By Nancy Fowler, Beacon arts reporter
| When there’s little left after buying groceries and paying bills, seeing a play or buying art or music may seem frivolous. But you can enjoy the arts even on the tightest budget.Ron Riess, a former stay-at-home dad whose children are grown, and his retired Army wife spend about $1,500 a year on the arts. Theater, mostly, about three shows a month.
“It’s a good deal,” Riess (right) said. But for Riess, it’s much more than a bargain. While some theater-goers would rather see a more polished show later in the run, Reiss actually prefers preview nights. The tension of a less-rehearsed performance is what keeps Riess on the edge of his seat. In fact, what he really relishes are inexpensive college or even high-school performances. He and his wife have a particular fondness for their neighboring Saint Louis University productions, which also have a $10 price tag. “I don’t really enjoy watching perfection; I’m much more intrigued by imperfection and the possibility of mistakes and the recovery from that rather than somebody doing something perfectly,” Riess said.
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One way they keep costs down is knowing which venues offer regular discounts and when. The Riess’ like to take advantage of HotCity’s $15 Thursday night previews — $10 cheaper than seats for the remaining productions.
