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Here are some other ways to see fabulous theater at bargainista prices:
- Wait until the last minute and then use discount ticket sites such as tkts for New York and Goldstar for Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, DC Metro, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Orange County, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle. Note, Goldstar was a Frugal Festival sponsor.
- Volunteer or work at the theater. I’ve always thought working as an usher at a very good theater was just the coolest job. The pay isn’t great, but you get to see some of the best actors in action.
- Group ticket sales. For some theaters, a group is as few as 10 people. Groups get excellent discounts and sometimes the person who organizes it gets a free ticket.
- See theater that is less well known. TheaterExtras is a seat-filling audience development organization that gives complimentary tickets in New York and Los Angeles to its members. For the price of a Broadway ticket, you can get practically free tickets all year. There are also special savings for members of a theatrical union, student or senior citizen. Indicate that I referred you (bobbisbargains) and I’ll get a little credit as well.
- Check to see if your city is part of the Artsopolis Network, which provides listings of free local events and discount tickets. Some of the cities that are included are Boston, Phoenix, Nashville, Flint, Grand Forks and Philadelphia. Sorry New York and Los Angeles – no site for you, but you have plenty of other cool sites.
No matter how you do it, go to the theater and support the arts. Do you know of other ways to get great deals on theater and entertainment venues?
I just saw the 2008 Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi, the lead role in In The Heights. If you haven’t seen this show yet, then check out when the In the Heights touring company is coming to your area and go see it. The fans in Los Angeles were so happy that Lin-Manuel was going to be performing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood that they put on a surprise performance for him at Universal Studios City Walk. Check out this cool video.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
Goldstar is great, and I use them regularly. Here in Southern California, there are some other sources:
LA Stage Tix: http://www.lastagetix.com
Plays411: http://www.plays411.net
For anything at the Ahmanson/Taper/Kirk Douglas, call no more than 3 weeks before the show and ask for Hottix. These are $20, limited view seats. No more than 2 per call. No service charge.
In Los Angeles you can also try Plays411 and LATheatreAlliance
I should also add: If you are in the Thousand Oaks area, Cabrillo Music Theatre has a great subscription deal: Their balcony seats are 2 for 1. That’s 4 balcony seats for just over $200 for four shows. You can’t beat that. Their upcoming season is “Happy Days: The Musical”, “The Marvellous Wonderettes”, “The Producers”, and “The Sound of Music”, plus an optional Christmas Show. They are also offering discounts on “Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”, which is running the last two weekends in July. Info at http://www.cabrillomusictheatre.com/
Nice tips, Bobbi. Another great place to check for coupon codes on theater is:
http://www.BroadwayBox.com
They offer discounts on shows in NYC, Las Vegas, London and Orlando. For other cities, they also offer coupons on other attractions, concerts and sporting events, but not so much on the theater front.
It’s worth checking out!
I’ve used Goldstar for quite a while. The most recent show through them was “Life Could Be a Dream” and it’s a don’t-miss show! It’s been on the L.A. Times Critics’ Recommended list for the duration of its run. A friend who is a playwright/actress has her productions listed with Goldstar, and BB had her Frugal Fest there. Thanks to all of you who provided even more venues for purchasing tickets at a better price than the rip-off biggies!
With ticket prices going skyward lately and all the random fees being added it is definitely nice to find a few ways to save some extra money. I have definitely spent my fair share on Wicked and other musicals.
Ellie D
please let me know more about Life Could Be a Dream, I thought it was in LA in August & you already saw it?
I’m wanting to see it ASAP.
Thanks,
Chris
Life Could Be A Dream has been running for almost 9 months now. You can read my review of it at http://cahwyguy.livejournal.com/950462.html
@ChrisM ~ It’s playing at the Hudson Theater in Hollywood, but not for much longer. I’ve forgotten the exact final date, but it’s in July. It’s a totally involving, enjoyable show that will have you laughing, singing along, and walking out with a smile on your face! There are no “bad” seats, so go to Goldstar and go for the fun! I went to a Sunday matinee with friends, and we had such a great time… a real blast from the past for us!