Need something different to do on a Saturday night? The Hippodrome State Theatre is the whole package.
A stately building located downtown near the Sun Center, its imposing limestone columns harbor an art gallery, movie theater and stage for plays and musicals.
Lest you think the Hipp is just your average theater, it is actually listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Before it was a theater, it was a turn-of-the-century federal building that housed a post office and a courthouse.
The building still maintains a lot of its original architecture from that era.
In 1972, six artists created the Hippodrome and they eventually settled on their current venue in 1979.
Along the way, the Hippodrome has premiered many original works, including Tennessee Williams' "Tiger Tail" in 1979 and "College: The Musical" this past summer.
The 266-seat theatre, located on the second floor, contains a thrust stage, where professional performers are surrounded on three sides by the audience.
And there is no shortage of variety. This upcoming year features award-winning musicals and plays such as "Gutenberg! The Musical!," "Woman in Black," "Tick, Tick-Boom!," "Eurydice" and "Shipwrecked!"
Tickets to see the main stage productions are $25 to $30, depending on the date, but students can get in for $12 with a UF ID, making the price of high-quality live entertainment on par with a night at the movies.
But if movies are your preference, the Hipp offers its own brand of cinema, showing avant-garde, limited-release and foreign films. Plus, the regular price of admission is only $7. On Tuesdays and Sundays, students with ID can get in for only $5.
On top of offering a new film each week, the Hippodrome Cinema also holds film festivals that cater to specific interests.
If the off-beat cinema is not enough of an attraction, there is also a bar right outside of its movie theater.
In addition, the Hippodrome cinema will soon be offering a late movie special. If patrons come to purchase their movie tickets early, they receive coupons that can be presented to local businesses in exchange for discounts.
So whether you are looking for a good deal at the movies or want to take in a theatrical performance, the Hippodrome has something for everyone without sacrificing quality or innovation.
