Bob Carr Theater

401 W Livingston St, Orlando, FL 32801, USA

Address:	401 W Livingston St, Orlando, FL 32801, USA
Phone:	+1 407-839-0119 ext. 390
Site:	drphillipscenter.org
Rating:	4.2

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 11

Sharon Miklos-Thompson

Bob Carr has been a live entertainment venue in Orlando since the late 1920s, when it was known as the Orlando Municipal Auditorium.. It has been the site of many performances, from Elvis in the 50s to recent Orlando Philharmonic to Broadway shows... Despite numerous renovations, it occasionally shows its age..there are no entry vestibules to main auditorium to allow late arrivers a way to enter the I performance hall without opening doors directly to the brightly lit & often noisy hallways...very distracting! And the seating is tightly packed, with long uninterrupted rows that make it very difficult to exit during performances if necessary.. Youll be very close to those around you & even closer to those trying to pass while youre seated, often too close.. It gets a bit claustrophobic, IMHO.. And air quality is an issue that needs addressing. The sound quality & stage lighting works well enough & overall the facility is attractive enough but it all needs updating...which I guess doesnt matter much given that in the near future, The Carr will become part of the Creative Village proposed for downtown Orlando when it will likely undergo another big makeover. While Carr Center lacks the style & flourish of typical historical preservation sites from the 1920s & has a contemporary design, & there has been talk of tear down/rebuild, the present mindset is that it is part of Orlando history that doesnt include The Mouse (aka Disney) & is worthy of preservation.. Plans for future uses are being made. If there is a performance scheduled for Bob Carr that interests you, by all means go.. It is still a fine venue, its just not as young & sexy as new Dr Phillips Center.. And tickets are probably not as expensive, either...

Tonya Turner

We went and saw Dave Chappelle comedy show last night. The theater itself is okay. The audio and visuals were good. The only issue I have was with Parking. There were 2 people "directing" traffic into the Lot 1 Parking lot. It was a very long line to get into parking which is usual (we expected that). There are 2 lanes that pass by the parking lot, and the right lane was the line to get into the parking lot. There are no signs that say this, and the girl directing traffic was waving people through the left lane. It LOOKED like both lanes were to get into the parking lot. The left lane was going quicker. There are no signs that say the left lane is for thru traffic only and the girl was waving people to come towards her (in the left lane). Naturally we got over into the left lane because the right lane was backed up for quite some time, and other people were doing the same thing. It turns out she was telling people to drive by and then turn around to get into the other oncoming line to get into the parking lot. We were very mad that this wasnt communicated on a sign or another individual, because we were almost into the lot. To top it all off, there was no indication that there was a fee for parking (weve only been to the Bob Carr twice, and we read the email thoroughly). It was $10 for crappy parking service! It was a very stressful moment right before going in. I dont think we will return to this venue. The tickets were already $58 a seat for an hour & a half show. The parking should be free since the parking staff cant do their job efficiently. The staff inside the theater are nice and friendly, but the first impression (parking) was where you lost us. Its silly and unfortunate.

Bruno Coutinho

I sat up on the balcony to enjoy the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra while they played "The Final Frontier", an homage to the many science fiction movies of our time. Unfortunately, from the balcony, the power of the music was underwhelming and at a low volume. The orchestra was accompanied by a choir, who I could also barely hear over the other instruments being played It was also really hot during the entire performance, and I wasnt wearing any heavy clothing. When I asked about the air conditioning to one of the employees, he told me that "he knew it was hot, but today was a good day. It can get much worse in here." Were in Florida and the summer hasnt even begun yet. So I can only imagine how bad it can get. Im not sure if these problems are only apparent for those who sit on the balcony, maybe the ground floor is much better. As much as I loved watching the orchestra anyway, the several limitations with this venue have made me reconsider visiting it again. I really do hope they fix the AC.

Eric Weise

I went and saw The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of The Goddesses. Show was great. Audio was good. The video was ok but then again it was an up-scaled nes at times. However I will not go back unless it is a show I must see. The seats hurt my back and I am only 26. If you a large person you will not be close to comfortable. Even the skinny guy with us had an issue with the seats. It would have been a better show if I could have just stood and watched it. I hope they change the seats out. Yes it will cost them money for less seats, but just make up for it in ticket prices. They need to do something about them.

Darla Allen

Attended opening night. Very disappointed. Many of the actors/actresses didnt seem to fit the part. The girls voices were so high pitched and they acted so silly that it was annoying. Another big disappointment...not only did Taylor Hicks, who was pictured on the advertisements for the performance, NOT play the lead of Danny, but he only sang ONE song! That borders on fraudulent advertising to me.

Brian Wyland

Old Orlando theater that has had a new paint job but still has issues with handicap access and bathrooms. It might just be me but WHY does it not have a center aisle? The center seating section it almost the entire width and ughh dealing with access and people exiting is a pain. Also I think it would be a scary situation if there was a rush to exit for any reason!

Terry Phelan

I visited Bob Carr for my granddaugters ballet recital. It costs money to outside and in the garage. Nice building. Seemed to seat around 1,500 people. Very clean, the attendants were very helpful. There was an inside adult bar and coffee bar. Food was not available for purchase. Seats were very comfortable. I had a good experience.

Kenneth Puckett

Excellent customer Service. When my tickets were improperly issued by an outside vendor Ticketmaster office at Bob Carr came through. A special thank you to the evening ticket staff especially Dani Boy for making everything come out to our satisfaction.

Christiane Cuculo

The outside is very beautiful and modern, but inside was hot and very crowded. The seats are tide and there are few corridors - I think it is dangerous in case of quick evacuation. But the acoustic is amazing and Norah Joness show was simply wonderful.

wade morris

I am a season ticket holder to the Orlando Philharmonic and this venue is not fit for such a fabulous orchestra, what a disgrace. The exterior is in complete disrepair, and the interior is just adequate. I cant wait for their new venue to be built.

Debi Sabotin

Nice and cozy, saw Irish Romance with Tri and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. Very nice. Quite a walk to our seats on far right facing stage from the handicap lot 5. It would have been better to have had orchestra left. Would go again.