The venue features a signature 'acoustical canopy' consisting of 17 suspended acoustic clouds that can be adjusted to match the type of performance.
The interior lobby is designed with a three-story glass curtain wall that overlooks the outdoor Fountain Plaza.
The stage house is built with a complex rigging system capable of supporting heavy sets for full-scale Broadway national tours.
The lobby floor contains inlaid artistic elements depicting regional themes and marine life.
Construction of the center was a centerpiece of the Virginia Beach Town Center urban renewal project that transformed the city's commercial core.
The facility is managed by the City of Virginia Beach Office of Cultural Affairs in partnership with a private management firm.
The Sandler Center for the Performing Arts is a 1,200-seat performance venue located in the Town Center of Virginia Beach. Its main performance hall features a custom-engineered acoustic shell designed to enhance symphonic performances. The facility serves as the permanent home for several regional arts organizations, including the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Virginia Beach Chorale. Beyond classical music, the center hosts Broadway touring productions, ballet companies, and contemporary musical acts. The structure includes an integrated glass-walled lobby that serves as an exhibition space for rotating visual art displays. A secondary performance space, the Miller Studio Theatre, offers an intimate, black-box style setting for smaller events and community productions. The building's design emphasizes vertical sightlines, ensuring no seat in the house is significantly obstructed. It functions as a catalyst for the surrounding commercial district’s evening economy.
The elevated mezzanine landing in the lobby provides a panoramic view of the three-story glass entrance and the plaza below.
Arrive early to enjoy the lobby art galleries before the house opens.
Check the 'Miller Studio Theatre' schedule if you prefer intimate, cabaret-style seating over the main stage.
Park in the adjacent free parking garages rather than relying on limited street parking.
Do not wait until the night of a popular show to purchase tickets, as sell-outs are frequent; avoid parking on the street as garages are faster and safer.
Business casual is standard; silence all electronic devices before entering the auditorium; photography is prohibited during active performances.
