It was more than 60 years ago that the Drifters sang, “One thin dime won’t even shine your shoes (on Broadway),” and in the decades since, prices on the Great White Way haven’t exactly gone down. If you’re eager to take in some of the great shows running on or Off Broadway this season but need to mind your finances, rest assured it’s not impossible. There are apps, offers, services, and membership programs that can bring the cost down, especially if you’re willing to haul up to Times Square ahead of time. Before you pay full freight plus fees, give one of these approaches a try.
Want to book tickets from your phone? Download TodayTix.
An easy and effective way of finding tickets, discounted or otherwise, is the app TodayTix, which surfaces discounts, lotteries, rushes, and other offers. For some shows, you can select specific seats; in other cases, enter a desired price range and go with “Best Available” to get tickets in a general area.
In Times Square? Go to the TKTS booth.
If you’re making last-minute plans, there’s the ever-reliable TKTS booth (which is now less of a booth than it is a gleaming monument in the middle of the action). Operated by the nonprofit TDF, TKTS offers a variety of same-day or next-day tickets at a discount. For those who understandably don’t want to spend any more time than necessary in Times Square, there’s also a TKTS stand at Lincoln Center,* plus an app that provides real-time intel on ticket availability.
Have flexibility on timing? Enter a lottery.
Do you want to see a show, but if it doesn’t work out, your day won’t be ruined? Sounds like a lottery is right for you. The trick is finding out where to enter, since each show (Broadway or elsewhere) runs its lottery through different platforms. Many use TodayTix or their own Telecharge websites, while Hamilton, being Hamilton, has its own app. Prices also vary according to show — Hamilton, for instance, still has its Ham4Ham guarantee, offering lottery tickets for $10 a pop. Playbill has a comprehensive roundup of deals that is regularly updated.
Up early? Try a rush.
A sibling of the lottery is the rush system, in which theaters release a certain amount of tickets to audiences who either nab them at a certain time online or show up in person at the box office. Once again, how a rush works — and whether there’s an in-person requirement — depends on the show, so consult Playbill’s guide to figure out if rush will do the trick.
Have a specific show in mind? Join its mailing list.
If there’s one show you really want to see, sign up for its email list, and you might get lucky with a discount code.
The service is exactly what it sounds like: You pay a fee (starting at $49) and get tickets to a random show. It can be fun if you’re feeling reckless and/or are fine seeing Chicago for the tenth time.
Buying tickets at the last minute? Hop onto Theatr.
Formerly known as Stooping Theatre, the service Theatr — which you can follow on Instagram or access via its app — is a hotbed of cheap or even free tickets. Getting good deals just requires keeping an eye out and moving fast.
Planning to see shows regularly? Become a patron.
Some theater companies, such as Roundabout or the Manhattan Theatre Club, offer ticket subscriptions, which can guarantee access to productions. If you’re under a certain age, it’s worth checking if they have memberships geared toward young patrons. Roundabout has a Hiptix Gold program for donors ages 18 to 40, wherein a $100 membership fee entitles you to $30 tickets. Anyone under 35 can join MTC’s free 30 Under 35 program, which includes two $30 tickets. Playwrights Horizons has Young and Student Memberships, and Lincoln Center has LincTix for 18-to-35-year-olds.
Meet the requirements? Join TDF
If you’re eligible, you can join TDF for discounted tickets. The criteria isn’t as limiting as you might expect: Groups that can join include students, teachers, people 30 and under, union members, retirees, artists or arts professionals, and even freelancers.
Fine with paying full price? Okay, Moneybags, maybe take a walk.
The easiest way to get tickets is just paying full price — but if you live in New York, hoofing it down (or up) to the theater and buying tickets from the box office will allow you to avoid online ticketing fees. Hey, that’s not nothing!
*This post originally mentioned the South Street Seaport TKTS booth, which is no longer operating. Anyone downtown should start with the TKTS app.
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