NYC Theater Deals! High prices need not apply.

I am a giant theater buff, so I'm starting my blog off with what I call:

Jen's Guide to Hardly Ever Paying Full Price For Theater Tickets.

I work in higher education administration, which as many of you may know, isn't a get quick field. A friend and I (also employed in education) take about 2 trips a year to NYC for 4-5, stay in a hotel, and see as many theater shows as we can possibly cram in. We also get great deals on our hotel and travel, but that's for another post. We're talking theater (or theatre for purists).

I've seen a lot of shows for someone that doesn't live in NYC. My most expensive ticket? $71.50 center orchestra two years ago to see Curtains (in previews with David Hyde Pierce). Keep in mind that top ticket price these days is between $111.50 and $136.50!

You might be saying...but what about almost-always-sold-out shows? Nope, there are ways to save on your budget for those, too. The time of year can also pay an important part in whether or not you get a bargain. I've found the best Broadway deals in Jan-Feb and Sept-Oct.

Of course, there are some options out there that won't work for everyone, but 9 times out of 10, I can find a deal for you.

(1)
Be a student or make friends with one. There are several shows out there that offer a Student Rush option, day of. Sometimes it is when the box office opens; sometimes it is two hours before show. When I say make friends with someone with a student ID is because I've found several student rushes allow the purchase of two extremely discounted tickets per ID.

Now, prepare not to be a seat snob. These seat locations can vary, but no matter where you sit, you're getting a huge bargain. Price per ticket depends on the show, but the most I paid was $41.50 for a ticket to Billy Elliot (worth every dime!). Usually Student ticket prices run in $20-$35 range.

See my RUSH/LOTTO/SRO LIST link for a list of shows currently doing Student Rush.

(2)
Get up early for a General Rush. You need not be a student here. This option isn't available as ofte, but a couple of shows do offer it (Chicago is one). If you are willing to get your butt up and into the city before box office open (usually 10 AM weekdays and Sat, 12 Noon on Sun, but always double check), a bargain can be had! Again, no being a seat snob here, but many general rushes are decent seats. When I saw Chicago a few years ago with the General Rush, I got front row seats. Also check to see if a General Rush is 1 or 2 tickets per ID. Prices vary, but usually in the $20-$35 dollar range.

See my RUSH/LOTTO/SRO LIST link for a list of shows currently doing General Rush.

(3)
Lottos! It is the new craze, I tell ya. No age restrictions, no need to get up for box office open (expect with Shrek). Basically shows that have a lottery set aside a certain amount of tickets (usually in the front row, but location can vary) for each performance. At a set time before show (depends, but often 2 hours before) you can write your name on a slip of paper, ask for 1 or 2 tickets and place it into a drum. Names will then be pulled from said drum and the lucky winners win the opportunity to purchase seats at an extreme discount, usually around $26.50.

As with any lottery, its the luck of the draw. But the nice thing about this is the near-sold-out shows tend to have one, so if you're lucky you could end up with $26.50 ticket to Wicked. I'm not usually the lucky one myself, but I've been with friends that are and since you can get two tickets per name, I've reaped the benefits.

See my RUSH/LOTTO/SRO LIST link for a list of shows currently doing Ticket Lotteries.

(4)
TKTS is your friend! TKTS is run by the Theater Development Fund (awesome group) and maintains three booths: One in Times Square, one in South Street Seaport, and one in Downtown Brooklyn.

The Times Square Booth sells day-of-performance tickets only.
The South Street Seaport Booth sells evening tickets on the day of performance and matinee tickets the day before.
The Downtown Brooklyn Booth sells evening tickets on the day of performance, matinee tickets the day before, and tickets to local Brooklyn performing arts events.

None of these tickets are full price. Most are 50% off, some 20%-40% off. There is a 4.00 per ticket surcharge to cover TKTS running costs, but you get a bargain! Show availablity changes daily and the booth has both Broadway and Off-Broadway show available. There are brightly light boards available listing the shows available that day and at what percentage discount they are being sold.

It is great if you have a few shows in mind or are unsure of what show you want to see. By the booth are some very friendly folks working that can make recommendations or fill in the blanks on the details about a show you're unfamiliar with. I've seen some fantastic stuff based on their recommendations.

Please note that sold-out shows and almost sold out shows are NOT on TKTS.
[March 18, 2009] This includes Wicked, Lion King, In the Heights, Billy Elliot, and Jersey Boys. (I believe West Side Story isn't there as well, but double checking my research before I 100% confirm).

Some hard and fast tips for TKTS.
- There are long lines, especially at the Times Square Booth. But it moves quickly!
- And yes, they do take credit cards now. But have a card or cash in hand and ready when you get to the window.
- Have a back-up in case your first-choice show sells out by the time you get the window. Hell, I say have two back-ups.
- If it isn't on the board, they are NOT selling it. (See above note).
- They usually will tell you seat location before purchase and it can vary. What I said about being a seat snob above? Yep, take that advice with you to the window. But I have gotten some nice seats at TKTS, and some so-so. They will warn you if they are partial seats and if the tickets are not together.
- Curious as to what has been up and at what discount? Try looking at http://www.entertainment-link.com/tkts.asp.

(5)
Online discount codes! They are available for many shows and vary from 20% to close 50% discounts, depending on the time of year. Jan-Feb and Sept-Oct, for example are ripe for good discount codes. This codes can be plugged into Ticketmaster, Telecharge, or the like. And if you want to save the service fees you can print out the code and bring it directly to the box office for purchase. This option is the best for seat snobs as you will be able to see your seat location (and if at the box office, be very selective).

Now where can these codes be found? Well, in various places:
- http://broadwaybox.com [I find them to have the best selection of discount codes]
- http://playbill.com [requires registration, but it's free and easy]
- http://nytix.com [some codes are free, other require membership, but it’s only $4 a month]
- http://theatermania.com [requires registration, but it's free and easy]
- http://hitshowclub.com [requires registration, but it's free and easy, also have some other great tourist discounts]
- http://givenik.com/ [Get a discount and 5% of your purchase goes to your favorite charity]

(6)
Standing room! Wiling to stand for a performance? Well, if so, bargains can be had. This is a great way to see a well-selling show like Jersey Boys or In the Heights at a fraction of the cost of an orchestra seat. Standing room location varies, but it most often at the back of the orchestra, directly behind the last room. You often have a railing to lean on and the advantage of standing means no heads in your way! Standing room only tickets, also noted as SRO, range from $20-$30, and all available when the performance is sold out (or very close to it). Saturday evening/heavy tourist season is a the best time to shows sold enough to open up standing room.

Be warned: some SRO in certain theaters has high railings, which can be a pain if you are petite (the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, for example). Don’t be afraid to ask about height issues when purchasing your SRO tickets.

See my RUSH/LOTTO/SRO LIST link for a list of shows that currently have SRO ticket options.

(7)
Work for a non-profit, be a student or teacher or clergy, or know someone that is! Why you ask? Because all the above qualify to be members of TDF! TDF is the Theater Development Fund, and yep the same folks that run TKTS. TDF is different, however, from TKTS.

TDF has a website: http://www.tdf.org. For a membership fee (if you qualify) of ~$25 per year, you can get opportunities to purchase Broadway, Off-Broadway, and other event tickets at an extreme discount. Most Broadway shows are about $35, Off-Broadway $22-25, but it can vary. Again, seat snobs you cannot be. You will NOT know where you are seating until you pick your tickets at the theater 30 minutes prior to Showtime. (TDF will note in tickets may/are in the balcony mezz of theater with no elevators). There is the same $4 fee per ticket on TDF as there is at TKTS. All orders can only go through tdf.org, and there is not usually a limit (unless stated) on the number of tickets you can purchase.

The selection of shows varies, however, and it can slimmer pickings during heavy NYC tourist season. But TDF is great off peak. I saw Shrek, for example, on TDF for $35. TDF shows appear and disappear all the time, which makes it impossible to plan far in advance. But if you travel from Boston (inspiration for this blog), you can check TDF the week before and see if anything interesting has popped.

Note: Grab tickets when you see 'em for a show you want. TDF ticket quantities can sometimes be very limited.

(8)
Be under 30 (or 35 in some cases). Theater is finally starting to cater to young professionals that don’t make the big bucks.

The Roundabout Theater Company runs a program called HipTix – http://hiptix.org – that offers each member 2 tickets per performance at $21.50. Registration is free, but you need to be under 35. You can purchase tickets over the phone or in person. The Roundabout has 3 theaters, and there show offerings are on the HipTix Website.

The New York Philharmonic offers a three concert package deal (called MyPhil) for those under 35 at $29 per ticket. See http://newyorkphilharmonic.org for details.

Some Off-Broadway Houses have under 35 purchase options. In today’s economic climate, I say it never hurts to ask at the Box Office if it’s Off-Broadway.

(9)
Last, but not least: Don't be a seat snob. Yep, I've been saying it over and over again. But it you're willing to set in the rear mezz or partial view seating, you don't need to fork over $125 a ticket. All shows have a price range, with the last couple of rows usually falling into the more affordable range.

Now, rear mezz seating is actually pretty nice for some theaters, as is partial view. Others, not so much. Ticket websites are getting better at providing virtual views from each seat (Disney has a great set-up on their ticket website), but sometimes it can be difficult to determine.

I’m working on a complete list (as no matter where my seat is, I always check out other views at intermission to file away for future use), so check back. And readers, free feel to chime on certain theater views in you’d like!

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Well, that’s it folks! For now, at least. As always, if you’ve got a bargain I’ve not explored (!), drop me a line at JentheCityGal@gmail.com.