How to save money at the theatre – a quick guide

PUBLISHED April 11th, 2013 01:23 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:22 pm

Have you always wanted to go and see a play at the theatre, but then been put off by the ticket price? Perhaps you’ve never given the theatre a shot, because in your view, you find it too expensive. Either way, both scenarios are a shame, as it means missing out on a great evening of entertainment (see our feature on reasons to go to the theatre here), and there’s no need!

As insiders, we know there are tips and tricks which you can use to get your theatre tickets for less, and so we’d like to share them with you right here:

1. Be an Early Bird – When it comes to most events, there is no doubt that the early birds get the biggest discount worms.  It’s usually in the form of a 15% to 20% discount off the price of a ticket.  For some performances, this only applies to Category 1 tickets but for some it’s for all ticket categories.  Even if you still pay the $3 SISTIC charge, you still save some money. Plus you get the first choice of seats.  So it pays to be organized and plan ahead.

2. Get the City Nomads Membership Card a.k.a the Nomad Card – A shameless plug I know, but you will be able to get on-going discounts and free tickets for performances as well as dining and shopping privileges and so much more! So far we’ve had discounts plus free tickets for productions by Checkpoint Theatre, Pangdemonium, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Singapore Dance Theatre, Toy Factory Productions, The Theatre Practice but to name a few, as well as big touring shows like Dirty Dancing thanks to our partnership with Showbiz Asia. For more information about the Nomad Card see here.

3. Check out other cards – Check out the credit cards and retail / store cards that offer discounted tickets for performances.  The best-known credit card is the OCBC Arts / OCBC Platinum Arts Card.  Mastercard also offers discounts.  Shops like Kinokuniya and IKEA have membership cards, which allow you to buy discounted tickets for performances by the Singapore Dance Theatre, the Singapore Lyric Opera and more.  The Passion Card also allows you to get discounted tickets across a wide range of events.  Plus you can get discounts off products or classes.  Check out the website here.

4. Other company offers – Companies like Starhub are often major sponsors of events.  In such cases, Starhub offers its customers a chance to get discounted tickets at SISTIC outlets just by producing a Starhub bill or mobile phone.

5. Become a FRIEND – Theatre and performing arts companies have a ‘Friends’ program in place, i.e. if you donate a sum of money, you are entitled to free tickets, discounts and invitation to special events and backstage tours.  It all depends how much and how often you wish to donate.  Also, all donations are tax-exempt.  Just check out the websites of the different theatre /performing companies.

6. Get a Group – If you can get a group of 20 or more persons to attend a performance, you can negotiate a group discount with the theatre company.  So, if your networking group, company, or social group want to do something different, you could suggest a theatre event.

So, it pays to do your research before purchasing tickets for performances so you do not miss out on discounts!