Tues. Nov. 17

We don't if the American Repertory Theater is taking a tip from LiveNation - with its wacky Wednesday one-day sales - or it's just giving Boston theatre-goers a break for the heck of it. But on Tuesday Nov. 17, the A.R.T. is selling $25 tickets for early performances of three upcoming productions of the current season — "Best of Both Worlds" (November 21-January 3): "Gatz" (January 7 — February 7); and "Paradise Lost" (February 27 — March 20). All productions are presented at the Loeb Drama Center in Harvard Square. Tickets for all seats can be purchased online from 9 a.m. to midnight at www.americanrepertorytheater.org. Punch in the promo code - is it a world of promo codes or what? - ONEDAY and you're in the cheap tix loop. Hit "read more" for descriptions of the plays ...

"Best of Both Worlds" is written by Randy Weiner, music by Diedre Murray, and directed by A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus. Bursting with the sounds of R&B and gospel, "Best of Both Worlds" is a soulful re-envisioning of "The Winter’s Tale," Shakespeare’s timeless story of heartbreak and redemption. Hey, if the A.R.T. can collaborate with PunchDrunk for "Sleep No More" - spooky Shakespeare in an old schoolhouse, it can pull this off."Best of Both Worlds" takes us on a journey through the rich musical tapestry of R&B, rediscovering Shakespeare’s characters with smooth sounds and funky beats. When jealousy rips apart love and friendship, only the revelatory power of gospel can restore the enduring bonds of faith, family, and forgiveness. Theproduction will feature a rotating roster of Greater Boston’s most celebrated gospel choirs, including community,university, and church choirs. We're not sure what relationship the bard had to gospel and funk, but we're guessing he's pretty used to being re-invented at this point.

"Gatz," by Elevator Repair Service and directed by John Collins, is  brilliant stage adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s "The Great Gatsby." One morning in the low-rent office of a mysterious small business, an employee finds a copy of "The Great Gatsby" in the clutter of his desk. He starts to read it out loud, and doesn’t stop. At first his co-workers hardly notice. But after a series of strange coincidences, it’s no longer clear whether he‘s reading the book or the book is doing something to him and his colleagues. An audacious theatrical tour de force performed in two parts, Gatz is not a stage adaptation of Fitzgerald’s novel, but a reading of the entire book — brilliantly brought to life by one of New York’s most exciting and acclaimed theater companies, Elevator Repair Service.

"Paradise Lost", written by one of the greatest twentieth-century playwrights, Clifford Odets, is directed by Daniel Fish. As the Great Depression takes hold, the American economy is on the edge of catastrophe and futures are at risk. Really, though, who can relate to that anymore!? The Gordon family, losing all they have worked for, strive to preserve their trust in each other and in the promise of their nation. Paradise Lost is a poetic, humane, and distinctly American drama that examines the impact of money and greed on family, business, and love. Odets considered Paradise Lostto be the favorite of his plays. Three-quarters of a century later, Americans are still wrestling the demons of nihilism and idealism, charity and greed, self-interest and compassion. Visionary director Daniel Fish creates a bold new production of this powerful play that grabs hold of the American dream and asks if our optimism is a force for good or merely a delusion, a means of survival or one of escape.

All plays at ...

64 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300 www.amrep.org