4 Best Performing Arts Venues in The Bay Area, California

A vibrant cultural hub in the region, the restored cinema and vaudeville house in Mill Valley is known for fostering exceptional arts and education. The darling playhouse seats upward of 260 and features live theater, comedy, and concerts. Two smaller street-side halls, the Tivoli and Crescendo, feature Tuesday night comedy shows, along with improvisation workshops, jazz performances, and new art exhibits every month.

This ultraquirky venue presents plays, musical acts, and comedy shows, along with visual and related arts. Top events include the Throckmorton Theatre Mountainfilm Festival (TTMF), the Sunday Sessions pro showcase, and a weekly show with satirist Mort Sahl. Stunning murals cover the theater's ceiling, and the foyer has on old-fashioned popcorn maker.

Based out of U.C. Berkeley, this autumn and spring series runs from September/October through May/June. It features a varied bill of internationally acclaimed artists ranging from classical soloists to the latest jazz, world-music, theater, and dance ensembles.

A glorious art-deco specimen, the Paramount operates as a venue for performances of all kinds, from silent films with orchestras playing the soundtrack, to the Oakland Ballet and Oakland Symphony. Docent-led tours ($5), offered the first and third Saturday of the month, are fun and informative.