How to Get Discounted Broadway Tickets
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“You’re in the moment and totally present” sings James Corden in this year’s Tony opening number. He is of course describing the experience of being at the theater. I couldn’t agree more. Even walking on the streets of foreign countries doesn’t take me away as much as an entertaining or emotional show. Attending a Broadway show should be on everyone’s NYC itinerary.
In my years in NYC I learned a lot about life, love and the pursuit of happiness. But for this post lets stick to the tricks I learned about how to get discounted Broadway tickets. As a new teacher I couldn’t afford the $200+ orchestra level tickets sold on the main Broadway website. That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen a lot of shows. Stick with me and let me tell you my secrets to finding cheap Broadway tickets.
Audience Rewards
If you live in NYC or plan on seeing a lot of shows, the first thing you should do before buying any Broadway theater tickets is sign up for the free audience rewards program. With this program you are able to earn points on purchased tickets and use points to buy tickets. Anytime you buy tickets online through ticket services like Ticketmaster or Telecharge put your audience rewards number in to earn points. If you forget, there is a place in your account to request missing points.
Many of the options I describe below don’t allow you to use your audience rewards number. It takes awhile to earn points through audience rewards, so always go with the cheapest ticket buying choice and try to request missing points afterwards. You will need your order number to do that.
Playbill
Playbill.com is a site to buy Broadway tickets at discounted prices. This site is especially useful if you have your heart set on a particular show and want to buy tickets ahead of time. Not all Broadway shows have discounted tickets, but there is a good list of shows available with discounts. On the show page they give an offer and then discount codes to receive that offer online, by phone or in person.
Schooltix
Schooltix.com is a school theater program with select tickets at discounted rates. You don’t need to be affiliated with a school to use the discounts.
TodayTix
TodayTix is an app you download on your phone. The easy to use app allows you to buy broadway tickets at discounted rates. Usually you receive 20% – 50% off of tickets. Sometimes they have special additional discounts. I purchased Mean Girls tickets during a no fee special. That means on top of the already discounted price the usual $12.50 a ticket taxes and fees were waived.
Tickets are typically not available more than a month or two in advance. The best prices usually can be found 3 – 6 weeks ahead of time. TodayTix also offers digital rush tickets and lotteries. Read more about Broadway lottery tickets below.
TDF (Theater Development Fund)
TDF is a non-profit organization that aims to bring the joy of the performing arts to everyone. For a yearly fee of $35 you can become a TDF member. As a member you receive theater tickets priced between $11 – $49. Not all shows are available with the program though. You also need to be eligible to become a member. Students, teachers, retirees, civil servants and freelancers are among the list of people that qualify. Check the full list and sign up online.
TKTS Discount Ticket Booths
TDF is also responsible for the TKTS booths. The TKTS discount booths are the best way to get next day or same day Broadway tickets. You don’t need to be a TDF member to buy tickets at the booths. This is my most common way of buying cheap Broadway tickets. I always went to the Brooklyn location and rarely had a line. Unfortunately that one is no longer open. Now there are three locations in Manhattan, one in Times square, another in the South Street Seaport, and the last one in Lincoln Center. Check the TKTS locations and hours. You can also see what is currently available at the booths online. Discounts usually range between 20 – 50% off the original ticket price.
Whenever I get day of or next day Broadway tickets I’m always able to find good orchestra levels seats. The newest or most popular shows like Hamilton usually aren’t available, but there has always been tickets to one of my top choice shows available.
Theater Discount Programs
If you meet certain requirements, usually your age, you can get memberships to individual theaters. With these memberships you get cheap tickets to all the shows at that theater. The sooner you buy these tickets, the better. You have a greater chance of getting closer seating and the tickets not selling out if you order tickets as they go on sale.
HipTix – Roundabout Theater Company
If you are 18 – 40 years old you can join the free HipTix program. Once you are a member you get $30 tickets to all the shows at the Roundabout Theater Company. You are able to buy two tickets at the same price, regardless of the 2nd ticket holder’s age. With the HipTix program I bought $25 tickets to Holiday Inn.
LincTix – Lincoln Center Theater
To qualify for the free LincTix program you need to be between 21 – 35 years old. You can buy one $35 ticket to any production at the Lincoln Center Theater. With my LincTix membership I got front row tickets to My Fair Lady for $35!
30 Under 35 – Manhattan Theater Club
As the name suggests if you are under 35 you can get two $30 tickets to the Manhattan Theater Club.
Broadway Lotteries
Lotteries are one of of my favorite ways to get discount Broadway tickets. I usually get the cheapest tickets through lotteries. Remember, it is a lottery, so tickets aren’t guaranteed. This method is best if you live in the city or are trying to see an extra show on your visit to NYC. You don’t want to rely on it, because you might not win and only find out the day before or the day of. Before getting too discouraged, know that I have won tickets to several shows this way.
This won’t be too surprising, but you are more likely to win tickets to Broadway shows that are during the week and less popular. I have been trying to win Hamilton tickets for years. Seriously I have entered 100s of times in both NYC and Chicago. On the other hand I won lottery tickets to Cirque du Soleil Paramour, Groundhog Day and Present Laughter on the first try!
How Do Broadway Lotteries work?
- Typically you enter on-line (see some sites below).
- Usually you are notified by email and/or text the day before or day of with your results (if you won tickets or not).
- Then you have a certain amount of time to purchase the tickets.
- You only pay for the tickets if you win and want them. Costs range between $10 – $50 a ticket.
- Show up at the theater, give a confirmation code & ID to pick up your tickets and than enjoy the show a little extra knowing you saved a lot of money.
- Repeat the process with a new show or if you didn’t win, try again!
Lucky Seat
Lucky Seat is an online lottery site that I use often. The only way to buy tickets on LuckySeat is if you win a lottery that you entered usually the day before or within the previous week. They have ticket lotteries to other big cities as well.
TodayTix
TodayTix, the app I described above, often has some lotteries too. You can set a filter to search for lotteries and set notifications to enter them as they are available. Several of my winning tickets have come from TodayTix. This can also be used in other metropolitan areas.
Broadway Websites
Each Broadway show has their own website and they often do their own daily lotteries. I have also won lottery tickets using this method.
In-Person Lotteries & Rush Tickets
To win the in-person lotteries and rush tickets you usually need to show up at a theater early in the morning to enter. You may need to wait in line. Since I am not a morning person I have never gotten tickets this way.
ID NYC Entertainment Discounts
If you are a resident of NYC you can apply for a free ID NYC card. This card is seriously the best thing ever. Within the coming weeks I will be writing a full post about the wonders of this card. One of the benefits is discounts at a few theaters and performance centers in the city. For example with the card you receive 20% off tickets to evening productions at the New Victory Theater on 42nd street.
Broadway Roulette
Broadway Roulette is one of the newer ways to get cheap Broadway tickets. Tickets cost $58 – 68 with fees. The catch is you won’t know what show you are seeing! You can choose between plays and musicals or musicals only. In addition you can set a family preference and eliminate four or five shows. You can pay $10 extra to eliminate two more shows.
I haven’t tried this yet. The idea sounds great if you haven’t seen many shows, but with the amount I have seen I might end up getting tickets to one I have already seen before. If you haven’t seen many shows in NYC and are open to what you see definitely give this a shot! Let me know in the comments below how it goes.
Activity & Travel Booking Sites
All the ways to buy Broadway tickets in NYC above are specific theater ticket sites or NYC companies. You can also find affordable Broadway tickets through booking sites like TripAdvisor and GetYourGuide. Both sites are easy and reliable to use. You don’t need to download any apps, sign up for or become a member, or wait in line anywhere. The discounts might not be quite as high, but the sites are handy if you want to get tickets quickly and ahead of time.
Everyone says visiting or living in New York City is expensive. It doesn’t have to be if you know how to find the deals! Now that you know how to get discounted Broadway tickets, which shows are you looking forward to seeing?
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16 Comments
Linda (LD Holland)
We love to see live theatre when we visit NYC. And hate to pay full price for tickets. So I eagerly looked at this blog post. We have always used TKTS when we visit. But I never knew there were so many different options. Many of these probably only work well if you live in the city and can go on short notice. But there are some new ones we may look at on a next visit. Broadway Roulette sounds like a fun way to maybe take you out of your comfort zone and maybe see something you may not have booked. Will keep this for future reference.
admin
Seeing live theatre is one of my favorite things to do in NYC too! The best choices if you don’t live in the city and want to buy tickets to a specific show ahead of time are buying through playbill.com, TodayTix, schooltix.com and the booking sits.
Erica
Thank you for providing such an informative post! I’ve been to NYC three times and have used TKTS and TodayTix (both are available in London as well, which is very helpful for theater lovers who travel to London), but I hadn’t heard of the other options you listed. I’ll be making a note of them for the next time I go to NYC. It is ridiculous how expensive some tickets can be, so having the option to save some money is quite attractive. The Broadway Roulette sounds like so much fun! I love the idea of going to a show I never would have chosen for myself and then falling in love with it. Thanks again for the great post!
admin
TKTS and TodayTix are probably my favorite ways to get discount Broadway tickets. I usually only use the other ways if I want tickets to a specific show and want to buy them ahead of time. I enter lotteries all the time too, because you never know!
Debjani lahiri
Broadway theatre is one of the must things to do when in New York. And those are some of the practical tips that you jotted down in order to get cheaper deals. I will forward this to my friends up there who are interested in Theatre.
Krzysztof Lab
Audience Rewards sounds interesting because I am probably not the only one who loves show in NYC! The other options are also nice (playbill, todaytix). Schooltix seems to be for younger people, I believe. And I don’t think I qualify for TDF – what a pity. So I will try my luck with TKTS. However, the most exciting idea is probably Broadway Roulette – I like surprises 😉
admin
If you like surprises and haven’t seen too many shows yet, Broadway Roulette would be a fun option!
Laura Axtman
I cannot wait for the day to watch a show On Broadway! I am keeping your post handy for when I am ready to take a trip to the Big Apple! Your tips and tricks will be so helpful because I am unfamiliar with how purchasing tickets work for the shows and I love saving money where I am able.
admin
Broadway shows are fantastic, hope you get to see one soon!
Dada
Wow so many great tips of how to get on hold to cheaper Broadway tickets! I have been to NY once and wanted to see a Broadway show but it was way to expensinve! If you only had done this helpful post earlier! I am sure I am returning back to NY and this time I will take some of your tips and use them wisely so I will be able to see one of the Broadway show…or even two!
admin
If you buy Broadway tickets direct from the Broadway website or show websites they are very expensive! Hopefully you can find some cheaper seats next time using one of these tips!
Amrita
You seem to be a theatre lover just like me. I have heard so much about Broadway and it is my wish to see a performance there once in my lifetime. But I happen to stay in the other part of the world. Well, there are so many ways to get discounted tickets for Broadway. This is surely going to help all the musical and play lovers.
admin
If you are a theatre lover you need to make it to NYC once in your life! It’s the best place in the world for theatre…in my opinion of course 🙂
Paul Healy
I always try to catch something on Broadway when I’m in New York. I knew about a few of these ways to get good tickets but not all of them. Definitely like to give Broadway Roulette a try, that sounds like fun.
daniel
Great list!!! Things never change in NYC, I have been to New York city a few years ago, and it really is amazing with so many different activities to do. I haven’t been to the LincTix – Lincoln Center Theater while I was there, but my paid full ticket wasn’t nearly as $35. Great to see that you got it at a great price. I would definitely consider doing more things if I travel there again. Thanks.
admin
You can go to Lincoln Center Theater without being a member of the LincTix program. But if you are within the age range it is definitely beneficial to become a member of the program.