A philosopher once called theater “the mask of convention over the face of society in the mirror of the unknown reflecting the rear-view of the sports car of destiny.” Simplify this theory with today’s theatrical Groupon: for $8, you get a general-seating ticket to see the Gainesville Community Playhouse perform The Trip to Bountiful at the Vam York Theater on Wednesday, May 18 at 8 p.m. (a $16 value).

One of the oldest community theaters in the state, The Gainesville Community Playhouse has produced crowd-pleasing plays since 1927. In Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful, elderly Carrie sets out to escape the clutches of her cowardly son and his bossy wife by returning to her childhood home. A dedicated cast and crew of local volunteers ably enact Carrie's search for her past. Patrons peep through the fourth wall in the 210-seat Vam York Theater, which boasts facilities to stage the most demanding musicals or Shakespearean space battles.