By Lauren Sheffer

For most aspiring actors, Manhattan is the ultimate destination. And although Boylston Street is not Broadway, Boston’s theatre district still has a lot to offer students in the city.

However, some students said they think the theatre scene in New York is more well known than Boston’s.

“Theatre around here is pretty vibrant. It’s not as good as New York, but it’s growing and developing,” said Chia Hu, a freshman theatre major.

Freshman psychology major Michelle Dubow, who is taking the class Theatre and Society, said New York’s theatre productions are not necessarily better, but people tend to associate New York City with theatre more than Boston.

“New York is more glamorized and … [people] hear of the more famous names and shows there,” she said.

While Brandon Boxbaum, a freshman political science major who is also taking the course Theatre and Society, said he enjoys glitzy Broadway productions, he said Boston’s smaller theatre scene has some strengths.

“I think theatre here is more evolutionary,” Boxbaum said. “[Script-writers and directors] will go to small theatres and change it over a couple of times.”

He said most of the plays he has seen in Boston, like Anne Deavere’s “Let Me Down Easy,” have generally been more “dark and serious” than the productions he has seen on Broadway.

Nancy Kindelan, head faculty advisor of the Northeastern Theatre Department, likewise said she believes the small scale of Boston’s theatre scene is an asset not a drawback.

“On Broadway, primarily what you’ve seen for many years is commercial theatre, that people see for entertainment,” Kindelan said. “You see a lot of former successes, lots of revivals … Theatre in Boston gives you a different taste of theatre than the traditional entertainment you usually find [and] it gives you an opportunity to see things that aren’t as commercial as New York.”

Kindelan recommended “August: Osage County,” playing at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway, which she said is one of the best shows she has seen in a long time.

Boston and New York used to be more on level playing fields in terms of theatre, she said.

“In Boston, we often saw new plays and musicals prior to their New York City openings. But that is rare now,” Kindelan said. She added that to this day “in Boston, we get touring companies [from Manhattan and other cities].”

She said now most drama students go to New York to pursue an acting career.

“Throughout history, people have gone to New York. I certainly did that as an undergraduate student,” she said. “Unless they’re a triple threat – someone who can dance, act and sing – there’s not a lot of work. What I encourage people to do is find a regional theatre, such as in Chicago or Minneapolis.”

But students who are interested in enjoying theatre should not count out the American Repertory Theatre, located at 64 Brattle St. in Cambridge, and the Huntington Theatre, which is located at 264 Huntington Ave., she said.

The economy may start to have an effect on how many students go to see a show for fun, but some theatre companies are adapting to the hard economic times.

“In a stressful situation like this one, people have less money to spend on theatre, so that [brings some] changes,” Kindelan said. “For instance, I just talked to my friend in Charlotte, NC, and ticket sales [there] are way down.”

Some students said they have not seen a play in Boston and most said the reason was the cost of shows.

Neil Hannah, a middler mechanical engineering major, said tickets for students would have to be in the $30 range for him to afford to go to a show.

“I went [one summer] to see Blue Man Group for $148 for two tickets. It was really expensive,” he said.

Hannah said he would seek out shows like “Wicked” if the tickets were affordable.

But students can take advantage of opportunities at Northeastern to catch productions at a cheaper cost.

“I went to go see ‘Avenue Q’ and it was really good, but it was on a discount,” said Kira Bender, a junior athletic training major, who got the deal through working at the Curry Student Center.

Another way to see shows in Boston at reduced prices is to visit the Bostix booths in Copley Square and Faneuil Hall, which sell theatre tickets at half price the day the show is performed.

The booths open daily at 10 a.m., except Sundays when they open at 11 a.m., but only accept cash, according to Bostix.com.

The website also said that even the most popular shows this time of year in Boston, like “The Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Holiday Pops” and “Black Nativity,” usually cost around $50 at their original price but average $25 at Bostix.