Boston (and nearby Cambridge) may not be Broadway, but the city often gets shows before they even hit New York. The main theater district is located near the Boylston T-Stop. Walk around or check the papers to see what’s currently playing. And remember Bostix located at Faneuil Hall and Copley Square (617- 723-5181, www.bostix.com) for day-of-show half-priced tickets. Note: they accept cash only at the window. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues-Sat, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. and for the Copley Square location only, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.
American Repertory Theater (ART)
617-547-8300
www.amrep.org
64 Brattle St., Cambridge T: Harvard
Box Office Hrs: Tues-Sat: 11 a.m.-5p.m.;
Sun: 12-5p.m.
Reputed to be one of the country’s best drama companies, ART performances run the gamut from Shakespeare to Beckett to avant-garde. ART offers a special student pass (call for more information), which provides admission to five shows. Regular prices range from $22-$52. Student rush tickets are available one-half hour before curtain at discounted rates.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals
617-495-5205
www.hastypudding.org
12 Holyoke St., Cambridge T: Harvard
One way to see the Hasty Pudding Theater is via a performance of this troupe, the oldest theatrical company in the nation. Founded in 1846, this group of Harvard men stage a different-usually hilarious-satire annually in which they play women. The yearly production is written, produced and performed by Harvard undergraduates and can be seen for one month only from February through March. Tickets go on sale in late January.
Music/Dance Symphony Hall,
617-266-1200
301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston
T: Symphony
Home to both the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall provides an exquisite setting for an evening with either. The Pops play from May-July and the BSO performs Oct-April. Check out the BSO’s open rehearsals.
The Wang Center for the Performing Arts 617-482-9393, www.wangcenter.org
270 Tremont St., Boston T: Boylston
Box Office Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Closed Sunday
This magnificent building is home to the Boston Ballet, which performs October-May. Wang also hosts concerts, theater productions, operas, contemporary ballet performances, film series and musicals.
Jordan Hall
617-536-2412
www.newenglandconservatory.edu/jordanhall
30 Gainsborough St, Boston T: Symphony
Box Office Hrs: Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sat: 12-6 p.m.; Closed Sunday
Located at the New England Conservatory of Music, Jordan Hall is reputed to be acoustically superb. It hosts hundreds of concerts by New England Conservatory students and faculty, many of which are free, as well as a number of concerts by the Boston Philharmonic, Handel & Haydn Society and other famous chamber ensembles.
FleetBoston Celebrity Series
www.celebrityseries.org
617-482-2595
20 Park Plaza, Boston
World-renowned artists participate in this exciting series of classical musical and dance presentations. Performances are held at various venues including Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall and the Wang Center. Call for a brochure.
Sanders Theater
617-496-2222
www.fas.harvard.edu/~memhall/memhart.
html#sanders
45 Quincy St., Cambridge T: Harvard
Box Office Hrs: Mon-Sun: 12-6 p.m.
Closer to home is Sanders Theater with a full, ever-changing calendar of offerings ranging from classical and chamber music to performance art. Number above is for the Harvard Box Office located in the Holyoke Center, which handles all Sanders Theatre ticket sales.
