Figuring out a reasonable entertainment budget has always stumped me. There are so many plays I want to see, so many indie bands I want to support, so many friends I want to grab a beer with… Before I know it, all that’s left of my weekly “allowance” is a few measly nickels and dimes.
But it doesn’t always have to be costly to support local arts and culture or reconnect with friends. This week’s Cheap Thrill is in Toronto. (I’ll be posting about affordable — or free — entertainment in lots of different Canadian cities, so check back often.)
The Tarragon Theatre, a small, independent theatre in Toronto, hosts a yearly event called “Play Reading Week,” during which you can sit in the audience and listen to readings of new plays that the theatre is considering for upcoming seasons. This year, there are nine readings, ranging in subject matter from family dysfunction to gang violence, from tsunamis to a nightmarish look at love in the Toronto film industry. (One highlight is the sequel to the acclaimed play The Attic, The Pearls and Three Fine Girls, written by a team of female playwrights including Ann-Marie MacDonald, which will be read on November 27.)
The best part? It’s totally, utterly free.
The event starts this Thursday and runs until November 28. All the readings start at 8pm. Look at the full lineup of the plays and dates/times here.
(Looking for more cheap thrills? Here’s a way to watch classic movies online for free.)
