The short answer on McCallum Theatre seats
The McCallum Theatre is the Coachella Valley's main performing arts house: a 1,127-seat proscenium theater (a stage framed by an arch, with the whole audience facing one way) on Fred Waring Drive in Palm Desert. For a touring Broadway musical, the best all-around seats are in the center of the orchestra, roughly a third to halfway back, or in the first rows of the mezzanine. For a concert or a speaker, almost any center seat works, because the room is compact. The seats to think twice about are the far sides of the front orchestra and, when the stage is extended over the pit, the balcony.
The theater opened in January 1988 and is run by Friends of the Cultural Center, Inc., the independent nonprofit that built it. Its season mixes Broadway tours, classical and pop concerts, dance companies, comedians, holiday programming and the National Geographic Live speaker series. The building sits on the southern edge of the College of the Desert campus, at the northeast corner of Fred Waring Drive and Monterey Avenue.
How the house is laid out
The McCallum's own facility specifications divide the 1,127 seats into four parts. The auditorium uses continental seating (long rows with no center aisle, so you enter from the ends), and every level is carpeted.
- Orchestra: 720 positions, including four wheelchair spaces. The floor rises about 7 feet from the front row to the back, and the rear wall sits about 78 feet from the edge of the stage, so even the last orchestra row is close by arena standards.
- Mezzanine (also called the Founders level): 173 positions, including four wheelchair spaces.
- Balcony: 182 positions, including four wheelchair spaces. The followspot booth sits at house center behind it.
- Boxes: 52 movable chairs in 13 boxes, arranged as side-by-side pairs on each side of the house across three levels. The mezzanine boxes are wheelchair accessible.
The pit rows
The first four orchestra rows are lettered AA through DD and hold 98 seats. They sit on two hydraulic lifts, and when a production needs an orchestra pit, those rows are removed. That is why the front-row letter you see on a seating map can change from show to show. When AA through DD are in place, they are the closest seats in the building; when they are gone, row A becomes the front.
Best seats for Broadway tours, concerts and talks
Musicals and plays
Center orchestra from about the middle third of the rows is the safest choice for a touring musical. You are high enough on the rake (the slope of the floor) to see over heads, close enough to read faces, and level with the stage picture designers build for. The front rows of the mezzanine are the other strong option: the slight elevation shows choreography and floor patterns that the orchestra can flatten, and the distance to the stage is still short.
Concerts and comedy
With a proscenium as narrow as 36 feet and adjustable up to about 50 feet, the stage is not wide, so side seats lose less than they would in a large hall. For a solo artist or a comedian, a closer side seat often beats a distant center one.
Speakers and film
For National Geographic Live and other talks with projected images, sit farther back and centered so the screen fills your view without craning.
Boxes
The boxes trade a straight-on view for privacy and movable chairs. Because they face across the house, the near side of the stage can be cut off. On the lower house-right side, the box farthest from the stage is not sold at all; the facility specs list it as the permanent sound-mixing position.
Seats with trade-offs
- Far-side seats in the first orchestra rows: close, but the angle is steep and the stage edge, at about 38 inches high, blocks the downstage floor.
- The balcony when the stage is extended: the facility specs state that when the second pit lift is raised to form an extended apron (the part of the stage in front of the curtain line), that area is fully hidden from the balcony. With the first lift used as a thrust, balcony views are partly blocked. Productions that play action out over the pit are the ones to watch for.
- Upper boxes: good for a group, but the sharp angle to the stage makes them weaker for dance and big musicals.
None of these is a bad seat for a concert. They matter most for theatrical productions that use the full depth of the stage.
Parking, arrival and house rules
Parking is free. The theater has ample no-cost parking in the lots around the building, and paid valet runs under the porte cochere on the south (Fred Waring Drive) side. Guests with a government-issued disabled placard are directed to the west side of the lot. The lots border College of the Desert property, so read the posted signs.
From Highway 111, turn east on Fred Waring Drive, cross Monterey Avenue and turn left into the lot. From Interstate 10, take the Monterey Avenue exit and drive south about five miles, then turn left on Fred Waring Drive.
Doors and timing
- As of 2026, the lobby opens one hour before showtime and the auditorium about 30 minutes before.
- The theater suggests arriving about 20 minutes early. Latecomers wait in the lobby until a suitable break.
- Everyone needs a ticket regardless of age, and the box office discourages bringing children under 5.
Bags, cameras and food
Large bags, backpacks and totes are searched on arrival, and there is no bag check; anything that fails inspection goes back to the car. Photography and recording are prohibited during performances unless an artist allows it. Outside food and drink are not allowed, while lobby bars sell drinks and light snacks. There is no dress code beyond shirts and shoes. Policies change, so check the McCallum's box office policies before you go.
Accessibility
Wheelchair positions exist on every level: four each in the orchestra, mezzanine and balcony, plus the accessible mezzanine boxes. The box office can also point you to aisle seats and rows without stairs. A wireless hearing-assistance system is available; free headsets are lent at the lobby coffee bar in exchange for a government-issued ID, which is returned with the headset. Service animals are welcome under ADA rules.
From a 1963 bequest to a desert landmark
The theater carries the name of a pioneering Coachella Valley family. In 1963 Pearl McCallum left 250,000 dollars toward a performing arts center, and in May 1973 a group of local business, education and cultural leaders organized as Friends of the Cultural Center, Inc. to build one. Ground was broken in 1985 for a three-year, 22-million-dollar project designed by Anthony and Langford/Architects.
The McCallum opened in January 1988 with an all-star gala honoring Bob Hope, whose support came after former President Gerald Ford persuaded him to back the project. Van Cliburn inaugurated the house Steinway. A 28-million-dollar campaign in 2004 updated the sound, lighting and main curtain. Its education arm, founded in 1997, reaches tens of thousands of students and teachers each year. More background is on the theater's history page.
Frequently asked questions
How many seats does the McCallum Theatre have?
1,127. The facility specs break that into 720 orchestra positions, 173 in the mezzanine, 182 in the balcony and 52 box chairs, with four wheelchair spaces on each main level.
What are the best seats at the McCallum Theatre?
Center orchestra about a third to halfway back, or the front rows of the mezzanine. Both give a full view of the stage at a short distance, which suits touring musicals.
Is parking free at the McCallum Theatre?
Yes. The lots around the theater are free, and paid valet is available on the Fred Waring Drive side. Accessible parking is on the west side of the lot.
Why does the front row letter change between shows?
Rows AA through DD sit on hydraulic lifts and are removed when a production needs an orchestra pit. When they are in place, AA is the front row; when they are out, row A is.
Does the McCallum Theatre have a bag policy?
Large bags, backpacks and totes are searched at the door, and there is no bag check, so items that fail inspection go back to your car. Confirm current rules with the box office before your visit.
Can children attend shows at the McCallum?
Every guest needs a ticket regardless of age, and the box office discourages bringing children under 5. Age guidance varies by show.