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A CurtainUpFeature
Yes, you can. . .afford live theater!
By Elyse Sommer
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With the economy continuing its dismal downward spiral, even big spenders tend to keep their wallets more tightly zipped. Not surprisingly, complaints about the high cost of going to the theater are more abundant than ever. But for the adventurous theater goer and alert bargain hunter, theater is still a yes, you can proposition.
For visitors to New York to whom seeing a show equates seeing a Broadway musical, the major opportunity for saving money on the ticket is the TKTs Booth on Broadway. While you're unlikely to find, Jersey Boys or Billy Elliott, the offerings are plentiful and the red steps both is actually a fun experience in and of itself. You'll find a link to take you to the a page with the ins and outs of the Booth on our Links Page. The same section of that page (which we've just updated) will also link you to still more super saver opportunities: seat filling membership clubs like Audience Extras and Play by Play, a site that posts discount codes, theater development membership, etc.
But some of the most interesting and rewarding theater experiences — seeing a play in an intimate setting, being in on the groundfloor of a playwright and actor's career and often, seeing well-known actors taking a hiatus from film or television or the pressure cooker of Broadway to hone their craft. While off-Broadway costs have also led to rising prices even away from the Great White Way, regular visits to our constantly updated and detailed Off-Broadway listings will point you to plenty of shows with rush and membership ticket deals and regular top ticket prices of $25, or less. To prove my point, here are a few shows coming up this month that fall into this category (Details about all listed alphabetically by show title at the above off-Broadway page):
New York Theatre Workshop in the East Village which opens its always intriguing season with Aftermath, a new docu-drama, offer student rush tickets for $20, senior tickets for $32 and Sunday night $20 cheaptix (all during box office hours and with ID only). bash. Not far from the above NYTW, Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory, a venue known for it's edgy production will be exploring the stark reality underlying Neil La Bute's bash. Tickets: $20.
Still in the East Village at The Wild Project, Partial Comfort Production is offering an intriguing sounding new play, by Thomas Bradshaw, The Bereaved . Tickets are again $20-- except for Wednesday which are tagged as Pay What You Can nights.
Head uptown to Central Park West and you can see Shirley Lauro's Jefferson Award Nominated All Through the Night about German Gentile Women during the Hitler years. The price for this one will be $25.
The Peter Norton Space is home to the well regarded Epic Theatre Ensemble's Mahida's Extra Key to Heaven< about a young American painter and an Iranian college student. If you go matinees it's just $15.
The Roundabout Theatre Company is back with another of its black box theater productions geared to young audience tastes and pocketbooks premieres, Ordinary Days Tickets are $20 but if the show extends as has been the case in the past, prices jump upwards.
Probably the best buy of upcoming season so far comes from the Invaluable Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space far west on 42nd Street continues its sponsored $20 ticket initiative for every seat at every performance. That means $20 to see the late Horton Foote's epic The Orphans' Home Cycle
Finally, while the nice weather holds, there's the Herman Melville inspired The Confidence Man staged by the Woodshed Collective on ship on the Hudson River. You get to follow the various segments of the play throughout the ship. And not to be outdone by any bargain offers, this one is FREE!!!
South Pacific
In the Heights
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide
