Theatre on a Budget

The theatre scene in Toronto is incredibly robust. I spoke to a woman in the lobby before a show recently and she admitted that she and her husband were well on their way to seeing 300 unique shows in 2014. I have no doubt that they made it. I love live theatre but my budget and schedule work together to restrict my consumption. When I have the time, I often feel I have to conserve my resources. Over the years however I've come up with some ways to stretch my theatre budget and here I'll share them with you.

Volunteer
If you have more time than cash, the very best way to see more theatre is to volunteer. Theatre festivals such as Summerworks, Fringe, and NextStage (which is on now!) all rely heavily on volunteers. Usually they work on a shift to show basis - work a shift, earn a stamp which gets you in to another show in the festival - but often the perks go beyond that. Depending on the shift you're working, you might get to sit in on a show, and sometimes companies, recognizing the importance of volunteers, host volunteer appreciation shows where volunteers get to go for free, without using a stamp. Unsure of your skills? Don't worry about it - training is provided and everyone from volunteer coordinators to front of house staff to fellow volunteers are generally extremely supportive. If you're still uncertain, my advice is to start with Fringe - their training is superb. Just be prepared to wear a bright yellow shirt. Volunteer shirts are always bright yellow.

Many theatre companies also rely on volunteers as ushers, especially the smaller companies and venues. Check out their websites or give them a call to see if they're accepting new volunteers. Find out what sort of commitment they expect, and what perks they offer. While my experience here is limited to Canadian Stage, they are excellent. Volunteers are only used at the Berkeley Street Theatre but working 25 hours (a shift is clocked at a minimum of three hours) earns you two vouchers for shows at the Bluma. They also host a volunteer appreciation dinner and theatre performance every year and put on special enrichment nights specifically for volunteers. January is when they typically bring on new volunteers, so if this sounds good, contact them!

Sign up for newsletters & follow social media
Most theatre companies provide special discounts to followers through social media. Twitter seems better for great limited-time special deals but newsletters are great for general information like which performances are PWYC, and for receiving special offers on shows, especially the bigger ones. Signing up for the Mirvish newsletter for example will get you promo codes for significant savings to most shows, and while you might not get discounts for shows with incredible buzz, you'll likely get an opportunity to buy tickets before the general public. Sometimes you have to pay full price if you're determined to see the show. I can't miss seeing Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit for example so I know I'm going to have to pay for it. The other plus to receiving newsletters is that you always know what's playing.

Buy at the box office
Service charges and order fees can really add up when you're buying online or over the phone. Earlier in 2014 I went online to order 2 tickets for a show. The tickets were $19 each and the total fees on the order were $18.50. I cancelled the transaction and walked to the box office instead. I got the 2 tickets and paid no service charge. If you receive promo codes which specify "web promo code" don't be turned off going to the box office unless it's really inconvenient for you to get there. I've never been told I couldn't use a promo code because it was only good for online orders. But who knows, maybe I've just been lucky.

RUSH, PWYC & more
Get to know the different pricing options available at your favourite theatres. Many offer discounted pricing for preview performances, discounts for groups and cut-rate last minute tickets. There is often special pricing for different groups such as youth, students, seniors and arts workers so it pays to find out if you're qualified. Another reason to volunteer at a theatre is that it often qualifies you to receive arts worker discounts at other theatres. At the bottom of this post is a list of some special pricing available at the time of posting.

Buy a subscription
If you're not afraid of commitment and can afford to pay for your tickets in advance, consider buying a subscription or a multi-seat pass. You usually save at least 20% on ticket prices and there are usually other perks as well. For example, some theatre companies offer Member Discount Cards which grant you discounts at local merchants, handy for pre-show dining. The biggest perk for me though is that I usually end up seeing something I wouldn't otherwise have seen.

Be adventurous
Don't be afraid to try out smaller theatres and theatre companies and make it a point to take full advantage of Toronto's various theatre festivals. Tickets tend to be very affordable for these performances and the pool of talent in Toronto is incredibly deep so your risk of seeing something sub-par is pretty limited.

House Seats
I've written a whole post on this subscription service which offers subscribers free last minute tickets to all manner of events from theatre to music to comedy to sports. The only catch is you actually have to show up. Subscriptions are very affordable and can be bought for a two month trial period or for a whole year.


Buddies in Bad Times
Regular tickets: prices vary
Previews: generally $20 - $25
PWYC: A limited number of seats available for Sunday afternoon shows. Tickets available in person starting at noon, maximum 4 per person.
RUSH: Available from noon the day of the show. Tuesday - Thursday performances only. Limit 2 per person.
Discounts available for Under 30 and arts workers.
Group discounts for groups 10+
They also offer an earn and save program.

Canadian Stage
Regular tickets: $29 - $89 for Bluma, $29 - $49 for Berkeley
PWYC Tuesday. $20 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office the day of the performance.
RUSH: 50% of the top ticket price. Available 1 hour prior to show time.
Under 30 tickets: $15 when you join C-Stage.
Arts worker tickets: $22

Factory Theatre
Regular tickets: $35 - $45
Preview tickets: $23
PWYC Sunday 2 pm matinees. $15 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office from noon the day of the performance. Cash only.
RUSH: $15. 1 per person, cash only. Available 10 minutes prior to show time, line opens at 7 pm.
Student, senior & arts worker discounts available.
Group discounts for 10+

Soulpepper
Regular tickets: $58 - $89
PWYC Tuesday. $20 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office the day of the performance.
RUSH: $24 ($5 for 21 and under). Available 30 minutes prior to show time, line opens 1 hour prior. Cash only. 2 ticket limit.
30 & under: special pricing available upon sign-up
Student: $38
Arts worker tickets: special pricing available. In person at box office, except Mondays can be booked in advance online.
Group discount: 10% off for groups of 12 or more

Tarragon Theatre
Regular tickets: $50 - $60
Preview tickets: $23 - $29
RUSH: $15. Available 2 hours prior to show time, in person at box office.
Under 35: sampler passes available
Arts worker tickets: $27 - $31
Seniors: $42 - $49
Students: $27 - $31

Theatre Passe Muraille
Regular tickets: $38 Mainspace, $33 Backspace
Preview tickets: $22.50
PWYC Saturday and Sunday matinees. $15 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office 2 hours prior to show time.
Under 30 tickets: $17
Arts worker tickets: $33 Mainspace, $28 Backspace
Seniors: $33 Mainspace, $28 Backspace