Broadway Shows

Broadway plays are one of my favorite things to do. I have included some information and a few tips on how to buy tickets on a discount. The price of Broadway plays with out a discount are simply crazy. I have found that is you are smart, you can get discounts for most shows. There are some of the new shows that are impossible to get into, but for the most part, these tips work really well.

If Ticket Central is not offering a discount on the Broadway show you want to see, there are other resources available to help you.

Student Rush and SRO Policies

Student rush and standing room only (SRO) tickets are a great way so get a deep discount on Broadway show tickets on the day of the performance you wish to see!
To make tickets more affordable to students and other theatergoers on a budget, many Broadway plays have implemented rush and standing room only (SRO) policies. Anyone willing to get up and get to the ticket office early, spend some time in a line, or stand during the show, can get greatly discounted tickets to most shows on Broadway.

Rush tickets: Rush tickets are usually for students only, so be prepared to flash your NYU ID! In most cases, scoring rush tickets means waiting on line at a specified time at the theatre's ticket office for an opportunity to purchase discount tickets. Beware that usually the line for rush tickets can form much, much earlier than the time that the ticket office puts them on sale. In other cases, the ticket office conducts a lottery in order to determine who will have the opportunity to purchase tickets. You do not need to arrive early to the ticket office in such cases - you just need a little luck.

Standing Room Only tickets: As playbill.com explains, standing room patrons stand in numbered spaces that are the width of a regular seat. They are usually located at the back of the orchestra. SRO tickets are trickier to get because they are only available if the show is sold out. There’s no definite way to predict in advance whether a performance will sell out, without actually calling the ticket office a few hours before curtain time. Shows that sell out often include Hairspray, Mamma Mia, The Lion King, and The Producers. Also, it is likely that any show will sell out very early in its run. Unless otherwise specified, one SRO ticket is sold per person.

List of current student rush and SRO policies at Broadway theatres.

TKTS™ Ticket Booths

Like student rush and standing room only policies, the TKTS™ ticket booths are a resource you can use to purchase discount tickets on the day of the performance you want to see. (There are some exceptions for weekend matinees.)
Established in 1973 for the betterment of theatres and theatre visitors alike, TKTS sells unsold tickets on the day of performance for many Broadway playsfor 25-50% off the
ticket office price plus a $3.00 service charge per ticket.
For example, if the price of a ticket for an orchestra seat to Beauty and the Beast is normally $95.00, the price at the ticket booth might be 50% off - or $47.50 - plus a $3 service charge.
The main TKTS booth is located in Duffy Square, the center island of 47th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue for TKTS. The electronic signs in front display what shows are
available for that day.
The hours for the Times Square TKTS booth are as follows:

Monday to Saturday	for evening tickets	3:00pm to 8:00pm
Wednesday & Saturday	for matinee tickets	10:00am to 2:00pm
Sunday	for matinee and evening tickets	11:00am to 7:30pm

Tip: Get there early! Lines can get long very quickly - especially during good weather and the holiday season!
Satellite location: There is lesser known about TKTS location in Lower Manhattan Theatre Centre at the South Street Seaport (the corner of Front and John Streets, the rear of the Resnick/Prudential Building at 199 Water Street).

The hours for the South Street Seaport booth are as follows:

Monday to Saturday

for matinee and evening tickets

11:00am to 6:00pm*

*You must buy matinee tickets the day before at the Seaport branch. For example, Wednesday matinees are sold Tuesday
(only at this location).
Tip: As both TKTS booths draw from the same pool of tickets, consider using the downtown location which usually draws less if a crowd!
TKTS accepts cash or travelers checks.

Coupon Codes

If you either are unwilling to stand in long lines for tickets, or need more of a 'sure thing' - i.e. advance tickets - there are resources out there that can help.
Both theatermania.com and playbill.com provide its members with coupon codes that can be used to purchase discounted tickets online, over the phone, or at a theatre's box office. Membership to these sites is free!
theatermania.com: TM Insider Club
playbill.com: Playbill Club
For both sites, you can choose to sign up for email newsletters which often include new codes and special offers!
You can also visit www.broadwaybox.com for listings of discount codes distributed by the show producers.
Tip: When using coupon codes, the best bargain is always at the theatre's box office. When purchasing tickets either online or over the phone, service charges usually apply.