Most of the time, when tourists tell me how much they’ve paid for Broadway tickets, I cringe. Yes, sometimes, you have to shell out the big bucks if you only have a few days in town and want to see shows that are usually sold out. But if you plan ahead, you can pay a lot less by checking out just a few resources.
For those who are new to Broadway, it’s useful to know that for the first month, a show is in what’s called “previews.” During this time, they see how the show plays to audiences and tweak the script, songs, choreography, etc. During the last week or so of previews, the show is usually “set.”
Then, it has its formal opening night, reviews come out, and it hopefully plays for a long time after. Sometimes, tickets are cheaper during the preview period. I often see shows before opening night, and I’ve never been disappointed, so don’t hesitate to go during this period.
Here are some tips you can use for most shows:
1. The further in advance you can buy your tickets, the better. Don’t wait until you get to New York unless you’re willing to take your chances with Rush or Lottery tickets (more on those in a minute).
2. Don’t use your hotel’s concierge for tickets unless you’re trying to see a show that’s usually sold out. You’ll nearly always pay more than necessary if you get your tickets this way. (No offense to any hard-working concierge, but these are not discounted!)
3. First, check these four websites for discounts:
BroadwayBox.com (this site also has a phone app)
Goldstar.com (this site also has a phone app)
There are other sites like Broadway.com, Broadway.org, SeatGeek, and StubHub, but I haven’t found much in the way of true discounts on any of them.
4. If you come to New York often, it’s worth it to join the Theatre Development Fund for $34 a year, if you’re eligible. You’ll qualify if you’re a recent grad (26 years old or younger), a retiree, a member of the armed forces, a freelancer, or a full-time union member, student, teacher, civil service employee, member of the clergy, staff member of a not-for-profit organization, or arts professional. Every day, TDF offers discounts for Broadway, other theater, music, and dance.
5. If you aren’t eligible for TDF, but you live in/near NYC or travel to the city often, you can join Theatermania’s Gold Club for $79.99 per year/$9.99 per month or Club Free Time for a small fee to try it for a month. You won’t find a lot of Broadway shows on these two, but there are discounts and freebies for other types of shows (with the occasional Broadway show – usually one that isn’t selling well otherwise).
6. What about the famous TKTS line (also run by the Theatre Development Fund) at Times Square? It’s still a good option if you’re deciding on a show at the last minute, and they now take credit cards at the booths at Times Square and Lincoln Center. But it’s no longer the option for the best discounts. The average half-price ticket is at least $75. That may or may not be an orchestra seat, and many of the shows are not discounted as much as 50%. You can check the list online or using the TKTS phone app. It changes daily.
7. If you’re willing to gamble, you can try for Rush or standing room tickets. Rush and standing room seats are offered the same day as the show, usually at the time the box office opens (9am or 10am). If it’s a popular show, you’ll need to get in line a couple of hours before the box office opening time, or you’ll be out of luck because they only sell a few of these tickets. Rush is also sometimes sold on the TodayTix app (more on that in a moment) and on Telecharge.
Every show has its own policies, so you have to check. Playbill is a good resource. If you have a large party, this won’t work for you because you’re usually restricted to one or two tickets. Rush tickets offer you an actual seat (sometimes restricted view), while standing room means you’ll be given a specific spot to stand during the show.
8. Lotteries are exactly how they sound – your name is put in a “hat” and chosen or not for 1-2 tickets. For popular shows, it can be exceedingly difficult to win a lottery. For some shows, you have to appear at the theater at a certain time to add your name, but these days, almost all lotteries are held online. This makes them harder to win. If you enter online, you can put your name in the running for more than one show, but as soon as you win, your name is cancelled on the others. There are two sites running lotteries: Telecharge and LuckySeat.com. Note that lottery and rush policies are not usually announced until a show begins previews.
9. Today Tix is an app that you can download on your phone. It offers some discounts and allows you to enter several lotteries, as well as purchase rush tickets. It’s often a good option, but if a show is popular, you will need to try to grab a rush seat as soon as they start selling them (like the MINUTE they start selling them).
10. Again, if you’ve moved to or near NYC, or if you visit often, it’s worth it to join Audience Rewards. It’s free to join. Then, every time you buy tickets for most shows, you collect points. You can also get more points for answering trivia questions on the site. Once you have enough points, you can use them for discounts on tickets. You can’t choose your seat, but you’re usually given a good orchestra seat or one in the front mezzanine. The problem for tourists is that the tickets are only available for a certain number of dates. As a local, though, it’s sometimes a great option, although the savings have gone down considerably since Covid.
11. While it can be pricey, another way to see some of your favorite Broadway stars is at the cabaret venue, 54 Below. Big names regularly perform here. Plus, it’s a small room, so you can get much closer than in a Broadway house. You pay a cover charge that varies from show to show in addition to a $25 food/drink minimum.
12. Don’t forget that there’s more to New York theater than Broadway. Off-Broadway often has terrific shows. There are several Off-Broadway companies and theaters that consistently produce excellent plays and musicals, frequently with big names in the cast. In a long list that isn’t at all exhaustive, my recommendations include:
Second Stage (“Dear Evan Hansen” originated here)
The Public Theater (this is where “Hamilton” and “Hair” began, among others)
York Theatre Company (this company only produces musicals)
There are also numerous music venues and off-off-Broadway theaters in New York. The quality varies, but often, they’re quite good.
The bottom line is: Do your research before paying $150 or more for a Broadway ticket. In many cases, it isn’t necessary to spend that much. I rarely spend more than $75, even for orchestra seats. Yes, I have the luxury of living in New York and choosing from a multitude of dates. Nevertheless, you can get better deals if you only take the time to look!
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association and the International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 39 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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