obstruct the view and the wall was nice and cool considering all the heat rises. There was no one seated behind me which was nice space and height wise so no worry about blocking someone's view with my height.

The halls of the venue are old fashioned in that they are narrow for the amount of people being sat. The chairs are definitely designed for those without hips. Cushions were decent as I didn't have anything going to sleep on me during the performance. The rows are incredibly spaced height wise so if the person in front sits up straight you have a clear view. However, if they or the person directly in front of them lean forward in the seat, their head will be in the way.

Wish they had more AC so bring a fan if you get warm. My second wish would be for wider seats. Otherwise, works as a venue with interesting architecture, close restaurants with all price ranges (including a cheap Jack in the box), and plenty of nearby parking garages if you're not being driven in.

Just because I have some critiques based on my own size and comfort does not make the venue any less functional....