All the world’s a stage during the “Free Night of Theater,” through October

September 23, 2008

Throughout October and early November, theaters all around Northern California — including San Francisco and Sacramento — are offering up thousands of play tickets for free during the nationwide "Free Night of Theater" event.

Many of the region’s leading theater producers, such as American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre, and TheatreWorks, along with a host of smaller companies participate in this popular event. From modern dance to musical comedies, there’s a wide range to choose from, whether you’re a regular patron of the arts or a playhouse novice.

Most performances take place October 3 - November 9. Reservations begin on Wednesday, October 1, with additional batches of tickets released October 8, 15, and 22 at the TIX Booth in Union Square and online at tixbayarea.com. On opening day (October 1), early birds can snag tickets starting at 10 a.m. at Union Square before they’re available online at 6 p.m.

Whether you’re getting your tickets in person or online, you’ll want to act fast, as many of these companies only release a handful of free seats for each performance. You can only reserve two tickets for one show during the "Free Night" campaign, so choose carefully!

This is your chance to catch the West Coast premiere of Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, or experience the city’s famous Beach Blanket Babylon, the longest-running musical revue in theater history. In Sacramento, First Person Shooter (winner of the 2007 Bay Area Critics Award for "Best Original Play") premieres in the state capital at the Delta King Theatre, alongside numerous community and kid-friendly performances in venues throughout Gold Country.