San Antonio Texas

If you are an avid theater-goer, then San Antonio is a wonderful place to vacation, featuring one of most renowned theaters in the country along with a number of other venues where live music, great theater and world-class entertainers come together Southwestern style.

Below we have several suggestions sure to make your trip as memorable and entertaining as possible.

First on the itinerary for any serious theater buff in the San Antonio area is the illustrious Majestic. Located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the Majestic was designed and built in 1929 by renowned architect John Eberson, and was for many years the largest theatre in Texas and the second largest motion picture theater in the country.

In typical San Antonio style, a confluence of Spanish Mission, Baroque, and Mediterranean styles, it was designed to resemble a fantasy villa with walls transforming into towers, a vaulted sky dome lit with sparkling stars, panes of colored glass, a rare white peacock perched on a balcony railing and ornate scrollwork.

Balconies, tile roofs, arches, and columns, railings, elaborate ornamentation, statues and a bell tower change it into a mystical village. Home to some of the biggest names in show business, ranging from early Vaudeville to Broadway productions, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra and contemporary stars like Eartha Kitt, this theater always features inspiring performances by international talents.

While in San Antonio, be sure to also check out the newly renovated The Empire Theater, the original 1914 Opera House, which now rivals the Majestic in its roster of celebrity guests.

For great jazz and blues in a fun venue, Sunset Station is a great place to spend the evening offering world class entertainment, delicious food and unique shopping all in the historic backdrop of a turn of the century train station. Located in the downtown Historic St. Paul Square District, you can enjoy some of the best Italian, Southwest and Mexican cooking around along with live dancing and foot-stomping fun. A regular venue for jazz and blues as well as the San Antonio Sympony Orchestra, no matter what the time of year, you can always be assured an exciting night out.

If you tend to like something a bit more on the cutting edge, the Jump-Start Performance Company features original pieces by members of their own company along with features by guest artists, from scathing political satire to one-person acts to full-out revues. Or for a little Riverside entertainment, the Arneson River Theatre, built in1939, is uniquely constructed with the stage on one side of the river and audience on the other. You can expect to hear anything from opera to rock here, but May through August run on a strict calendar featuring the Fandango folkloric troupe every Wednesday, and the Fiesta Noche del Rio on Thursday to Saturday, offering lively dance music and authentic costume.

For a little murder with your mashed potatoes, the Alamo Street Restaurant & Theatre in the historic King William district is always a great time. Featuring interactive comedies and murder mysteries in the Green Room Dinner Theatre, meals are buffet style. Featured on the National Register of Historic Places, there are also lively lectures and performances upstairs (though no snacks). And for kids, the Magik Theatre is a guaranteed hit. Featuring shows catering to age 3 and up, its afternoon roster includes Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Charlotte's Web. Evening performances, recommended for those 6 and older, have included To Kill a Mockingbird and The Dreams of Anne Frank. Games played with the kids before performances ensure fairly peaceful enjoyment and children are invited to meet with actors after the curtain falls.