…PR! Well, except show business. And as we’re smack dab in the middle of the holidays, here are a few gift suggestions for the theatre lover in our life.

A pair of tickets to a Broadway musical is an excellent gift! You can go with a tried and true musical like Wicked, The Lion King or Billy Elliot, or an upcoming, much buzzed-about show like How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (starring Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe), Catch Me If You Can (based on the popular Hollywood movie) or the classic The Importance of Being Earnest (perhaps the funniest play ever written). Couple that with dinner at a nearby Times Square restaurant (I like Bond 45 or Virgil’s BBQ) and you have a gift experience that will be remembered for years to come.

If you frequent off- and off-off-Broadway plays, an terrific gift is a membership to TDF (Theatre Development Fund), which provides members discounts to theatre and other performing arts productions all year long. At $30, it’s a great gift that keeps giving, as TDF helps small, fledgling theatre companies get started and stay afloat.

Speaking of staying afloat, another gift idea that can make a real difference is a contribution to your favorite non-profit theatre. In tough economic times like these, the arts is often first to be crossed off peoples’ annual giving lists. So even a small contribution can make a huge difference. And it’s a tax write off before we ring in 2011! Some of my favorite companies include Red Bull Theatre, Pearl Theatre Company, and Phoenix Theatre Ensemble (f/d: I’m one of this company’s founders).

Lastly, if you don’t want to give the gift of theatre, but you are a fan and in the NYC area, treat yourself to show. It’s a generations-old tradition that can always benefit from more support.

Happy Holidays!


Mike