I love theatre, but it is an expensive obsession. I've written before on being a Thrifty Theatre-Goer by using HotTix & Goldstar, but there are so many other ways to save money. Here are a few tricks I've picked up along the way....
- Groupon usually has some theatre options. They are mostly for comedy shows (or shows in the suburbs), but you can find some gems. Instead of searching the Groupon-esque sites, I signed up for Yipit. Yipit is awesome because it consolidates all the deals from the Groupon-esque sites & emails you when you one of your deals pop up (personally, I get theatre & no-chip manicure notifications.)
- SEE PREVIEWS. Seeing a show before opening night is a great way to save a few dollars & I have never seen a preview that seemed like it wasn't quite ready or a glorified dress rehearsal. Plus, sometimes a show just looks so good that waiting for Opening Night is not an option (hello, Metamorphoses).
- Sometimes organizations sponsor a discount code for a particular production. These deals are usually not advertised very aggressively, but you can usually find them in newspaper ads. I recently stumbled across one in The Onion: they are sponsoring a discount code for Navy Pier's Four Star Comedy Fest [details: $11 off preferred area (code Imprv1); $11 off main floor (code Imprv2); $6 off balcony (code Imprv3)].
- When an organization links with a production, they also might offer perks that are not necessarily monetary. For example when you buy a ticket to The Blue Man Group, you can get an equal number of tickets to the John Hancock Observatory [code: ELVT] or The Willis Tower Skydeck [code: SKYDECK]. The offer isn't valid with any other offers/promotions, but it's definitely a cool perk.
- If you love a certain theatre & have no problem with commitment buying season tickets will definitely save you money. I've only bought season tickets one time (for the 2001/2002 season at The Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia); it was fun to know a show was always coming up, but make sure you actually want to see every show coming up or it's not really a wallet-padder. Some theatres also offer the option to buy season tickets mid-way through the season, so skim some websites in January if the second half of a season holds more appeal than the first half.
- Student Discounts. Most theatres offer student discounts, but they only work if you actually are a student or if you have an ID with no date & don't age. I'm lucky enough to be in the latter group.
- I hate having my in-box blown up as much as the next person, but selectively choosing a few mailing lists can be profitable (especially if you have a taste for certain theatres). My favorite mailing list is the Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group. Scott Cowan runs the group & is a Broadway in Chicago member. So, when there are pre-sale opportunites or discount codes, he shares them with the group. Broadway in Chicago is great & usually worth the cost of splurging; the luxury to buy tickets before they go on sale to the public is great because BIC shows don't necessarily have long runs, so they frequently sell out. If they don't sell out, BIC shows usually do offer Rush Tickets during the day of the performance, but the offers vary, so you need to call the specific theatre's box office to find out the details.
- Speaking of The Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group, their mailing list's appeal to The Thrifty Theatre-Goer is two-fold: the point of the group is for like-minded people to see a play on the same night, eat, drink, & be merry. There are usually refreshments & sometimes a discount code if you are part of the group. The MeetUps aren't necessarily a huge money-saver, but it is a way to make your money go further.
- Theatre Thursday has a similar mission as the Chicago TheatreGoers Meet-Up Group. There's always food before or after the show & it's almost always free. The last Theatre Thursday I attended was The Great American Trailer Park Musical @ Theatre Wit. After the show there was an open bar & unlimited White Castle. IT RULED.
- THE ORACLE THEATRE: Their tagline is FREE ART FOR ALL. Obviously, this is awesomely mind-boggling, so here is the explanation from their website of how this miracle exists: Everyone at Oracle believes that art is necessary to live a full life. So, we work with great artists to create great art to share with as many citizens as possible. And we give it to them for free. To fund this endeavor, we depend on The Forty 4 – a sponsorship program supported by members who contribute as little as $5 per month, to as much as $10,000 or more per year.
- The Reader & TimeOut Chicago offer online discounts [both daily & on-going] for theatre as well as restaurants, services, etc.
So, there you go: a few ticket tips & tricks laid out on the table by the Ticket Master herself.
Now, forget about the silly economy & go get yourself some awesome tickets.
