San Antonio has more than its fair share of performing arts spaces: the Majestic, the Empire, the Municipal Auditorium, the Alamodome, the AT&T Center, Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium, the Lila Cockrell Theatre, and more. The Carver Community Cultural Center on San Antonio’s East Side, however, may give you the biggest bang for your performing arts buck.
Why? Because the Carver seats 600. In a place this size, you are able to see the performers, the costumes and the sets without binoculars.
Last weekend, the San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet performed the two-act fairytale ballet “Hansel & Gretel” at the Carver, and folks leaving the show said how much they enjoyed the intimate feel that this 1930s theater provides. This past June, my husband and I saw “Generaciónes,” a wonderful flamenco performance, at the Carver, and we were delighted with our close proximity to the dancers.
So, for local folks who’ve never been to the Carver or for out-of-town folks who are looking for something to do while you’re in town, check out the center’s 2010-2011 season. The Carver, a five-minute cab ride from downtown hotels, is known for bringing both national and international performers to San Antonio. For those who are driving themselves, parking is free!
Singer/Songwriter Terri Hendrix, Tenor Sax and Clarinetist Anat Cohen, Kuumba House Dance (South and East African) Theatre, Tango Buenos Aires, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet are just a few of the acts scheduled this season. The theater has an interesting history, as does the center’s namesake, George Washington Carver.
The Carver Community Cultural Center is located at 226 N. Hackberry. From downtown, go east down Commerce, pass through St. Paul’s Square, and take a left onto Hackberry. The theater will be on your right.
The Carver’s staff is extremely helpful and friendly. Their box office phone number is (210) 207-2234, and their hours are Mondays through Fridays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. plus two hours before performances on weekdays and four hours before performances on weekends.
Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!