Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) is located in downtown Durham.
Some Like it HOT. Beetlejuice. The Book of Mormon. Mamma Mia! Hamilton. A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical
The experience of a Broadway Show is like no other and while the actors are in no small way vital elements of that experience so too is the venue. Fabulous staging, excellent lighting and an incredible sound system complete the experience and make it what it is … a moving, life-enriching experience.
One of the truly wonderful things about retiring to central NC is the access to an arts and culture scene that rivals the best in our country. Both the Triangle and Triad have a Broadway Series that brings Broadway shows right to our doorsteps. More incredible … we are blessed with not one but two stunning and spectacular venues that bring residents a performing arts experience unparalleled in the South.
Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts is located in downtown Greensboro.
Two Great Venues
Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) was constructed in downtown Durham in 2008 and is consistently ranked as one of the TOP 5 theatres and performing arts centers in the entire country. This honor is notable in and of itself but DPAC was, among other honors, winner of the prestigious IEBA Theatre of the Year award having been nominated alongside some of the most iconic theatres in the country. The 2,700 seat theatre is visually stunning as it sits proudly in the center of a reimagined, vibrant and hip downtown Durham. With over 250 performances a year, the core programming is their Broadway Series to which patrons can enjoy season seat memberships.
DPAC features stunning architecture in a vibrant downtown Durham location.
DPAC seating
Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts located in downtown Greensboro is, like its neighbor to the east, a visually stunning building situated in the heart of downtown Greensboro. Opening in 2021 this $94 million facility seats 3,000 guests with a not-insignificant portion of that $94 million having been invested in a state-of-the-art sound system. In its first two years of operation alone the Tanger Center hosted over 1.3 million guests.
Tanger Center – Main Lobby Donor Board / Photo credit: Greg Loflin
Tanger Center – Ring of Lights / Photo credit: Greg Loflin
Both Tanger Center and DPAC have programming that extends well beyond their well-attended Broadway Series. Featuring shows that appeal to the entire family has been a mission of both centers since their inception.
Variety in Programming
DPAC in 2025 will host a number of top tier comedic shows; think Jim Gaffigan who did a five performance engagement and Kevin Hart with a three show engagement to Steve Martin and Martin Short. Dancing with the Stars brings breathtaking performances of America’s favorite dance show to the DPAC as well as live performances by bands like Chicago (a perennial favorite) and Foreigner. The kids are not forgotten with shows such as Sesame Street Live and Blippi…Join the Band Tour. The latter is an engaging experience for the entire family as Blippi is joined onstage by Meekah, their singing and dancing buddies and live musicians as they explore what makes music, including sounds, rhythms and instruments, through fan favorite Blippi hits. DPAC is literally adding new shows to the line up every week throughout the year.
From Les Miserables, coming to DPAC in July.
Tanger Center likewise plans programming that appeals to the entire family. The acclaimed Guilford College Bryan Series is the longest running and well-known speaker series in the region. The series brings notables to the stage for always interesting and engaging talks. The Greensboro Symphony calls the Tanger Center “home” with their programming of Masterworks, POPS, Family and Gospel concerts throughout the year. In 2025 their series includes such shows as Gregory Isakov and Brebeck’s Double Guitar Concerto with guitar soloist Thomas Flippin and D.J. Sparr. Concerts in 2025 range from KC and the Sunshine Band; Keb Mo & Shawn Colvin, Fortune Feimster, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, and America, to Ringo Starr and the Temptations & Four Tops. These are lively performances all made extra special by the Tanger Center’s superb sound system.
From Some Like it Hot, coming to the Tanger Center in June / Photo credit: Matthew Murphy
VIP Experience
Today’s 55+ crowd has eschewed the senior discount in favor of the VIP experience and both DPAC and Tanger Center deliver in that regard as well. Season Ticket holders get special perks, as has always been the case, but each venue offers a more exclusive experience for those wishing to make every performance special.
Tanger Center President’s Club
The President’s Club offers membership access to Broadway Season shows. A venue within the venue, the President’s Club includes access to the exclusive Lee Wrangler Lounge and access to the Joseph M Bryan Starlight Veranda where guests can enjoy complimentary drinks and light snacks prior to and during intermission of each event. Members get the premium seats in the prime orchestra locations to all seven Broadway Season shows and have VIP Parking adjacent to the Tanger Center. An extra perk is the priority access members are granted to other Tanger events throughout the year.
Tanger Center President’s Club – Lee Wrangler Lounge / Photo credit: Luke Jamroz
BMW of Southpoint President’s Club
Like Tanger Center’s President’s Club, DPAC’s BMW of Southpoint President’s Club offers members guaranteed center orchestra seating in the first 12 rows at each of DPAC’s eight Broadway Shows. In addition to the Broadway Shows, members can reserve and purchase seats to over 150 added performances including comedy shows, concerts and special events. Members have their own private entrance to a private hospitality area that opens 60 minutes before events and during intermission and allows members to mingle with other members while enjoying complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and utilizing a preloaded gift card to enjoy wine, beer and mixed drinks as well as an assortment of snacks. VIP Parking located directly adjacent to DPAC is also an included perk.
The BMW private lounge at DPAC allows members to enjoy complimentary drinks before the show and during intermission.
Central North Carolina is an increasingly popular retirement choice for the 55+set. The climate is marvelous and access to beaches just a couple of hours drive to the east and the mountains a couple of hours to the west means there is always an adventure available for the taking. Our arts scene, however, offers a quality-of-life enrichment like no other. Dinner out and a night at the theatre is special. Dinner out and a night at a theatre of the caliber of DPAC and Tanger Center take an enjoyable evening and elevate it to a life-enriching experience. We are lucky … lucky indeed.