A good night at the theater can be a welcome distraction from the stresses of the everyday grind. It can also be rather expensive, so it is always wise to do a little research before you decide to part with your hard earned cash on a particular theater production over another.

The type of production you enjoy will of course play a big part in your decision. However, even though the same dialogue is being performed the quality of a theater production cannot be guaranteed just based on the fact that a well known or popular play is being performed. The quality of the cast and the way the theater presents the stage decoration can make or break a production.

Before you purchase tickets, find out the theater you have in mind offers special prices at certain times of the day, or on certain days of the week. Most theaters do offer matinee prices, and some offer group discounts if you are attending with a number of other people. Ask about such specials before you buy.

For an individual production you can normally find a great many reviews of a production, its cast and the general atmosphere at the theater. Reviews written by unbiased members of the public are often far more useful than those written by paid writers, who often have a financial interest in writing a good or bad review. There are many websites on the Internet that offer reviews and comments written by members of the general public just like you, and these reviews can provide you with a good idea of what to expect of a performance.

Of course, you can also ask friends, family and colleagues whether they have seen a particular production, or if a certain local theater has a reputation for staging better productions than others.