Get major discounts on San Francisco theater

Posted by admin on Feb 24, 2009

From touring Broadway blockbusters to experimental black box theater, San Francisco offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the energy and entertainment of live stage performance.

Though theater has a reputation for being pricey, savvy theatergoers know where to go to find tickets on the cheap.

"Wicked" at the Orpheum

After a Tony and Grammy award-winning run on Broadway, Wicked has returned to San Francisco for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre.

Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz (a prequel to The Wizard of Oz). Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery, and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious, and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Though orchestra-level seats for this show usually start at $80, a day-of-performance lottery for deeply discounted orchestra seats is held daily through June 27.

Each day, 2.5 hours prior to curtain, ticket buyers arrive at the Orpheum Theatre to have their names placed in the lottery barrel. Thirty minutes later, names are drawn and winners can purchase orchestra seats at $25 each.

This lottery is available only in-person at the Orpheum Theatre box office, with a limit of two tickets per person, cash only. Each person must have a valid photo I.D. in order to participate.

The Orpheum Theatre is located on Market Street in the Civic Center area, five blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel and seven blocks from the San Francisco Downtown Hostel.

Half-price tickets from Theatre Bay Area

Theater Bay Area offers half-price tickets to theater, comedy, and dance performances throughout the Bay Area both online and at their walk-up box office.

For advance tickets, visit the Theater Bay Area website to purchase seats from one day up to several weeks in advance.

For day-of-show tickets, head to the Theater Bay Area box office in Union Square. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Select performances also offer weekend tickets a few days in advance.

The box office is located on Powell Street, one block from the San Francisco Downtown Hostel and six blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Half-price tickets at American Conservatory Theater 

One of San Francisco’s most prominent stages, the American Conservatory Theater offers half-price "rush" tickets to San Francisco hostel guests and Hostelling International members. Rush tickets are last-minute tickets that become available two hours before showtime.

Simply go to the ACT box office up to two hours before the show starts, and buy your ticket at half-off the regular price, by showing your Hostelling International membership card or paid receipt from your current stay at one of our three San Francisco hostels. The price of your ticket will vary between $7.25 and $40, based on the day of the week and seating section you choose. Tickets must be paid for in cash, and are subject to availability.

ACT is located near Union Square, just one block from the San Francisco Downtown Hostel and six blocks from the San Francisco City Center Hostel.

Magic Theatre Discounts

The Magic Theatre in Fort Mason Center is one of our nation’s foremost theaters solely dedicated to the development and production of new plays. Having just celebrated its 40th anniversary season, the theater has premiered works by many of the most celebrated American playwrights, including Sam Shepard, David Mamet, Rebecca Gilman, and many more.

Though full-price tickets generally range from $25-40, the Magic Theatre offers various discounts to students, seniors, teachers, folks under 30, and others. Visit their online box office for more information.

The theater also offers Sliding Scale Wednesdays, when a limited number of tickets are available for $5-25 cash on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Magic Theatre is located in Fort Mason Center Building D, just a short walk from the San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel.