Good theater is right this way

Did you know that you can catch a lot of off-broadway shows for free? If you’re willing to put in a little work, you can see some great shows for nothing. The key is ushering. Many off-broadway theaters use volunteer ushers, who can see the show for simply seating guests, and sometimes doing some after-theater cleanup. Here’s a list from New York magazine to get you started, but if there’s a show you want to check out, call up and see if they need volunteers. This method is bad for the impulsive…you have to schedule well in advance. And you’re not going to catch the Lion King, Spamalot, or any of the other major Broadway mega-hits using this method. But if what you’re after is a cheap night of great entertainment, then right this way.

Heartbreak in the Bronx

As a big Yankee fan, I’ve spent the week mourning the end of baseball here in New York. October is becoming an annual disappointment, after the great run through the late 90s. I find it helps to remember all the good times I had at the stadium during the year, and because of some advance planning, I was able to enjoy quite a few games for very little money. Each year, the Yanks offer a series of discount tickets, the best of which is the Fujifilm $5 night. On those days, you can get Tier Box seats, which usually run $40+ for just $5 plus Ticketmaster blood money. (About $9 total.) The trick is, these deals sell out pretty quickly, so you have to be on top of things when they release the schedule in December. This past year, they sold holiday ticket packs of every Fujifilm game, which was even more of a steal since the cut to Ticketmaster was lower. Then, be generous. Offer your extras around to friends for free, especially if they are big fans. I guarantee this generosity will come back around to you, (and the people you take for free will buy you drinks too!)

If the package seems like too many games, wait till individual games go on sale in January, and jump on it. Many of the discount tickets sell out in a day. Demand is liable to be even higher for next year, the last season at old Yankee Stadium… so don’t say I didn’t warn you. Man, just writing this up has me excited already. We’ll get ‘em next year.

GOOD Party

(photo by Eugenio Silvestrini)

Finding a budget, socially conscious way to cut loose and party in New York is no easy feat, unless you throw a party yourself or know someone with the space to do it and the inclination to invite you. That’s why you should stay alert for events like the Good Magazine party held on Saturday at the National Museum of the American Indian. The party was only open to subscribers, but a subscription is just $20, and that gets you all you can drink from 9:00 till about 1:30. (Yes, I was there until last call…in retrospect, a mistake.) On top of that, the entire subscription fee goes to a charity that you choose when you sign up. So ultimately, I gave $20 to UNICEF for a year-long magazine subscription, around 10 vodka drinks, DJs and dancing in a very cool setting, and one massive headache on Sunday morning. I guess the last just proves the old saying: “if it sounds to good to be true…”