How to Save on Community Theatre Tickets

I spend a good portion of my “free” time doing and attending Community Theatre. It’s changed my life. From the friends I have made to the roles I have played, each experience has helped shape who I am and my world view. I feel it’s a grand tradition slipping away- as we see audiences become older and older we are losing what we need for theatre’s future. I want to be sure all my readers know that Community Theatre is not only an option for your entertainment- it’s a WONDERFUL, often frugal option!

Why Attend Community Theatre

Because it’s a true group experience. I absolutely love being in or watching a show when the audience is engaged. With so much interaction through social media we rarely get to sit in a room anymore with a group all focusing on the same thing. Even in church you don’t get the same respect you do in a theatre. When the lights go down and the audience falls to a hush you get swept away together into whatever world comes to life before you. (Until someone’s phone rings and you all throw them dirty looks.)
It helps the community. I can tell you as a performer- nothing is worse than performing to a dead audience. Note I didn’t say SMALL. When I am on stage I want people to laugh. Cry. Gasp. React. I don’t care if there are 10 people in the house as long as they are engaged. The performers (and their families) have sacrificed to do the show. It means so much to them that you came.
It broadens your horizons. While doing research for this I came across a very interesting study. Check this out: The researchers studied a group of random students, grades 7 through 12, who saw productions of Hamlet and A Christmas Carol. Some participants in the control group and the treatment group also watched movie versions or read the play. Surveys were then administered around six weeks after the performances. Students who attended the live productions improved their knowledge of the play by a large margin compared to the control group. For example, more than 94 percent of the live-attendance group knew that Ophelia drowns in Hamlet (spoiler alert!), compared to 62 percent of the control group. The students who attended a live performance also scored higher on tolerance and emotional measures compared to the control group. (source)
It helps the economy. You and your girlfriends seeing a show? You are probably going to go to dinner before or drinks after. The entire neighborhood around a theatre benefits!
It sounds impressive. “I went to the theatre.” Face it- that’s way better than “Netflix and Chill” when people ask you about your weekend.
You can support your friends. Odds are someone you know does theatre. Or helps with theatre. We are a pretty lively bunch. And we LOVE it when people come to our shows. You don’t even have to bring flowers. Just come and cheer us on. It means the world to us.