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Forget the idea that theatre is elitist and expensive. Most shows can be seen for next to nothing. You can even get into those big tourist traps for what you’d normally plunk down for a show and popcorn at the Paramount.
All it takes is a little foresight.
pwyc planningpwyc planning
Pretty much every theatre in the city (including the Tarragon, Theatre Passe Muraille, the Factory and Buddies in Bad Times) offers pay-what-you-can tickets (anywhere from $2 to $9 is passable), usually for Sunday matinees. (Mondays are pwyc nights at Canadian Stage, and Buddies has Tuesday-night pwyc.) Tickets generally go on sale an hour or two before the show, but lineups can start way before then. For last year’s Tarragon hit I, Claudia, people lined up for four and a half hours. Make sure you’re caffeinated.
Insider tip Alternate staying in line with friends and going for latte runs/washroom breaks. Better yet, stay in line one week for one show and get your buddy to cover the next one. Bring a book, Walkman or just hang with neighbours. Pwyc crowds can be pretty flirty.Insider tip Alternate staying in line with friends and going for latte runs/washroom breaks. Better yet, stay in line one week for one show and get your buddy to cover the next one. Bring a book, Walkman or just hang with neighbours. Pwyc crowds can be pretty flirty.
pass it onpass it on
If you don’t want to waste those precious hungover Sunday mornings, try buying a student season pass. They guarantee you seats to the best shows, and you can pick and choose what you wanna see. Individual student tickets save you a couple of bucks, but Saturday nights are usually unavailable. You can even acquire a taste for opera on the cheap ($15-$20) with the Canadian Opera Company’s “18to29” program.
Insider tip Buy a flexible student pass (use your tix for the hot shows) and supplement it with pwycs and discounted preview performances.Insider tip Buy a flexible student pass (use your tix for the hot shows) and supplement it with pwycs and discounted preview performances.
half price and less…half price and less…
If you’re into gambling, try waiting for same-day rush tickets to Canadian Stage or Second City. There’s also the same-day half-price lineup at T.O. Tix (416-536-6468).
The best deal? Freebies, like workshop productions and Second City’s late-night Howl
Insider tip Even if a show’s sold out|read NOW for lots of free giveaways. | walk by the theatre — sometimes ticketholders who’ve been stood up will give you a ticket for nothing.Insider tip Even if a show’s sold out|read NOW for lots of free giveaways. | walk by the theatre — sometimes ticketholders who’ve been stood up will give you a ticket for nothing.
