State Theatre NJ

There is nothing better than dinner & a show, especially in the New Brunswick area. I have been to the State Theater many times & I absolutely LOVE it. They have top notch shows & the sound has always been fantastic.
The theater itself is beautiful & seems as though it is kept up very well. It is clean & the seating is comfortable. The view is good from most any seat.
The one downside I noted was they did not hand out playbills at the show I was at the other night. I was trying to determine who the musicians in the band were & had to wait until I left the theater to google it.
The last negative has nothing to do with the theater but the town in general… the parking! Street parking is nearly impossible & it looked as though many of the parking garages were closed. Thankfully we were there on a weekday evening or we probably would not have found a spot. The also used to validate your ticket when you went to a show & you would get very reduced rate parking in the garage. Sadly, it seems they no longer do that.

3^rd year coming to this theater. Today Dance stop presents school of Rock, here to watch my boyfriend’s niece dance, have seats on the 6^th row perfect seating we are able to see everything. The usher escorted us straight to our seats which was great, since it’s pretty dark when the curtains are down. Ladies the bathroom and stalls are always clean and smelling good. I do wish that they would lower the snack prices, that the theater room would be cooler, my boyfriend always has to keep using the playbill to throw some air on himself, and that the music would be a little clearer (has a lot of static, during some songs we really can’t understand the lyrics)

Always great place to see a show ! Love a smaller venue. Only negatives were that the floor was very sticky and limited beer selection

Having been to 3 concerts at the State Theater over the past 6 years I’m basing this review on their new L-​Acoustics sound system. My most recent experience there was seeing Sara Evans, i was really excited about this show and looking forward to some great vocals but sadly either the sound system or the techs running it totally ruined the concert. As other have written the sound quality truly WAS horrendous and for a music concert that just doesn’t cut it. I’ve actually heard better sound in small bars, community events, etc. Everything else about the theater was fine, I liked the fact I was allowed to bring my drink actually into the theater and sip on it, not all places allow that. What I really don’t understand is prior to the new sound system that was installed in December of 2014 I found the sound quality of shows to be quite acceptable, actually pretty darn good. Apparently the original system was by Meyer sound but was replaced… why it was replaced I haven’t a clue but there’s an article on it athttp://www.statetheatrenj.org/media/pdfs/pr%20­State%20Theatre%20New%20Sound%20System.pdf if anyone cares to read. From what I read L-​Acoustics makes very good quality sound gear so maybe it was the sound man that was at fault? I don’t know but I won’t be going back or willing to take a chance on wasting money on a show here. I also see many other recent reviewers have stated the same thing about the sound quality at the theater. I’m hoping this review saves someone else from a bad experience, if you’re just into seeing an artist and aren’t fussy about sound in the least go for it but otherwise i’d stay away.

I went here for Swan Lake and I have to say that the stage is very small for this ballet.
The sound and lighting is also mediocre.
Usher were not very helpful in actually escorting people to their seats and they also failed to give us a playbill.
Coffee sucks so do not get it, popcorn is overpriced and somewhat stale.
You will have to park in a local garage as their is no street parking.

I’m only giving this place one star because I had to click one in order to post this review. Never coming back here again. Got here with my husband and daughter to see Annie (had purchased 3 tickets) and they told me my 11 month old son could not enter without a ticket. It clearly stated that there are lap vouchers for babies; I requested one and they said we don’t have them for this show. They told me I could purchase a 4^th ticket — in a different section — but that only the adult would have to sit there. So, I’d have to purchase a ticket for about $ 70 for a baby who is too young to sit in his own seat. Then, I my husband and I cannot sit together. So, if the baby starts to cry, we have to leave our 6 yr old sitting by herself while one of us takes him out of the theater. The customer service in this place is incomparably awful. Save your time and money and buy tickets to quality theater.

Went to see Once Saturday night and the sound was horrible. People were leaving and You could not hear what was said and the sound was too low. Always thought the sound was great here but something needs to be done or I wont be back. Not a Fun night and I passed word on to light man and he didn’t seem to care. Called Theater this week to let then know and emailed they did not respond. Very unprofessional thought this was a class establishment.

We saw «once» last night at the State Theater in New Brunswick, NJ. State Theater charges prices that are comparable to Broadway shows, and we’ve been to Broadway many times. To make them affordable, we often sit in the last row on Broadway and our experiences have been great. Well, State Theater is HUGE so if you are sitting in the upper balcony or gallery, it’s like watching a show on a 6″ tablet held at arm’s length (if i put out my hand at arm’s length, it totally covered the entire stage opening). The people on stage are about ½″ tall, so forget about seeing any facial expressions. It’s often difficult to figure out who’s talking/​singing. And there is no state-​of-​the-​art sound system (or any sound system) for the balcony so it’s like watching a performance at a large arena with no sound system except for what is coming from the stage and no big screens to see the action. We even borrowed their assisted listening devices for the second half, and they were pretty horrible, They amplified the sound with an accompanying loud hum. On top of that, the temperature was about 90-​something degrees up in the balcony. I asked if they could do something about it and they said that several people had already mentioned it and they were working on it (it never improved). So, perhaps if you were sitting in mid-​orchestra (at very high prices for a regional theater) the show might have been great, but up in the balcony? you might as well have been watching from the ¼ mile away. It was horrible.

Was SO excited to see ‘ONCE’ and left SO disappointed! I thought the sound quality was poor, especially for the lead ‘guy’. I don’t know if it was his voice in general, but I could hardly make out what he was saying. I’m very familiar with this story & music, but I left there regretting that I ever bought tickets.
Additionally, it was FREEZING in the theater. I literally had my winter coat & scarf on, hood up AND mittens on. My boyfriend was blowing into his hands to keep them warm. A couple next to us went to get wine during intermission just to warm up!
NOT HAPPY.

I’ll admit it… I’m not a big «show» guy. I’ve never done a lot of concerts… haven’t been to many plays, and I certainly hadn’t been to the State Theatre of NJ before last weekend. Well, my son is in the NJ Youth Choir and they did this really cool performance with the NJ Symphony where they played the movie Home Alone and the Symphony played all the music and the choir sang all the songs… it was really cool.
So-​the venue… This is a great little theatre and reminded me a bit of the old-​time theatre’s I remember as a kid… or that you see in the movies. Both the outside façade and marquee will bring you back to great 50s theatres and the inside is also beautifully done-​I really felt like I was stepping back in time. The acoustics inside the theatre are excellent. Some of the seats along the far edges of the theatre are not great for the kind of event I attended, but would be fine for just music. The staff was super helpful and they did a great job getting people seated. Even during intermission when the lobby became full, the ushers did a great job keeping people moving in the right direction.
Two small negatives — the snack bar is ridiculously expensive (though as a POSITIVE, they do serve alcohol) and the small popcorn you get should be refillable for these prices. Second, the seats inside the theatre don’t have cup holders so there are a lot of spills and the floor can get disgusting.
Overall, I’d gladly come back here to see a show.

I took the train all alone from NYC to New Brunswick to hear The Mavericks at the State Theater. The sound quality was horrendous. After two songs, I told the manager that I wasn’t going to stay if it didn’t improve. She offered to seat me in a different section. That was just as bad, so I asked for a refund; was told how to request one formally; and I left. All the way back alone to NYC from whence I had come.
The theater responded that I would get vouchers to see another show. This was not at all what I wanted. It already costs time and money to go to New Brunswick for me. Unless there was a show I really wanted to see, using these vouchers was going to actually cost me money. I checked. There was exactly one show that interested me: The Chieftans. I decided to make the best of it and accepted.
When my voucher came, it was only good for certain shows! Not including The Chieftans. Certain shows that … well, I don’t know how to describe them. I wrote back and requested an actual refund or to see the only show that appealed to me; there was no reply.
Mind you, I had seen that exact same Mavericks show in three other venues and it sounded fine there. I requested a refund after just a few songs. They knew that I had taken a long trip; I really was not looking to leave early. I wasn’t exactly some crank, looking to scam for free tickets. Honestly, I’ve never heard of a venue refusing a refund if you tell them early in the show. And if no one else complained, all I have to say is: Therefore?
So poor sound quality (at least that night); terrible customer service.

First timing coming here to see a show. I have to say, I should of come here sooner. It is so much more convenient than going all the way into NYC. We went to see «Peking Dreams» and it was an amazing show. Parking was quite easy and the ushers were very friendly. Looking forward to returning for another show.

Historic theater venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The State Theatre offers something for everyone. Last night we saw Bullets over Broadway. What an enjoyable evening. I have never been to this theater before and now I ask myself why? Right in NJ and I haven’t taken advantage of this place! Seating was perfect as you could see over the person in front of you as it is angled. We started off in Row V right side aisle and seating was ok but not fantastic. The second half we moved down to row c as there were extra tickets/​seats available, much better. So for choosing your seats I would suggest row C to Row M center or side Orchestra.

Hi Mr. Carto,
My name is, I am a past fan of the State Theater, also A Director of Communications, Public Relations, Marketing and Public Outreach for Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn NY.
Your organization needs help in the customer service area desperately. I will try to explain why I as a consumer and loyal customer is neither any longer. What I went through today and why I am so deeply disappointed in the service that was provided to me.
My frustration began this morning at 7 am. My daughter a huge fan of Robert Irvine’s saw that he was appearing at your Theater and asked me to purchase tickets for the two of us. to his show. Despite my protestations over the cost of VIP admission, I caved.
I began this morning trying to order two VIP tickets on-​line on your website, no matter what I did, and I did everything I possibly could the tickets could not be purchased. I hit the buttons so many times that I was legitimately scared my credit card was being charged over and over again. I called your offices left a message to please have someone call me, left my number, expressed my fear about my credit card and asked them to call me at the open of business. I also sent an email asking them to do the same thing.
So I waited until your box office opened at 10 am. I called and was placed on hold until 10:20– 20 minutes on hold at the beginning of the day? When the woman answered the phone she was nasty, rude, impatient and just outright condescending with me. I told her she was being rude, and she apologized, but then continued to treat me as if I was irrelevant. I was so angered that I just hung up on her.
I called the main administration offices and spoke with a very nice woman named marlene who was very understanding and connected me with the head of your box office by phone. He did not answer, again I left all the information, concerns and my phone number on his voicemail. The time was approx. 10:45 am. No one returned my calls or emails.
I called your head of box office again at 12 noon and again at 2pm, no answer just voicemail. I left one more message– no return calls.
I called Marlene at 3pm and asked what was going on– she said she had just seen the head of the box office and told him to call me. I waited by my desk for the call– close of business 5pm– no phone call. I called marlene again and left her a message, called the box office again-​got his voicemail again and did not leave a message.
I was told by marlene that today Tracy Morgan tickets went on sale. I guess those who contacted the State Theaters offices
after me, took priority over me. Not sure I understand this type of management style. Nor, do I not understand not returning the phone calls of someone who is concerned about his credit card, wants to order tickets and is expressing his frustration on voicemails.
As I said you have a customer service problem.
My problem is that I am going to have to tell my daughter that I did not get her tickets for her.
Sincerely,

Love going to the state theater in New Brunswick. The plays are great and the service is on point.

The State Theatre has reasonable priced tickets! I was in the 6^th row from the stage at the Will Downing Concert on Sunday 4÷12÷15 at the State Theatre. His show was amazing!!! The theatre is nice, parking lot was not too expensive it was only $ 7 right around the corner from the venue. You can sign up online to their email list to get Pre-​Sale Tickets and Discounts! I so love a good bargain & sale. There are several places to dine not to far from the theatre. They also have group sale discounts!

What a lovely place in what can feel like a not-​so-​lovely city. The State Theatre is charming and convenient if you live nearby. Even if you don’t, the prices are fantastic and you don’t have to make a crazy trek to overcrowded NYC or Philly.
I’d like if douchey theater and dance appreciation students would stay home rather than play on their phones while I’m trying to enjoy myself, but that’s not on the State Theatre. If you guys could find a way to enforce your cell phone policy, that’d be great. The last show that I went to, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this woman took a photo with her SUPER bright and obnoxious flash.
So I guess I’m saying, the State Theatre is awesome, I just don’t like sharing it.

The State Theatre is a gem in downtown New Brunswick. It’s one of the few non Rutgers related reasons to actually visit New Brunswick.
In the past few months I’ve been there to see Kathy Griffin, John Oliver, and a Looney Tunes Symphony.
I think the State Theatre could do a better job about not catering to late arrivers. If you are late for the show you should be forced to wait in the back for a break or an intermission. It’s super annoying that people show up 20 and 30 minutes late for most shows.
Also the seats are a bit cramped. I’ve never really had enough leg room, so shoot for an isle seat if you can.
Still this is a great little theatre that manages to get some big time acts to New Brunswick.

I have seen several shows at the State Theatre and last night I saw Boy II Men and thought it was a nice show. The crowd was amazing. The theatre its self could be spruced up a little, but it was very comfortable. I generally get an end seat so I can stretch out my legs. The cocktails are reasonable, but the lobby is a meat house. Fills up very quickly.

Nice place with good shows. We saw couple shows in the pass there, including Rock of All ages. We just went to Sister Act. Great show, truly enjoyable. Much easier to get to then NYC and production is great. Prices of show are like half of prices of NYC. I would attend more Broadway like shows. I would recommend.

Love these local theaters! Reminds me of the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown. I remember seeing Bryan Adams here a few years back and it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. The size of the place matches perfectly with the acoustics they deliver. Most recently I saw the Trace Adkins Christmas Concert — not a fan of Trace for his mainstream country work but his Christmas show was a memorable experience with my only ‘complaint’ of seeing it before Thanksgiving was even here.
Do get the parking paid for $ 9 at the suggested parking garage for the theater. It is just a short walk away and it will save you time at the parking machines when you go back to fetch your car.

Cool layout with luxurious style. Definitely out of my price range but cool to see Jeff Dunham here. Seats are comfortable, but if you are a shifter, you may feel like you are going to fall out of the seat. Popcorn and drinks available at the concession stands.
I would go again for the right show

I came here to see moe. recently (a progressive-​rock jam-​band that you should go see sometime) and I was impressed with the lighting capabilities at State Theater. The acoustics are solid and the sound is really good. I sat in the second row of the balcony and I was very impressed with the view, as well. If you like seeing the percussionists in a band this gives you an incredibly good view into what they’re doing throughout the show.
I really like the layout of this place. It’s very historic-​looking and well maintained. Easy to reach from NJ Transit.
I look forward to seeing shows here in the future.

This is a really great theater in which to see a show. Acoustics are great, they have a nice bar in the lobby, and it’s centrally located in downtown NB. The seats are comfortable, and the staff helpful as well. Bathrooms are clean too :) Really one of the nicer theaters around and way, way less hassle than trekking into NYC.

The State Theater is a pretty cool looking historic Theater located right in the middle of downtown New Brunswick.
What I thought was really cool about the state theater was the size of their lobby in the mezzanine. The mezzanine lobby is huge! It’s probably almost, if not the same size as the main lobby. This really helps when It’s time to exit the building.
The seating inside the theater are pretty standard; their pretty comfortable and not too big and not too small.
Another cool thing I noticed about the state theater is there’s stall parking right in front of the entrance, so if your lucky with right timing you could get a celebrity spot and walk right in.
I came here a few weeks ago to see Brian Reagan. I’m not sure if it’s up to the performer of the theater, but there are no screens for people in the mezzanine to see closer. Screens would be key for a comedy act.
Definitely a cool place to see a show!