The Plaza Theatre
Overview
The Plaza Theatre is a historic, spectacularly opulent Spanish Colonial Revival-style entertainment palace located in downtown El Paso, operating proudly as the historic 'Showplace of the Southwest' since 1930. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theater's interior features stunningly intricate plasterwork, grand crystal chandeliers, and a romantic, atmospheric auditorium designed to simulate a starlit Spanish courtyard night sky. Over its grand history, the theatre famously hosted screen legends and continues to present a diverse calendar of live Broadway tours, rock concerts, and prestigious international film festivals. Attending a live performance here offers visitors a magical, nostalgic journey back to the Gilded Age of American show business.
Practical Info
Travel Tips
- Present dynamic live ticket barcodes from primary event wallets rather than static phone screenshots, and note that physical box office panes operate strictly weekdays from 10:00 to 17:00.
- Contact the guest relations center early to coordinate lower level row swaps if managing mobility limits, as the historic 1930 Balcony tiers are entirely unserviced by modern elevator shafts.
- Bypass immediate perimeter street patterns prone to total event road closures, and steer your vehicle straight into the secure multi-level Mills Plaza structured garage to escape downtown bottlenecks.
Reviews
- One of the most impeccably preserved Spanish Revival 'atmospheric theatres' in the US; the ceiling mimics a starry night sky with breathtaking visual impact.
- The premier stage for Broadway tours and symphonies; the acoustics are flawlessly rich, paired with ultra-comfortable velvet seating for an unmatched performance.
- The theatre management is tightly ordered with formally attired ushers delivering elegant, highly efficient guidance and speedy beverage services at intermission.
- Perfectly set in the heart of the downtown arts district with prominent signage, equipped with high-standard accessible paths and dedicated wheelchair boxes.
- Tickets for high-profile Broadway shows are exceptionally expensive, and secondary spending on cocktails or snacks at the theatre bars is marked up heavily.
- As a strictly protected historic landmark, women's restroom capacity is inadequate during full-house intermissions, causing long lines that spill into the second act.
- Lacks a private parking lot, forcing theatergoers to arrive an hour early to queue for paid municipal garages, which face severe traffic gridlocks at exit.
- Certain side or upper balcony seats suffer from architectural pillar blind spots; furthermore, the balcony steps are incredibly steep, challenging for elderly guests.