In any given week in The Villages, residents can go dancing on the square, see a piano duet and play bingo or trivia, all for free. And they can expect to pay an affordable price when they buy a ticket. Here in The Villages, entertainment venues continue to offer affordable options to put patrons in seats. The Villages Entertainment strives to be below industry rates whenever possible, so patrons can enjoy quality entertainment for the best value, said Brian Russo, executive director of entertainment. As a result, patrons can expect to pay an average of about $35 for a show at Savannah Center. That’s in addition to free live music every evening at Spanish Springs, Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood Squares. Old Mill Playhouse brought back $5 Movie Mondays in August, which has been very well-received, according to Spencer Novak, executive director of hospitality. But it’s more than just a movie theater.

During the pandemic, Old Mill Playhouse also began offering a slew of free options in the theater lobby including trivia, “boozy” bingo and Blazing Pianos.

And patrons can catch stand-up comedy shows there every Monday through Wednesday for $15, plus the price of two items off Lazy Mac’s food and drink menu.

“We do (keep affordability in mind) and we feel we are reasonably priced when compared to other markets,” Novak said. “We have done a lot of research and price comparisons.”

Staff at The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center, including booking coordinator Elizabeth Constant, also keep affordability in mind.

Unlike most other venues in Florida, which are not-for-profit and can depend on grants and donors for income to support the venue, The Sharon’s income comes from ticket sales, Constant said.

“Even with that limitation, we closely keep the phrase, ‘live like a millionaire on a retiree’s budget’ in mind,” she said. “We try and book the highest quality act we can without breaking the bank.”

When prices are on the higher end, it’s because the artist’s fee demands it, Constant said.

“We work around that by working closely with artists’ agencies and making the most responsible deal for our ticket buyers,” she said.

Patrons can find ticket options for under $50 this season like the National Geographic Speaker Series, and many shows in the International Series.

In 2020, while consumer spending on digital home entertainment rose, spending on out-of-home entertainment such as theater, opera and concerts experienced a sharp drop as a result of COVID-19, according to Statista.

One reason might be an investment in technology to recreate a concert or theater experience at home, according to Nathan Line, associate professor at Florida State University’s Dedman College of Hospitality.  Another reason might be the push the pandemic gave consumers to learn that technology.

“People have invested in technology and home improvements to get content, and they’ve invested in learning to be able to do those things. Ideally, they would do these things in person, but because they can’t right now, they’ve learned to do them in other ways,” he said.

And seeing a live concert or play has its value, Line said.

“When it comes to the pandemic, people appreciate the opportunity to see concerts and plays via Facebook Live or on TV, but it’s not necessarily going to be a long-term shift in preference, and when it becomes safe to do so, we will come back to concerts and plays, because there is still demand to see them live,” he said. “Seeing them on screen at home is not the same as seeing them live.”

Staff writer Liz Coughlin can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5304, or liz.coughlin@thevillagesmedia.com.