Live Theatre

Upon encountering the American Repertory Theater (ART), one is taken by its quaint surroundings: low-rise brick apartments, a rustic bread shop and streets that are actually conducive to jaywalking. The complex is supported by Harvard University and boasts the attached Experimental Theatre, which is used by Harvard and ART’s Institute for Advanced Theatre Training. In 2003, ART was named by Time as “one of the top 3 theatres in the country,” and in 2004, the group opened the Zero Arrow Theatre, named “Boston’s Best New Theatre (2005)” by the Improper Bostonian. Inside the promising facilities, patrons are invited to sit upon elegant leather benches and eggplant club chairs which rest below impressive pictures of performances past. Slated for this season are productions of Lady Windermere’s Fan, You Can Never Tell, Company, Oliver Twist, and numerous others. ART also offers a student pass, with five tickets for 60 dollars. 64 Brattle St., Cambridge.

The Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) is a four-acre complex, consisting of the Cyclorama rotunda, which holds exhibitions, performances and community events, the Community Music Center of Boston, the Art Connection, three small theatres and a rehearsal studio. Also on the property is the headquarters of Boston Ballet. The BCA has five in-resident companies, creating a diverse arts community and a variety of performance types. Scheduled this season are productions of The Women, Maritius, Little Shop of Horrors, Stuff Happens and Out on the Edge Festival. Numerous other activities are also scheduled, including an experimental music show and an arts auction. More information on these events, plus additional information about the center, can be found online at www.bcaonline.org. 539 Tremont St.

Currently celebrating its 25th year, the Boston Playwright’s Theatre, home to Boston University’s graduate playwriting program, specializes in writing and producing new works. Tucked away on Commonwealth Avenue, the building is a low-key affair, with a no-fuss decoration style that includes caf