Cursing, nudity, risqué subject matter and sexual innuendo all sound like something that should be in the latest R rated movie. Surprisingly, these are all things I have experienced over the past seven weeks in my Theater Appreciation course. If you thought that theater was not for college students, it’s time to think again.

One of the first things I encountered was the variety of local shows and venues available, I could go to a theater to see a live performance of whatever I felt in the mood for. Tragedy? Comedy? Romance? Musicals? The theater community has it all. And despite what you might think, there was no dressing up to go see a show. As part of a class, the usual attire is jeans and t-shirts.

How much are these shows? While there may be some theaters whose ticket prices are out of the student budget, many can be found for less or equal to the price of the latest movie. Many of the venues I have visited have nights where you pay “what you will.” Shocking, considering many movie theaters charge a minimum of $10!

So if you’re looking for a night out or a date idea, I suggest looking no further than the local theater. Chances are you could get tickets and your favorite snack that won’t break the bank.