The theaters on Corrientes Street are famous for their shows featuring Argentine television personalities , known as revue theater . However, the area offers a diverse range of theatrical productions, with different theaters playing on each block. Most of the shows on Corrientes Street and throughout the city are listed on Alternativa Teatral , the most comprehensive and up-to-date theater guide for Buenos Aires and Argentina .
Towards the end of the 19th century, Buenos Aires left behind its village-like past to transform into a great metropolis. At that time, new artistic expressions found the perfect place on Corrientes Street to attract large, modern audiences . In these theaters, the traditional Argentine theater emerged, and tango music was introduced to a mass audience with the arrival of the 20th century.
Along the blocks connecting the Obelisk area with Callao Avenue, neon lights announce premieres by local playwrights, international hits, and independent projects . Intense dramas in classic formats, musicals with enormous casts, or one-person comedy routines are just some of the entertainment options on Corrientes Street .
Let's see which are the most popular theaters and what they have to offer.
Opera Theatre
The Opera Theatre is the historic home of world-class musical performances, concerts by renowned regional artists, and licensed blockbuster productions from abroad . The building is one of Buenos Aires' finest examples of Art Deco architecture. Its exterior, with its vertical lines, evokes the shape of a large urban lighthouse, and the original interior ceiling was designed to simulate a starry sky during darkened performances.
- Location: Corrientes Avenue 860.
- Capacity: It has 2500 seats.
Gran Rex Theatre
The Gran Rex is one of the great theaters of Buenos Aires , home to massive concerts, acoustic recitals of popular music, shows by international artists and great choreographed musical works.
It is a perfect example of the European rationalist style, created in the 1930s by the same architect who designed the famous Obelisk . Its external facade is a solid and clean block, without excessive ornamentation, with a luminous glass sign that allows the entrance to be identified from a distance and bathes the main hall in light.
- Location: Avenida Corrientes 857 (right in front of the Opera House).
- Capacity: Allows to receive 3262 people.
National Theatre
The El Nacional theater focuses on large-scale musical comedies with high technical budgets, mass comedy shows, and reinterpretations of the greatest hits of Argentine dramaturgy.
Its stage is very wide and equipped with modern sound technology and a complex lighting system. This infrastructure is ideal for musicals that require a lot of movement and quick set changes between acts.
- Location: Corrientes Avenue 960.
- Capacity: 1014 seats.
Broadway Theatre
The Broadway Theatre is one of the home of revue theatre. It also presents Argentine popular comedy shows, modern tango performances, and concerts by local music groups .
The building opened in 1930 as a combined cinema and theater. A prime example of Art Deco style, its interior boasts a tall, column-free balcony, guaranteeing unobstructed views. Today, the upper reaches of the tower house a modern hotel.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1155.
Capacity: Originally accommodating over 2000 spectators, the hall is now adapted to more modern and comfortable visual formats.
Lola Membrives Theatre
The Lola Membrives Theatre 's program specializes in hit comedies, large-scale musicals, and classic works by internationally renowned playwrights. Its Italian Neo-Renaissance facade is notable for the three large arched windows on the upper floor. Antique stained-glass windows, polished marble floors, and elegant wood paneling in the hallways lend it a distinctly classic atmosphere.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1280.
Capacity: Approximately 1100 spectators.
Multitheater
Multiteatro is known for presenting current comedies, family plays, short thrillers, and large-scale commercial theater productions. It began as a traditional single-room theater but was later renovated into a multiplex, similar to modern chain cinemas.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1283.
Capacity: It has four indoor rooms of different sizes and layouts, which together have a capacity of more than 1300 seats.
Metropolitan Theatre
The Metropolitan 's program usually features modern comedies, current dramas, late-night comedy shows, and plays directed by renowned Argentine directors.
The theater stands out on the street skyline with its large, vertical, stepped tower in the Art Deco style. The central stage area is aesthetically framed by four enormous copper-tinted metal arches.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1343.
Capacity: 1458 in total, divided into two separate spaces. Room 1 accommodates 860 people, and Room 2 accommodates 598.
Cultural Center of Cooperation
The Cultural Center of Cooperation It curates essay-based works, the best alternative theater shows in the city, academic book presentations, contemporary politics forums, and world-themed film series.
It is a large, modern, and institutional building, with different levels of discussion spaces, performance halls, and visual art galleries. The different areas are connected by wide corridors that invite reading and relaxation.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1543.
Capacity: It has several different rooms; the largest of them can accommodate just over 200 seated guests.
Astral Theatre
The Astral Theatre It's ideal for family-friendly comedy shows, musical revues, choreographed dance performances, and intimate musical recitals. Its large, curved facade and elevated structure make it easily recognizable in the area. The interior is warm and inviting, with excellent sightlines from every corner of the grand hall and superb acoustics.
Location: Corrientes Avenue 1639.
Capacity: over 1000 seats.
Picadero Theatre
The Picadero Theatre is a hub for independent plays, comedic monologues, and dramatic one-person shows that demand high acting skill. Its program also frequently includes experimental theatrical productions and socially conscious works.
The entrance is at the end of a semicircular, cobbled alley. Its old English-style facade combines exposed red brick with the structure of a small, integrated restaurant. It's an intimate, historic, and very welcoming place before performances.
Location: Enrique Santos Discépolo Passage 1857 (hidden a few meters from the traffic of Corrientes Avenue).
Capacity: 300 spectators.
Comedy and Stand-Up Theatre on Corrientes Street
Stand-up comedy and monologues have grown significantly in the city, and today they are staples in the basements and adjoining rooms of downtown Buenos Aires. Stand-up offers a unique experience : conversing with the performer from your seat, enjoying a beer or a drink during the show, or relaxing for a while as several comedians take turns at the microphone.
The home of comedy theater in Buenos Aires is Paseo La Plaza, located at Corrientes 1660. You can also enter from the opposite side of the block, at the entrance on Sarmiento.
This theatrical labyrinth features open-air cobblestone alleyways with bars, cafes, bookstores, and covered rest areas connected to the performance spaces . Within the complex are theaters with plays and stand-up comedy shows scheduled daily. Its largest hall is the Pablo Neruda, with 520 seats. The Pablo Picasso hall has 444 seats.
The boardwalk's program offers the best contemporary comedies, modern-vision dramatic works, long comedy shows, and public talks on culture .
Another landmark of Buenos Aires comedy is Multiteatro and its sister venue, Multitabaris (Corrientes 831). Both specialize in comedy and feature plays with major figures from Argentine television and film. Across the street, the Teatro Astral draws attention with a repertoire packed with comedy and Argentine entertainment personalities.