metaDRAMA: Butts in Seats

59E59 is the most inconsistent theaters in New York City, a hotbox for theater festivals that almost always has three shows playing at once. This is actually a complement--they're putting on so much of what's new in this city--downtown stuff in at an uptown (and upscale, at least from an architectural standpoint) venue--that it's only natural they should have both hits and misses. The important thing is that they're constantly generating new work--and more importantly--generating new audiences. Although you can subscribe the old-fashioned way to the resident company at 59E59 (Primary Stages), you can also subscribe to the theater itself, which makes the already reasonable tickets 30% cheaper. (And even cheaper for students; ah, I miss those days.)

This isn't me shilling for the theater--I've panned as much there as I've praised--but rather a way of pointing out another new initiative (much like Women's Project's email-generating "free ticket" offers). Tomorrow, 59E59 is celebrating their sixth birthday--and pushing that recognizable "59E59" brand a little more--by giving away 59 $59.59 memberships, naturally to the first 59 people who visit their box office/theater at 59 East 59th Street. Their office is open between 12:30 and 5:00 tomorrow, and as a fan of the old, non-lottery way of getting rush tickets, I wish you all the best of luck.