Get the Lowest Price on Broadway Tickets
There's nothing quite like seeing a Broadway show. But with standard orchestra seat tickets reaching prices as of May 2010 as steep as $131.25 ($170 with fees), the average theatergoer can quickly grow discouraged at finding bargains. If you know where to look, however, finding the lowest-priced tickets will get you singing and dancing straight to Broadway.
Instructions
Online Discounts
1. Consult theater-oriented websites such as Playybill.com for access to discounts of up to 40 percent off full-priced tickets. Website Broadwaybox.com also collects various Broadway ticket discounts and compiles them into an easily navigable directory.
Other popular, credible discount websites include Thatermania.com and NYTix.com.
2. Decide when you want to see the Broadway show. Usually, discounts and promotions offer cheaper tickets prices for weeknight and weekday matinee shows as opposed to Friday, Saturday and Sunday matinee performances, which typically attract the highest ticket demand, according to Playbill.com.
3. Obtain the discount code usually by entering your email address or following the instructions on the discount website. The code will either be emailed to you, or it will appear on the website.
On whatever website you are using to actually purchase the tickets, enter discount code in the appropriate box before finalizing the order. Without the code, you will be charged full price, and the discount will be no good.
Rush, Lottery and Standing Room Only
4. Compete for rush seats by arrriving at the box office on the day of the show. Sold for as low as $20, rush tickets are usually only available for students. If the demand is high, the tickets will usually be placed in a lottery system. Arrive at the theater before 9 a.m. for the best chance to snag these cheapest seats.
5. Enter a ticket lottery. Select theaters offer a same-day lottery that typically requires you to arrive at a specific time and place a card with your name in a container. Return to the theater for the drawing. If your name is drawn, join a line to purchase up to two tickets. You must have a photo ID and cash for this transaction.
6. Visit the theater for same-day standing-room-only tickets. Sold as numbered spaces typically in the back of the theater's orchestra section, these tickets are usually heavily discounted, but are almost always available only if the show has already sold out.
TKTS Booth
7. Arrive at the TKTS booth--located "'under the red steps In Father Duffy Square" in Times Square, according to the Theater Development Fund website. The booth opens its lines twice a day, once before matinees and once before evening performances.
8. Scan the large electronic board to determine whether the show you wish to see has tickets available at the booth. TKTS sells unsold seats at up to a 50 percent discount (not including service charge) on a day-of basis, including matinees.
9. Consult with the TKTS service agent at the booth to find the best seats for that day's performance, then purchase your tickets at the booth using cash, traveler's checks and credit/debit cards.
