THEATER and more

THEATER
 
Going to a live show can be very expensive, but discounted and FREE tickets are available for some shows, Please note many of these theater companies are not-for-profit organizations and they appreciate donations of any size.
 
 
SHAKESPEARE
During the summer months, you can enjoy Shakespeare in the Parks. For the past 5 years the Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier has performed in the Chicago neighborhood parks. This year in celebration of Shakespeare’s 400th birthday they are performing a 75-minute abridged production of Twelfth Night. I’m sorry to say this weekend are the last 2 performances for 2016. Head to Eckhart Park Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 6:30pm (17:30) 1330 W. Chicago Avenue or Ping Tom Memorial Park Sunday, August 14, 2016 4pm (16:00) at 1700 S. Wentworth Avenue. Next year be sure to check out their website click on Plays and Events and enjoy these FREE outdoor performances in 2017 (and beyond) or sign up for their enewsletter.
 
QUEST THEATER ENSEMBLE
 Offering FREE productions, the Quest Theater Ensemble is “dedicated to being the ‘People’s Theater of Chicago’ by creating productions that inform, delight, inspire and unite” and are “committed to making theater accessible to everyone.” Their performance space is located at the Blue Theater 1609 West Gregory. Don’t be surprised to find it is in the basement of a school. FREE parking is available just north of the venue and there is plenty of FREE street parking.
 
ORACLE THEATRE
Oracle Theatre located at 3809 North Broadway  offers productions on a “pay what you can” basis.Check out their line up online.
 
FREE NIGHT OF THEATER PROGRAM 
From the Free Nigh of Theatre Program website:  “The Theatre Communications Group has established a simple way to urge people who might not necessary attend theatre to give it a try: partner with theatre companies around the nation to offer free tickets. Browse the website to see what’s available – but do it soon: the program ends Oct. 30, and the free tickets, which are still available as of this writing, will be snatched up before then. And mark your calendars for next year’s free theatre event so you can be the first to take advantage of it!”
 
 
FREE STREET THEATER 
The Free Street Theater performance space  is located on the 3rd floor of the Pulaski Park Field House at 1419 West Blackhawk Street. You can buy tickets online or :”pay what you can at the door”. Their mission is to “create performance by, for, and with a wide range of participants, challenge ideas of where theater belongs and who belongs in a theater, and use theater to ask questions, prompt dialogue, and build community.” Check their website for list of performances and locations. Also on their website you can sign up for email updates
 
THEATER MOMENTUM
Pendulum Space/Theatre Momentum is located at 1803 W. Byron Street Suite 215 and is “theatre that happens to be improvised.” All shows are FREE. Check out their website  for the list of upcoming shows.
 
 
THE HYDE PARK FREE THEATER
Located at 1448 East 57th Street between Harper and Blackstone you can enjoy the FREE performances at The Hyde Park Free Theater. Their performances include “dances, discussions, lectures, performances, parties, dinners, protests, rallies, conversations, symposia, debates etc.” So check out their website to see what’s happening.
 
 
RED THEATER CHICAGO
 The Red Theater Company is a not-for-profit organization that makes their performances accessible to all audiences including “Captioned performances, “Touch-Tours and ASL interpreted performances”. All performances are FREE. In addition for every $10 monthly donation they give 3 seats to nontraditional theater goers including those who “cannot afford to see it including ”seniors, people who are differently-abled, youth and the working poor.” The Red Theater Company is located at 1333 North Milwaukee Avenue.
 
 
HOTTIX 
Hottix offers half price tickets for same day performances in more than a score of theaters in the city. You can purchase tickets online or go to one of their 3 locations: 72 East Randolph Street & 163 East Pearson Street and in the lobby of Block 37 108 North State Street. In some cases you can buy tickets for future performances. They update their website throughout the day as tickets become available so it is worth checking back periodically.

 
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
 Broadway in Chicago offers deeply discounted tickets for same day performances for some of their productions . Here’s how it works. For those shows who participate, you go to the box office during the day up to 2 hours before the show. You fill out a form with your name and email address. Two hours before the performance a drawing is held. Usually each name drawn is eligible for 2 tickets. NOTE: You must be present to win and you must pay with CASH – not checks or credit cards are accepted for these discounted tickets. Broadway in Chicago manages the PrivateBank Theater at 18 West Monroe Street, the Cadillac Palace Theater 151 West Randolph Street, the Oriental Theater, 24 West Randolph Street, the Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University 50 East Congress Parkway and the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place 175 East Chestnut.
 
 
BROAWAY IN CHICAGO CONCERT
 The annual Broadway in Chicago Concert is a live performance of some of the great shows currently playing in Chicago. Held each year in Millennium Park this year the event is Monday August 15, 2016 starting at 6:30pm. (17:30). This is a very popular performance, so I suggest you get your spot at the Pritzker Pavilion early.
 
 
GOODMAN THEATER
 For some of the performances at the Goodman Theater offers half price tickets. Any remaining mezzanine seats in the Albert and Owen Theaters tickets go on sale online at 10AM the day of the performance, Select “Season and Tickets”, pick the current date and enter promo code MEZZTIX at point of sale. The discount will be made before you check out. You may also buy available mezzanine tickets at the same discount at the box office starting at 12 noon. Each purchase is subject to handling fees.
 
 
THEATRE IN CHICAGO
Theatre in Chicago is a great website to find more information about the theater scene in Chicago is  Along the left side you will see a link to Half Price Tickets.  Currently there are several shows offering discount tickets to Goldstar members. Go to their website or more information and to sign up for FREE for the Godlstar program.. Sign up on line or download the FREE Goldstar app and you will receive notices of discounted ticket offers.
 
Scroll down and you will see dozens of other theaters offering half price tickets to the general public.
 
Also if you sign up for the Special Offers Newsletter you will automatically get a $5.00 coupon to be used on your first ticket purchase.
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 OPERA
How about going to the Opera for FREE. The Lyric Opera offers some FREE performances to various senior citizen organizations. "Each season's Senior Matinee  enables underserved Chicago seniors to attend a selected Lyric Opera dress rehearsal at no cost. Tickets are distributed by the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services."

Encore is a FREE program which offers discounted tickets to some of their performances. The Encore program is available to anyone between the ages of 20 and 40. 
 
And NEXT is a FREE program for college and graduate students that offers $20 tickets when space is available. Sign up for email and text alerts to enjoy this discount. 

OTHER DISCOUNTS
 Wherever you go, don’t be afraid to look for or ask for military, senior and student discounts!
 
THE SAINTS
Another way to see a show for FREE is by volunteering to be a Saint.  As a volunteer Saint your duties will vary from venue to venue but essentially you serve as an usher in theaters all over Chicagoland. In return you can stay and see the show for FREE.
 
THANK YOU
I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Hedy Weiss, Theater Critic for the SunTimes and frequent guest on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight for her contributions to this week’s blog. Thank you!
 
 
BONUS
I’ve already told you about my favorite weekend end Chicago: Open House Chicago. It’s coming up in Oct 15 and 16, 2016 so mark your calendars and for more information check my earlier post. But there is another event that I hate to miss and it is currently showing at the Merchandise Mart. It is called CANstruction.   CANstruction is an exhibit of large-scale displays using can goods. All good is then donated to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. This year it is open between August 11, 2016 and September 6, 2016 at the Merchandise Mart located on the river between Wells and Franklin Streets.
 
TODAY
 Today is the annual Bud Biliken Parade. from 9am to 11:30am. The route is south on King Dr. from Oakwood Blvd. to 51st St. and continues on Ellsworth Dr. thru Washington Park to 55th Street.
 
 
 
So I’ll be you thought you can’t afford to go to live theater. I hope I’ve convinced you there are performances out there that are Free For All!
 
 
All information was correct at the time of this post, but before you come, please check the DCASE website cityofchicago.org/dcase to get the most up-to-date information.
 
Want to receive announcements of new posts? Just leave your email address and I will notify you of new posts on http://www.ChicagoFreeForAll.com
 
 
If you know of a free event in Chicago you’d like me to share, email me at ChicagoFreeForAll@gmail.com
 
Don’t forget to sign up for a free Chicago Greeter visit (see 1/1/2016 post) at www.chicagogreeter.com
 
Until then I hope to see you in Chicago!