One of the best cultural centers in central Iowa. Support your local performing arts centers.

This place has great elevated seating & balconies. Comfortable seats. Great acoustics too!

This is a great auditorium for concerts. Love that they are doing goldfinch room concerts that are very pandemic- conscious. I felt very safe in this small group. Fabulous and safe way to highlight local artists and enjoy live music during this difficult time. Thank you!!!

Cool architecture. Great venue and stage. Only downside is that it is not very handicap accessible.

Derek Hough Live TourStaff, amazingParking, perfectTraffic, not badThe design for this type of show was just beautiful! To be able to watch the show on stage and the silhouettes it was beautiful. The acoustics were pitch perfect. This was my first time. If there is another show there I will definitely go! We sat in one of the upper floaty seat things, the view was spectacular!

Weve been here a number of time for the ISU Festival of Music along with other vocal music concerts. Like many have said, theres truly not a bad seat in the house. Yesterday, we tried the back, and loved not only the music, but the visual effect of all choirs on stage!

Nice handicap accessibility! Enter through South Tower entrance and it takes you to row 12, nice padded folding chairs to sit in. You are level with the stage and no steps to go up or down. Very friendly staffing! Wonderful Auditorium!

Always a great place to see a show. Of any kind. Will be attending Straight No Chaser there on October 30th next. Go and see for yourself.

Have appreciated Stephens as a venue for 3 Tedeschi-Trucks Band concerts now!

Great sound, incredibly outdated building, lots of stairs, few restrooms.

A no frills venue for varied evends.

Always looks good! Great place for a concert or event!

Wonderful venue except for the restrooms. just not enough

First time here since moving to Iowa. Took the kids to see Noel, good show but 2 hours isnt good for children under ten. Also difficult that I could only access one bathroom via stairs or elevator. Not helpful with my disability. Might need to check in those seat options too Beautiful set and auditorium will just need to check running times before committing when it comes to my five kids!

The facilities is getting old and hope it will get renovated in near future

Great auditorium. Comfortable seating.

We saw the Nutcracker here this year and it was nothing short of delightful. It was the perfect place to take my 4 year old for his first fine theatre experience. There were age appropriate refreshments and Santa was there. The whole affair was very well planned. Cant wait to go back!

Beautiful venue, wonderful accoustics!

We saw The Full Monty! The show was fabulous!!

Nice place, great acoustics, and friendly helpful ushers and staff!!!

Best auditorium in Ames!

Not handicap accessible, had to walk outside together to another door that a staff member had to unlock to get to a restroom.

Just left seeing Dane Cook! The employees were so helpful from getting our tickets at WILL CALL to showing quickest route to bathroom and where are seats were located. #TELLITLIKEITIS

Im watching dance

Its a vibe

There are few stages in Iowa better than C.Y. Stephens. The sound quality is unmatched and the entertainment is always exquisite.

For being in Ames its nifty

Saw Chris Angel Raw. It was Awsome!

This venue has incredible accoustics and there really are no bad seats. It is a lot of stairs to get around the venue, so be prepared to walk a lot.

Have been here a few times, and recently went to a concert here. The sound was really good and well balanced, and we sat towards the back of the auditorium. Visibility is also good here as it balances this with the sound well too. Seats are comfortable and the whole building is kept very clean. I would recommend going here for other concerts and events in the future.

Great venue for a show or concert althoigh a bit aged...Brit Flyd here tonight, great show!!

Amazing show and acoustics as always.

Needs more womens restrooms.

This is a fantastic smaller venue!

This place is a decent place to view a concert. Good sound, easy to get to, accessible seats. I do have one complaint, you can order a double cocktail (max of two drinks per person) but they pour them into two separate plastic cups and then give you one big plastic cup that then you pour the two into and they throw away the two plastic cups. A total waste and tone-deaf in todays world.

This was my first time visiting Stephens Auditorium. The interior of the auditorium itself was really astounding, and definitely harkened to a different era of architecture. However, the signage regarding how to get to you seats was extremely lacking and we had a hard time figuring out where we needed to go to be seated. Some better signs would go a long way to improving this experience.

It is great place for concerts and plays

Very nice seating. Very bad access to the restrooms. Had to go up several stairs, then back down more. Otherwise very great time seeing Dwight Yoakam. Need a restroom revision though.

Love the venue!!! Anywhere you sit you get a great view of the stage!

The strangest layout of any auditorium we have ever been to. Walk in the front door and you are nowhere. Up 2 flights of stairs then you can start the descent to where you can actually get into the auditorium. Another oddity there is no center isle so if you sit anywhere near the center you have to go all the way to one side or the other in front of whoever happens to be there. Otherwise its a nice facility.

I bought tickets to the Broadway Series and highly recommend you do too! The venue is nice, and some recent improvements are helpful such as the removal of row 12 which enables people to walk through the center from one side of the auditorium to the other, instead of walking all of the way around. Negatives are parking (especially in the winter) and I suggest bringing a sweater or jacket to wear in the theater.

Great venue

Good seats on second balcony but the audio was reverberating, making it hard to understand the comedians performing. Im guessing acoustics are better when less amplification is used, in situations like an opera or a play.

Great venue for concerts.

Great place for a concert. We had good seats in the balcony and able to see. A bit cozy as not much elbow room but then you are only there for a few hours. Set up well and lots of helpful folks to direct you . They do a great job as if you even looked a little lost someone would be there to assist you.

Everyone should attend some event at Stephens, truly an amazing experience. Feels like your attending a Broadway event. Amazing acoustics, beautiful architecture.

Building made out of concrete. Its a nice structure. I was there because my daughter graduated from IA State! Interior Design. Woooooooooo! Proud Mama :)

Great place to order and pick up your concert tickets. Walk in personally at the North Entrance. Staff there to help you Monday through Friday 12:00 to 6 pm.

I attended a recent concert on May 8 to see the Beach Boys Concert. After attending the concert, I will not attend another concert at Stephens Auditorium due to the harassment that I received by one of your volunteers.When attending concerts at this auditorium, I feel like I’m stepping back in time as nothing has been updated in this auditorium, along with the outdated rule of picture taking.During the beginning of the concert, I was seated with a friend of mine right by the aisle in seats 25 & 26. Like everyone else at the concert that pays good money to see performers, audience goers are taking pictures and making small videos of the songs so that they can show their friends and have some moments of the concert to look back on for memories. During the concert, I was harassed by a volunteer who came up behind me while I was seated and enjoying the concert, to be heckled and told to put down my phone. Of course, I could barely hear the middle-aged lady because of the music, but I was taking pictures without a flash. The old out dated Stephens Auditorium rule states the following, No Flash Photography, Audi or Video Recording.During the entire concert, I was harassed for taking pictures of the concert, remind you, without a flash on while one guy in the row a head of me was recording some of the songs, which I took pictures of this guy recording some of the songs, for proof (see attached pictures), another lady seated beside my friend was recording some of the concert and a the guy behind me was doing the same thing. During this entire time, this volunteer NEVER approach them or told them to stop. During the entire concert, you could see people taking flash photography with their phone, making small recordings of the songs so they could play them back in future use as a memory of the concert, but didn’t see one volunteer harass other concert goers.If Stephens Auditorium is going to use this policy, the rule goes for EVERYONE and not just single out one person at the concert.Performers now days know that with cell phone technology, pictures and recordings will always take place because people want to replay memories of these concerts of iconic musicians. Stephens Auditorium needs to get with the time and stop harassing people and if you harass one concert goer, you harass everyone.The bathrooms are horrible and outdated. The stalls are so small that if you were 200 lbs or larger, good look at turning around in the stall. You pretty much have to back into the stall and sit down if you were to use the toilets. I’m glad that I didn’t have to use them, but I’m not very impressed with the lack of privacy between the urinals and the sinks sit so low to the floor, you practically have to bend over to use the sinks.The lighting has not been updated in the auditorium with LED lights, they are still using outdated light fixtures that make the building seem dark and dreary. The old red carpeting still is part of the outdated building. In some parts of the building, the carpet is starting to bunch up and need to be re-stretched.The only good things about this building is that every seat is good for viewing a concert or play and the acoustics are great. With being harassed by the volunteer and the policy not being policed for EVERYONE at the concert, I will NEVER go back to this auditorium again. I will keep attending events at The Civic Center and Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA.Sorry Stephens Auditorium, you guys need to get with the times!

Amazing show with Dancing With Stars , all the workers were very helpful of where to go for seating , restrooms ect.

Of course the experience is heavily influenced by the performance, but overall this is a great place to see someone. Ive seen plays, musical performances and comedy shows. The venue is excellent. Well organized, very pleasant and helpful staff.

I joined my sons first grade class on a field trip to this theater. It is a nice theater. The play was fun and the actors were great. Seats are padded but not the most comfortable. Be prepared to climb a lot of stairs.

I want to a showing of Waitress the Musical. It was fantastic, and the auditorium was wonderful.

What an awesome venue for live music! Loved it! As far as I could tell, there does not appear to be a bad seat in the house.

Its a great venue and a beautiful auditorium. But access has lots of stairs although it is handicap accessible. Restrooms are fine but few and hard to get to...lots of stairs. Exiting can be frustrating. Again...stairs, bottlenecks and front seating gets the short straw. It takes a long time to get out.A beautiful venue and auditorium but a design example of how not to do it.

Beautiful auditorium to see a concert in. The only issue is the limited bathroom facilities. Also, if you sit in the third balcony, it is way up there, so if you are afraid of heights, get a main floor ticket. All the productions are top notch.

This is a fantastic place to see a concert. We saw a Ringo Starr here and it was great. The only deficiency is that its located on the Iowa State campus and I am a Hawkeye. Go Hawks!

Amazing venue for a rock concert! The acoustics are top notch. I wish there were more rock concerts here.

Stephens Auditorium is a great venue. I dont think theres a bad seat in the house.

Loved the Nutcracker! Dress warm, the Auditorium was REALLY cold last night.

I love this venue. Not a bad seat in the house.

Great venue with awesome acoustics and a pretty good variety of shows. Been to many times, will be back Many more.

It was GREAT! The FAB FOUR were AWESOME! We enjoyed every minute of the concert. It was worth the travel!

Very nice theatre

Love the two shows we have seen. Rent and the cirque Christmas

Dance Recital held here. Ample parking...comfortable seating...enjoyable venue.

Great sound great people and brings some of the best artist to ames

All guests are subject to going through a metal detector and having all bags thoroughly searched to gain entrance, whicj is a nice security feature. I noticed several Ames police officers on duty inside the theatre which gives an extra sense of security as well.The seating is comfortable and provides a nice view of the stage without struggle. The bathrooms are clean and staffed with an attendant to keep the line moving efficiently. There is ample parking space with no fees.

Been to lots of great talks and performances here! Usually very affordable, especially for students. Lots of parking, but a little confusing about where you should drive, park, and where entrances are. Usually a super cold walk from the lots. Never sure when you can actually use the side entrances. Aisles only on sides so lots of stepping over people if empty seats are in the middle.

Totally awesome acoustics especially watching Newsboys United perform on November 2, 2019.

Super intimate from anywhere in the house! Great sound for every seat!

Really enjoyed the show. Wish they had more womens restrooms otherwise great venue.

Went to see the ISU band stravaganza was the best thing Ive ever seen it was awesome

Beautiful building. Not handicap friendly for recital. Bathroom access very difficult for 82 year old mother.

Dane Cook show was great... Stephens Auditorium is a great place to see a show

The seats are a little small and tight but otherwise its a very nice place. Slightly weird setup where you have to go up elevators in order to reach the bottom of the seating area.

Expensive refreshments, and they could use more bathrooms. Past that they have amazing technology for the plays

This place is great. They allow you to bring food into the auditorium. I enjoy the shows that are shown here. It is a great venue to go to.

Very well set up, staff were very helpful

Its OK, does what its supposed to

Went for a high school all state speech competition. Parking was easy, place was easy to find and it was clean. Great experience.

I LOVED IT THE BUILDING ALONE IS AMAZING

One of my favorite venues for comedy!

Awesome venue, especially when it is Chrissy Hynde and the Pretenders. Awesome rocking show. First time seeing them and they did not disappoint. Keep on rocking America.

Lack of bathrooms on each floor. Not good for handicapped. Great architecture doesnt mean user friendly.

I suggest bringing a light coat, it is slighy chilly, otherwise the view from thesecond balcony is great! But id only reccomend for people over 5ft the guide rail does cut off some of the stage.

I always enjoy performances at Stephens Auditorium. The acoustics are great and the venue is a very good size.

Best acoustics in the Midwest. Intimate space. Building of the Century.

Great place to see a concert.

Wow, first time at this venue. Phenomenal acoustics, comfortable seats, and easy in/out process. We will be back!

Red green sucked but nice place

Cold inside. Many people put on their winter scarves and shouldered their coats.The show was awesome!

The acoustics here are amazing! Best place to hear music, hands down!

A great place to experience the arts, whether it be a fashion show or a choir concert.

Awesome time and great concert .

Beautiful building inside and out. Great acoustics and comfortable seating

Attended Bill Engvall show. Great place for comedy and music. Located on Iowa State University campus.

Great place to see a show. Not a bad seat in the house. Friendly staff.

Many shows are for older adults. Prices can be high for those on a budget. Many shows are for one-night only. There is no center aisle so checkyour tix carefully for location. Parking is free and they offer a pre-show dinnerfor $32.

The wide variety of shows available in our community is a great part of what makes Ames so enjoyable. Musicals, orchestras, concerts, plays, stand up comedy... Stephens Auditorium has it all!