Theatrics in Washington

Lorraine Sampson has rounded up a lot of free, discount and pay-what-you can shows. Amazing amount of research. Now, she hasn't tried each and every one of these, and your mileage may vary, but this is a real service. Remember, though, that the view from the cheap seats, especially in Ford's Theater and the Shakespeare Theater, may be as poor as you feel. Sometimes, it pays to pay. Still, we are fortunate to have these offers available--thanks, Lorraine, for forwarding them!

DISCOUNT THEATER TICKETS (Avoid phone orders -- they charge $3-5 extra) as of 5/05

ARENA STAGE
Fichandler Theatre (650 seats 2006); Kreeger Theatre (450 seats); & The Cradle (200 seats) half-price HOTTIX sold 90--30 minutes (or until sold out) before show at each theater's box office (cash only); $10 standing room tix for sold-out shows. $10 same-day tix for people under age 26 (before 5:25pm via phone or box office). Check website/call 488-3300 re: "Epilogue Discussion Series" 3 Tues or Thurs post-show, & $3 "Molly's Salon" 7pm Monday before show opens www.arenastage.org

FORD'S THEATRE
742 seats. $16 obstructed-view seats (behind columns). half-price for students under 22 for same-day tix. Check website or call 347-4833 about a post-show discussion www.fordstheatre.org

KENNEDY CENTER
Concert Hall (~2500 seats); Opera House (~2200 seats); Eisenhower Theatre (~1100 seats); Terrace Theatre (513 seats); Theater Lab (400 seats); Family Theatre (~335 seats).
$15-20 standing room tix (but not in Concert Hall) sold in advance (incl. by phone) when performance is sold out. Opera House has 40 standing room spaces, Eisenhower Theatre has 12 spaces.
$20 "chorister seats" (63 total) in Concert Hall directly above upstage for concerts w/ no chorus.

WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA's cheapest seats: ~$45 for 2nd tier 2 (side). Performs Sept.--May, www.dc-opera.org.
WASHINGTON BALLET's cheapest seats: $48 for rear balcony. Performs Feb., April & Oct., washingtonballet.org. half-price tix for students under 22: buy anytime from box office before a show opens; after that from box office same day only starting at noon for matinees & 6pm for weeknight only shows - bring student ID. Not available for Fri-Sun evening shows. $12--15 pre//post-show & rehearsal discussions 467-4600, www.kennedy-center.org

NATIONAL THEATRE
~1600 seats. A few $20 same-day tix sold at 10am, or else 2 hours before show - cash only, arrive early! $20 standing room tix sold in advance when performance is almost sold out (only single seats left). Half-price tix for students under 22 sold at box office (only for Tues & Wed. nites & Sun. matinees)
Call 783-6854 or 628-6161 about BACKSTAGE TOURS M-F 10am www.nationaltheatre.org

OLNEY THEATRE
Mainstage (440 seats); Xxxxxxx stage (440 seats); M--G Theatre Lab (~120 seats).
Same-day half-price tix ($15--17) at box office starting 1 hour before curtain.
$15 or so obstructed-view seats (mainstage only). PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN usually the Tuesday preview.
$10 same-day or Tues. tix for people under age 31 -- you may be able to reserve that morning.
Check website or call (301) 924-3400 re: "Talkback Night" usually on the 3rd Wednesday of the run AND "Afterwords" following the 1st Saturday matinee www.olneytheatre.org

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE
Bethesda (370 seats); Silver Spring (~125 seats)
2 PAY-WHAT-U-CAN shows preview week (1 Sat.
Matinee, 1 evening: distributed 1 hour before show - queue up beforehand) $10 tix for people under 31. Free childcare 3 Sat. or Sun. matinees (must reserve); 2 post-show "talk backs." 2 pre-show talks preview Wed & Fri. Post-show talk w/coffee on preview Thurs (240) 644-1100, www.round-house.org

SHAKESPEARE THEATRE
450 seats, $23 ($13 preview week) Row BB seats, 16 per show, in advance at box office. Harman Ctr: 800 seats (in 2007) 1-2 PAY-WHAT-U-CAN perfs on sale that day at 12 (arrive early!) Half-price for students under 22 for preview week (advance sale) AND 1 hour before curtain during rest of the run. See website/call 547-1122 re: post-show talk, usually 2nd Wednesday of run www.shakespearedc.org

TICKETPLACE 7th St nr E
38%-off same-day & some advance tix. Credit cards only - NO cash or checks TU-FRI 11-6
(Sunday tix are sold Sats. 10-5) Popular shows may sell out by 1pm. Prices (& theatre PWYCs) at
www.cultural-alliance.com T-Sat (and via 202-TIC-KETS [# 2] T-Sat 11-6) $2 fee for online sales

Ticketplace's tix cost more than & are for seats farther back than a theater's own same-day half-price tix, so only use Ticketplace for the following theaters that do NOT offer their own half-price tix (& call theatres about their student discounts):

American Century Theatre (VA, 75 seats at Theatre On The Run; 125 seats at Gunston II [both general seating] Kids under 18 often free with paid adult ticket);
Bethesda Theatre (~700 seats [opens 9/05]); Classika Theatre & Synetic Theatre (VA, 80 seats; 380 seats at Rosslyn Spectrum); Folger Theatre (253 seats. $10 standing rm for sell-outs); Imagination Stage (400? & 150 seats) $10 balcony seats; Kennedy Center (6 stages); National Theatre (~1600 seats); Rep Stage at Howard CC (250 seats [general seating], $10 tix one Thursday of each run. Free post-show talk the 2nd Friday);

Round House Theatre (2 stages), Shakespeare Theatre,
Signature Theatre (VA, 250 seats in The Max; 99 seats in The Kogod] sometimes has same-day half-price tix: (703) 218-6500);

Source Theatre (150 seats [general seating] 2 PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN shows during preview week);

Stanislavsky Theatre (125 seats at Church Street Theatre),

Studio Theatre (200 seats in Mead Theatre, 200 or so in Milton Theatre, 200 in Metheney Theatre, 1 PAY-WHAT-U-CAN show, usually a Saturday matinee);

Theater J (250 seats), Warner Theatre (2000 seats), a few PWYC early in the run;

Washington Shakespeare Co. (VA, 88 seats at Clark Street Playhouse [general seating] Saturday Matinees are usually PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN;

Woolly Mammoth Theatre (265 seats. first 2 previews, usually Mon & Tues, are PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN)

Stages For All Ages (http://www.lowt.org) Jan.-June: FREE for kids under 18 w/ 1 paying adult