Hooray for Broadway: Tips for Getting Tickets
Drama, comedy, dance, music and romance! I found them all on 42nd Street and you can too!
If you love Broadway musicals old and new, along with drama, romance and some comedic repertoire, then the Great White Way is where you know you can enjoy a day or night out in New York City. It may become an adventure navigating and obtaining those coveted Broadway tickets. There are many websites that offer discount codes, but there are other ways to see a show at a reasonable price.
Broadway has implemented what is called Rush (General or Student), Lottery and Standing Room Only (SRO) policies. These tickets are limited to those that are willing to rise early and head to the Box Office of a particular show. Each show has a policy of availability for such offers; therefore, it is best to review the official Broadway show's webpage.
- General Rush tickets are open to the public and are subject to availability.
- Student Rush tickets are available to students and so you must show a valid id from school.
- Lottery is a drawing. You usually must present oneself at the theatre two hours before the show and enter. Drawings may be announced a half hour later or an hour before the show. One must present valid id and cash only.
- Standing Room Only patrons must stand in numbered spaces that are the width of a regular seat. They are usually located at the back of the orchestra. These are generally available when a show is sold out.
All the above are only available the day of the show and purchases are typically cash-only.
See policies related to current shows at BroadwayWorld.com, BroadwaySpotted, and Playbill (Broadway and Off Broadway.)
If you cannot obtain tickets through Rush or Lottery, New York City has TKTS Discounted Booths which sells Broadway tickets up to 50 percent off.
If you do not like to stand on line and would like to purchase tickets to Broadway shows, there are other options such as free membership or websites that offer Broadway discount codes. Here are few:
TheaterMania.com - register for free and receive emails regarding new and upcoming Broadway shows with discount codes. TheaterMania also has a Gold membership with an annual fee.
Playbill.com - registration is free in order to receive discount codes for Broadway shows.
Theatre Development Fund (TDF) is responsible for TKTS Discounted Booth which has a low-fee membership for qualifying theatre enthusiasts. Members may purchase tickets online at a very low price. Some shows offer tickets the day of or days in advance. This is worth joining if one meets eligibility requirements.
AudienceRewards.com - free and allows you to earn bonus points towards free Broadway tickets.
Broadwaybox.com - offers free discount codes for Broadway shows and other events in various cities.
Livingsocial.com - sometimes has discount offers to Broadway shows but you need to register for free.
NYPL has a vast collection of Broadway materials in the Music Division, Theatre Division and in the Theater on Tape and Film Archive all located in the Library for the Performing Arts. The NYPL catalog contains titles of and about Broadway Theater.
Here are a few:
- Showtime: A History of the Broadway Musical Theater by Larry Stempel
- Broadway Theatres: History & Architecture by William Morrison
- Caffe Cino: The Birthplace of Off-off-Broadway by Wendell C. Stone
- Mr. Broadway: The Inside Story of the Shuberts, the Shows, and the Stars by Gerald Schoenfeld
Browse Broadway marquees in the Digital Gallery.
Browse the Billy Rose Theatre Division images in the Digital Gallery.
Do you have any tips for getting tickets you're willing to share? Let us know in the comments.
Read E-Books with SimplyE
With your library card, it's easier than ever to choose from more than 300,000 e-books on SimplyE, The New York Public Library's free e-reader app. Gain access to digital resources for all ages, including e-books, audiobooks, databases, and more.
If you don’t have an NYPL library card, New York State residents can apply for a digital card online or through SimplyE (available on the App Store or Google Play).
Need more help? Read our guide to using SimplyE.
Comments
thank you for the usefull
Submitted by rich (not verified) on June 6, 2012 - 1:52pm
Broadway
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 9, 2012 - 12:40pm
Broadway Tix
Submitted by Sebastian (not verified) on June 28, 2012 - 9:38pm