Mama Geek Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 or do you still prefer to go when it is for the general public? Also is it correct to assume that you can buy just a couple of tickets for yourself and your child/children for a school performance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We have gone on occasion, because the tickets are significantly cheaper ($5 instead of $25) and the shows are shorter. At our theatre, homeschoolers can purchase individual tickets, but can have no more than one adult per student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We did dozens of performances when dc were younger. I prefer to go to the regular performance, unless the price is *really* different or they are adding something to the school performance (a talk, etc.) that is really of value. Usually the school performances have one or more of the following: (1) crabby organizers who are sick of school groups, (2) loud students who act up while the teachers ignore them and socialize, and/or (3) unrelated topics worked in to meet "state standards." I also think it is a learning opportunity when students attend the regular version. For example, I want them to know how to purchase symphony tickets and attend correctly and politely. As far as getting tickets as a family, it really depends on the organization. I have worked with some who only allow orders over a certain number, so homeschoolers must work as a group, and I have worked with others (most, actually) who don't have a problem with one family signing up. When dc were younger, and we went to things only available to school groups (the plays that travel around, student opera performances, etc.), we would just sign up with one or two other families usually. Sometimes there is a base charge and then a per student charge, too, or they add a surcharge for orders under a certain size, so watch for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 When mine were younger we did this more frequently. I tried to do one field trip or event a month. There's a group run by a retired homeschool mom (really her home business) in our metropolitan area that gets great deals on tickets. She handles all of the arrangements, and you just send her a check with a return envelope for the tickets or they have them at "will call." Sometimes it is a dress rehearsal, sometimes a school performance such that we're there with all of the school buses. And yes, some of these are restricted. With older kids, it has been tougher to do that of late because of longer school days and deadlines, but we still do here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We do both. Our group usually goes to the school performances and as a family we go to those geared towards family but open to the public. If we are just going as a family I don't seek out the school performances specifically, in our local area there are only a couple each year. We like to make it to a handful of local theatre performances a year and then 1 big show in the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We go to school performances, mostly because of cost, but also because I'd rather not go on the weekend, and going at night is such a crapshoot behavior-wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We've done both. We prefer to go to general public performances, when possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We go to a lot of school performances with our homeschool group. I like the cheaper tickets and early showtimes. I also like that they gear it to the interest and attention span of the kids. I don't mind the school kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkateLeft Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 We usually go to the school performances in our city because they're significantly cheaper. They're also during the day, so we're not competing with commuter/nightlife/sporting event traffic downtown. I think if we lived in a less urban area, it wouldn't be as much of an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 We mainly go to performances with our hs group. The tickets are at a substantial discount when we go to the school performance. It is the only way I would be able to do so many in a year. This year we have already been to 4 plays and next week we are going to a concert and another play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threedogfarm Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I would check with the local venue to see what the restrictions are. Where we live we have three different venues for school matinee performances within a 20 minute drive (which is pretty amazing for a rural area). Only one venue requires a copy of our signed letter of intent to homeschool (signed by the superintendent) before tickets can be purchased. The other two have no requirements. All of them welcome homeschoolers without any number restrictions. One is a theater company and they put on a full length performance, and the other two put on shortened performances. At the price of $5 to $6 a person it is VERY reasonable to go to the school matinees. It's really nice too b/c they have reserved seating for homeschoolers. Either the whole balcony is reserved or the first three or four rows are reserved. At one place the seating is first-come/first-serve. I haven't found behavior of other students to be an issue at any of the performances. So check it out. It can be a lot of fun. The variety of shows is amazing. I often invite my mom to come with us too (or my husband if he can swing the time off from work) and none of the venues have a problem with that either. I think they're happy to fill the extra "left over" seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Several theater companies, the symphony, the opera and the ballet here all encourage homeschoolers to attend the school field-trip performances. We can sign up as a large group or as a family. Tickets are free or inexpensive. We cannot afford to see most of these things at regular prices! We do go to a few things each year as a family. Dh likes to be in on the fun too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caclcoca Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 We usually go with a homeschool group because the tickets are significantly cheaper. I can get my four children and me in for about the same price as 1 ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie in VA Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Back when my kids were elementary ages, we went to a few. I eventually stopped b/c we always wanted to go back w/ DH and he couldn't always take off work on weekdays, so we just started going on Saturdays or on his rare days off. I love a bargain, but it meant more to the kids (and to Dh and me) when we made it a family day w/ our own schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 We have done both too. Generally I would prefer the general public ones, for the same kinds of reasons others have already expressed. Times when I would prefer a 'school' performance would be (1) when it is massively cheaper, and/or (2) when the general audience performance goes too late at night but the school one is a matinee time-slot (my littlest can't really concentrate at 11pm). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 We only go to student matinees- we can't afford regular tickets. $10 student vs. $50+ for the ballet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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