Theaters: Santiago Chile

The best thing about vast, diverse cities like Santiago is that there’s something for everyone.  Foodies can delight in the array of restaurants on offer, fitness buffs have their fair share of breathtaking vistas to enjoy atop the myriad hikeable hills. And if theater is your thing, then you’re in luck as well.  Santiago has a variety of theater offerings. Several venues serve up musical and theatrical performances on a weekly or even daily basis.

Perhaps the most famed theater structure in Santiago is Teatro Municipal, which is a stage theater and opera house located in the center at Agustinas 794 (most easily accessed by the Santa Lucia metro stop on the red line). This theater is rich in history–it was commissioned by then-president Manuel Montt in 1853, destroyed first by an earthquake and later by a fire in the early 1900s, and reconstructed with a smaller but more elaborate and detailed architectural design.  Today, the theater offers primarily musical showings, such as ballet, opera, and orchestra, but there are also staged theater performances from time to time.  Some shows are paid and others are free, and students and senior citizens recieve a discount. Show times can be found at http://www.municipal.cl/.

For other types of theatrical art, you should look to the theater groups throughout the city.  There are several prominent acting troupes in Santiago that stage performances in a variety of venues.  Some places are known for hosting these types of shows.  For example, the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center, located at Av Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 227 (Universidad Catolica Metro stop on the red line) is home to a distinctive array of musical, theatrical, and other theatrical expositions throughout the month.  Different groups will occupy the theater spaces for a month or two at a time, and tickets generally run between 5.000 and 10.000 CLP.  You can check show availability and buy tickets online at www.gam.cl.

There are also smaller, private theaters that host rotating performances, such as Lastarria 90 (also located near Metro Universidad Catolica, at José Victorino Lastarria 90) and Centro Mori, which has various locations around the city (more information on the locations can be found at http://www.centromori.cl/). Both of these theaters have “resident” groups that offer shows but also host traveling troupes.  Theater buffs can also check out the offerings at universities around the city–the student theater departments at both Universidad Catolica and Universidad de Chile have solid reputations.

When choosing a theater performance, keep in mind that the vast majority will be in Spanish.  As such, if you don’t speak the language, it’s advisable to take in a musical performance instead.  Always try to buy your tickets ahead of time via internet or telephone, and make sure to ask about student and senior citizen discounts.  Also, keep in mind that the local newspapers El Mercurio and La Tercera both have relatively extensive listings of cultural activities around the city, which will include current theater offerings.