But attending a show need not always break the bank. From standing room tickets to rush seats, there are many ways to find affordable tickets in the city, including some that are cheaper than a trip to the movies. Here’s a guide to scoring discount tickets at some of Toronto’s most popular performing arts companies. 

Toronto Symphony Orchestra

Toronto’s premier symphonic ensemble, which performs at Roy Thomson Hall and the George Weston Recital Hall, offers a variety of discounted ticket options.

Rush tickets, which are only sold on the day of the concert, are available for select performances. They can be purchased online or in person.

Patrons between 15 and 35 can also make use of TSOUNDCHECK, a youth program that offers highly discounted tickets starting at $22. (Tickets on the main floor are typically cheaper than those in the mezzanine.) Though the ticket buyer must meet the age requirement and provide identification, they can bring up to three guests of any age. 

Canadian Opera Company

The Canadian Opera Company’s standing room policy is likely the best deal in the city to snag cheap opera tickets, at only $12 each. The standing room area is at the back of rings 3 and 4 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

Each location features a coat hook, leaning rail and a fantastic view of the stage. These standing room tickets are only available at the box office, beginning at 11 a.m. on the day of each performance. As this program is extremely popular, consider lining up early. And if you’re hoping to purchase multiple tickets, beware that you might be separated if only single tickets remain.

The COC also offers a discounted rush policy. Like standing room tickets, they’re available in person at the box office starting at 11 a.m. on performance days. Discounts are at the discretion of the COC and may fluctuate.

For a better deal, operagoers under 30 can purchase discounted tickets for $22 and can bring a guest of any age. 

National Ballet of Canada

The National Ballet of Canada, which also performs out of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, offers a similar rush and standing room policy as the COC. Rush tickets offer up to 50 per cent discounts on select performances. They’re sold at the box office beginning at 11 a.m. and can also be purchased over the phone or online using the code RUSH.

As well, the company offers 60 standing room tickets for $12 each. They can be purchased in person at the box office, starting at 11 a.m. on performance days. 

Mirvish

Mirvish, the largest commercial theatre producer in Canada, presents dozens of shows each season. Many of its productions, including Broadway tours, offer discounted tickets throughout the run.

They’re a great deal if you’re flexible and willing to hold off on purchasing advanced tickets. But they can also be a gamble for popular shows that are entirely sold out. Same-day rush seats can include savings of roughly 50 per cent.

Some shows also offer standing room tickets or a digital lottery system, in which you enter for the chance to win highly discounted seats. Open-ended shows (like the new productions of “Come From Away” and “The Lion King”) will typically offer discounts later in their runs, after initial demand dampens. (Mirvish’s newsletter is the best place to find new discounts and special offers.)

Soulpepper

If you’re 25 or under — or know someone who fits that description — you could get free tickets at Soulpepper, the theatre based in Toronto’s chic Distillery District.

The company offers Free 25 & Under tickets to many of its productions. They’re available online and in advance for preview performances, and on the same day for all other regular shows. Access these tickets using the code 24FREE25.

If you live near the theatre and are willing to take a chance on a last-minute ticket, Soulpepper also offers $30 rush seats, which are subject to availability and go on sale at the box office an hour before each performance. 

hipTIX

HipTIX, a youth initiative run by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, boasts discounted tickets to all students between the ages of 14 and 29 with valid identification. Those eligible can purchase $10 tickets to select performances at theatres across the city.

HipTIX also runs a rewards program, offering patrons rewards to earn toward a free show. 

Royal Conservatory of Music

If you want to catch a glimpse of the next generation of musical artists, check out the Royal Conservatory of Music’s free master classes or community recitals, held throughout the academic year and open to the public.

The conservatory also offers a diverse slate of professional concerts, many of them presented at Koerner Hall. Rush tickets are available by phone for some performances, beginning three hours before the show.

Meanwhile, patrons under 35 can purchase up to two discounted tickets for $35 each. These seats are available 35 days before each concert. 

Crow’s Theatre

Crow’s Theatre, the east-end company known for its daring productions of new and classic works, offers its best deal on Sundays, when it releases a block of pay-what-you-can tickets for its performances that day.

These seats go on sale at noon and can only be purchased in person at the box office, so arrive early.

For all other performances, patrons under 30 and seniors older than 65 can benefit from discounted seats. And when performances are sold out, Crow’s Theatre offers an in-person rush system, by which all cancelled seats and last-minute releases are offered for $30 each at the box office. 

Theatre Passe Muraille

All tickets sold at Theatre Passe Muraille are pay-what-you-can-afford, with three pricing points: $15, $40 and $65. Patrons who purchase a seat at the most expensive price help subsidize the cheapest option. All tickets are general admission with seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.