Cheap theatre tickets in Toronto are not a thing of the past.

One of the best ways to spend the holiday break is to go watch a live show in the theatre. But, they can be a bit on the pricey side. Prices of orchestra or mezzanine seats at a play or musical can cost around $150, with premium seats being double or triple the price.

Often, tickets from resellers and third-party ticket sellers are more expensive than what you would have paid for the original ticket.

However, there are several ways to buy cheaper theatre tickets in Toronto. 

Group tickets

One of the best ways to find decent-priced tickets is to buy them as a group. Tickets are usually at discounted prices when there are groups of six to 10 or more people buying them together.

For example, any show from Mirvish should be discounted if you buy at least 10 tickets and they also come with flexible payment plans.

Advance purchase and subscriptions

Tickets can also be cheaper if you buy them in advance of the show (such as a month before), like presale tickets.

Many theatres also offer subscriptions that when you buy in advance give you more favourable pricing. For example, the Tarragon Theatre has a number of subscription options that let you select from a bundle of their plays with special pricing for students, seniors and arts workers.

Rush Tickets

Another way to find cheap theatre tickets is to call the theatre and ask about rush tickets. Sometimes, on the day of the performance, discounted rush tickets are available for purchase at noon. The most likely days when this will occur are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Mirvish offers Rush Seats for almost all of its shows. You can find a list of what's available on their website.

Pay-what-you-can

Pay-what-you-can and pya-what-you-can-afford events are becoming more popular in Toronto and theatres probably aren’t an exception for this.

You can call the theatre and ask if they offer any pay-what-you-can tickets for certain plays. Sunday is usually the day when these types of discount theatre tickets are available. They are available on a first come, first serve basis and normally only at the box office.

Soulepper is just one local theatre company that offers this. Every Tuesday is "Pay What you Choose" with ticket options ranging from $10 to $25. Theatre Passe Muraille's PWYCA tickets start at only $5.

Previews

Want to see a show before it's officially ready for prime time? Many theatres offer discounted tickets for pre-opening performances.

Something might go wrong or an actor might forget their lines but you're basically seeing the same show and also have the chance to see it before any of your friends.

Soulpepper is one of the many theatre production companies that offers this option.

Discount resellers

Discount resellers, such as The American discount seller TodayTix offer theatre tickers for discounted prices as well. HouseSeats, which is another discount reseller, offers a  subscription service that offers free tickets to members for a yearly fee and a secret show list as well.