Ticket Clearinghouse Offers Freebies for Members

The ticket prices for live theater these days are so astronomical that it sometimes seems as if this form of entertainment is only for the wealthy.

But there is a source that allows consumers to enjoy some of the abundance of live theater in Southern California at a very low cost. That source is On the House, which the industry calls a “papering service.” Because performers need an audience, theaters often give out blocks of unsold tickets, and On The House gets them for its members. Tickets are reserved by phone and held at the box office.

As a member for many years, I have seen some wonderful productions, some that were fairly interesting and some absolute dogs. Actually, we probably had the most fun at one of the dogs when we couldn’t stop laughing for more than an hour afterward. But good or bad, it was live and charged with energy.

The annual membership fee for On The House is $125 for two. It’s $100 for seniors 62 and older, entertainment industry union members and full-time students carrying a minimum of 12 units. Recently the service inaugurated a corporate membership of $495 to encourage employers to let their office staffs enjoy themselves and give theaters a chance to develop future audiences. The truly great feature is that you can go as often as you like--every night if it suits you--all for the same initial fee.

The live theater alone would be reason enough to join, but there’s more to choose from. Screenings at major motion picture studios are often on the availability list. During the last year you could have seen “GoodFellas,” “Ghost,” “Home Alone,” “Die Hard 2” or “Edward Scissorhands” and, more recently, “Naked Gun 2 1/2.”

Nightclub shows featuring Joe Piscopo, Richard Jenni or Dana Carvey have also been available, as have the pop music concerts of Andy Williams or Julie Andrews or rock or blues shows by the Tower of Power, Charlie Daniels or Ruth Brown.

The classic and dance events are are not overlooked. The Seattle Repertory Company, Moliere’s “The Miser,” the Bolshoi and the Oakland Ballet have also been on the list.

During the last year I (and a guest) have enjoyed three performances of “Love Letters” and an evening with Jackie Mason.

If you had seen only the productions mentioned above--there are 25 to 40 events a week available--the $125 membership would have brought your outlay to $6.40 (for two) for each evening. Now that’s a bargain.

On The House is located at 2918 6th St., Santa Monica, (213) 392-7588

Geri Cook’s Bargains column runs every Thursday in Valley View. Questions about shopping may be sent to her, in care of Valley View, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311. Letters will not be answered individually, but topics of general interest will be discussed in future columns.