There are ways for kids to take advantage of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway at greatly reduced prices. One option, since 1995, has been the "High 5" program, sponsored by Ticketmaster, Citicorp and the New York Times. The program returns this year, Sept. 28-Jan. 31, 1998.

Here's how "High 5" works:
Junior and senior high school students can go to any Ticketmaster outlet in the five boroughs (and New Jersey) and request tickets to dozens of theatre, music, arts and dance events in the New York area. Tickets must be purchased at least one day in advance (except for museums); just show an valid I.D. or international passport. Tickets are $5 per show on weekends, two shows for $5 Monday-Thursday.

A catalogue of all the "High 5" offerings is available by calling (212) Hi5-TKTS.

Theatre events covered by "High 5" include American Globe Theatre's The Taming Of The Shrew, Blue Coat Rep's Attitude Sickness, Blue Heron's A Tattle Tale (not to be confused with the campy comedy, Tell-Tale), Three-For-All's tricicle, Classic Stage Company's Therese Raquin and Christmas At The Ivanovs, Manhattan Theatre Club's Alligator Tales and Three Days Of Rain, Mint Theatre's Mr. Pim Passes By, The Five Lesbian Brothers' Brides Of The New Moon (at NY Theatre Workshop), Second Stage Theatre's Mad House In Goa, Pan Asian Rep's Shanghai Lil's; and various shows at HERE, Ubu Rep, Jean Cocteau Repertory, the Pearl Theatre Company and Primary Stages, . Also available is a whole roster of events at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, including Robert LePage's Elsinore, Elizabeth Swados' Missionaries, Robert Wilson/Lou Reed's Timerocker, Lookingglass' Arabian Nights, and a UK Antony And Cleopatra.

--By David Lefkowitz