As my holiday gift to all you loyal readers, I’m going to share my favorite NYC find of 2007: the drama student productions at The Juilliard School. These shows feature the drama program’s third and fourth-year students and are legendary for their amazing acting and high production values. This fall, I’ve seen Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ibsen’s Ghosts, and Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves. They’ve all been terrific — in fact, the production of Joe Turner is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, anywhere.

Tickets are free, but hard to come by as the shows always sell out. Getting tickets is easier if you’re “industry” or know a student there. Shows also have standby lines that fill up early with sharp-elbowed Upper West Side retirees. It’s a hassle, but these productions are well worth the effort.

Photography is probably not allowed, so don’t snap photos like the one you see above taken at House of Blue Leaves after the show.

(Juilliard School, Manhattan)