Students are aware that college life is expensive. Academics and hectic schedules keep students busy. But when a well-deserved break is needed for entertainment, it is not necessary to overspend to have a good time.
Many go to movie theaters for leisure, but there are different venues around town that are within a student’s budget. An alternative to the movies is to attend a live performance, such as a play or opera. There are preconceived notions that live performances are costly, but that is often not the case.
There are many venues that offer students discount tickets in the Los Angeles area. Taking advantage of these resources will help students save time and provide quality entertainment as well.
“It is extremely important for students to have discounted tickets,” said Brianna Roth, a senior theater major. “Students are poor. We need to be able to afford these things. The days when venues have discounts or free events are the days to go.”
Roth suggested using the Web site laweekly.com for inexpensive tickets. She uses it for the theater that she is interested in, and also recommends it for group tickets.
“Discount tickets are an ingenious idea,” said James Darrah, a senior theater and music major. “I have used student rush ticket offers in the past to go to performances at the L.A. Opera and Opera Pacific. Opera ticket prices tend to be really expensive, but you get huge discount tickets with great seats.”
This resource can save money. There are conditions that apply when using the student rush discount offer. Each depends on the specific venue.
“I almost always use rush theater tickets in L.A. and Orange County,” said Renee Soliz, a graduate student. “I call ahead for tickets, go to the place early and get my $20 rush tickets with a student I.D.”
She also suggests asking family and friends who work at theaters, hospitals or large companies; the employees usually get discounted tickets to a variety of places that are offered.
“The Center Theatre Group (Ahmanson, Mark Taper and Kirk Douglas Theatres) has replaced their student rush prices with a new advance purchase promotion called Hot Tix,” said Carol Stephenson, adjunct vocal faculty at ULV.
“Anyone can call ahead for a limited number of seats held for each performance at the price. There is a two ticket per purchase limit. I have used this service a few times and got to see the play ‘Dead End’ and the musical ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’” she added.
Cheap ticket opportunities like these should help alleviate the high prices students pay for their entertainment.
Other sources that offer discounted tickets are the L.A. Philharmonic, lastagetix.com and musiccenter.com that is a straightforward site and contains the names of many of the Los Angeles theaters
“Many people think that since the shows are professional productions that tickets will be expensive, but the theaters and opera houses provide these student programs,” Darrah said. “Students with interests in the performing arts or are involved in the arts have this resource.”
Jaclyn Gonzales can be reached at jgonzales4@ulv.edu.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.