What with the economy sputtering and lots of people fretting about how to make ends meet, it’s possible that you’re thinking theater is a luxury you can’t afford. I’d like to suggest that we need a bit of art and perspective more than ever at times like this, but I know that affording it can be a pragmatic issue. So let me make a suggestion for this weekend: Go see Love Song at the Cincinnati Playhouse.
Let’s start with the subject matter. In my CityBeat review, I wrote, “If you need to be uplifted, you couldn’t find a better tonic for your mental state than the Cincinnati Playhouse’s regional premiere of John Kolvenbach’s Love Song, a quirky, contemporary, romantic comedy.” I suggested that it had characters and situations reminiscent of a Seinfeld episode, and I thought it would charm audiences. Perhaps because of the state of the world, perhaps because this is an unfamiliar title by a little known playwright (if you’d like to know more about him, you can read my interview with him) — whatever the reason, the Playhouse is not selling as many tickets for this production, which is in its big theater.
That’s too bad, because a lot of folks could be entertained. But that leads to my tip: The slow sales means that you can take advantage of the Playhouse’s standing offer to purchase unreserved tickets for half-price on the day of a show. In other words if you call the Playhouse’s box office (513-421-3888) on Friday or Saturday, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., you can purchase tickets normally priced for $31-$55 for half that much — and that’s a good deal. And if you’re a student, here’s another good deal: Show up within two hours of curtain time, show your student ID, and you can buy any available ticket for $18. These “student rush” tickets are perfect for young people who like to make last-minute decisions. I can assure there are tickets available for most of Love Song’s performances. I can also say it’s pretty likely you’ll enjoy this production. Give it a chance. (Performances continue through Nov. 21.)
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2008.
