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National Arts Centre
Category: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Performing Arts [Edit]
53 Elgin StOttawa, ON K1P 5K6
(613) 947-7000
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
4 reviews for National Arts Centre
4 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole B.
Ottawa, ON
12/3/2010
The National Arts Centre is right in the downtown core of Ottawa and a great place to see a play, ballet or concert. The best thing I have seen here, while living in Ottawa, was RENT. Since I was a student at the time, I had one of the farthest seats from the stage, but the sound quality was still amazing and I really enjoyed the musical.
If you are a student, the NAC offers some good deals. Regular tickets have a special price, but the best thing to do is to wait until the last minute, then line up at the box office for really cheap rush tickets! Sometimes you can even get a good seat!
I was also privelidged to have my Univsersity of Ottawa convocation held at the NAC. Even though the hall that they use is vast, there are many seperate convocations held. The size of the hall and the fact that my family had to sit on balcony seats, made me realize how big of an event that convocation really is. It really felt special to have it in such a formal setting. The size of the NACs facilities also helped get graduates ready, as there is quite a process for being in the right order, finding your gown, getting your diploma and getting your pictures taken afterwards. The NAC is perfect for holding a large event like this. -
Review from Amanda B.
Ottawa, ON
12/31/2010 2 photos
The National Arts Centre (NAC) is in the heart of downtown Ottawa. It's smack dab in the middle of all of the hustle and bustle - you can't miss it.
It's a popular place to watch all sorts of performances, no matter what your age. You can attend dance recitals, children and family shows, comedy shows, English and French theatre, Broadway musicals, an orchestral concert, and other concerts, educational, and community events as well. I find that most of the programming consists of plays, and most of the concerts are classical or jazz.
This is also the main location for elementary and high school kids to watch plays of the books they're reading in school. The halls and banquet facilities can even be rented for meetings and formal functions, and I even know a few high schools that have had their graduation ceremony here. -
Review from Darren M.
Ottawa, ON
11/21/2010 1 photo
I've attended a number of well done presentations at the National Arts Centre -- Rent, Chicago, a Cuban dance show, comedian Lewis Black and even just a local university graduation.
The NAC is centrally located between the Byward Market and Elgin Street. Thankfully the city planned this well (unlike their NHL arena which is situated in a suburban field) so patrons can enjoy dinner/drinks at a local restaurant before or after their trip to the NAC.
Parking here is easy and there are plenty of underground spaces.
The theatres are very clean and there aren't too many bad seats in the house.
One beef I do have is that, unlike some theatres in Toronto, you can't take your drink to your seat and the lineups at intermission can be astonishingly long. You're better to just not order anything or else you may get stuck in the line or end up having to down it quickly.
The venue hosts some of the best travelling Broadway shows on the continent and they get those shows because they have some of the best sound and stages.
Get dressed up and do something a little bit different by planning a date at the NAC. -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
12/7/2008 1 photo
The NAC is probably Ottawa's most prestigious professional performing arts centre. Through any given week, you can expect to find English plays, French plays, community plays, concerts, classical music, dance and variety shows. The shows are generally more pricey and high brow than something you'd find at the GCTC, Scotiabank Place, Centrepointe, etc. Sometimes this is good, sometimes this is bad. Usually when it's bad it's because the NAC can sometimes play it safe when they choose events. This is, of course, not always the case. I've seen many wonderful shows here. The NAC's Fourth Stage also allowed me to foray into writing and directing my first play reading series.
The prices are often a bit steep, but if you're an avid NAC goer, you can buy memberships to cut down on the cost. If you're a full time student who's under 30, you can also get a Live Rush pass. These are really great. Basically, if a show isn't sold out and you arrive between 2 and 6 on the day of the performance, you only pay $11 per ticket (max 2 tickets per person). These tickets can even include the best seats in the house. If you don't want to take a chance on a performance selling out, you can buy tickets for 50% off the regular price (tickets are limited). Students also get 50% off subscriptions.
Definitely keep an eye on this theatre's event listings. Throughout a year, odds are there will be at least one performance that you would hate to miss.
