How to save on Broadway??

[cheap traveler]

I live in NY, about 2.5 hours from NYC. I have been to 1 Broadway show, roughly 16 years ago

I would really like to go see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I would probably be going alone, my kids are too young to see it and my friends have various reasons they can't go (job loss, new baby, works weekends...)

The problem arises when I price out the tickets. $172 for just me!!
That still doesn't even get me there (train ticket + taxi), or possibly get me something small to eat since it will be most of the day.

Does anyone know of a way to save some money on tickets? I don't really want to sit in the attic of the theater watching tiny dots on stage , and I probably wouldn't get to see any other shows, except maybe one of the Disney shows with the kids if there is some sort of package deal available.

TIA!!

 

[coastermom]

I live in NY, about 2.5 hours from NYC. I have been to 1 Broadway show, roughly 16 years ago

I would really like to go see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. I would probably be going alone, my kids are too young to see it and my friends have various reasons they can't go (job loss, new baby, works weekends...)

The problem arises when I price out the tickets. $172 for just me!!
That still doesn't even get me there (train ticket + taxi), or possibly get me something small to eat since it will be most of the day.

Does anyone know of a way to save some money on tickets? I don't really want to sit in the attic of the theater watching tiny dots on stage , and I probably wouldn't get to see any other shows, except maybe one of the Disney shows with the kids if there is some sort of package deal available.

TIA!!

It is a craps shoot but try TKTS the day you want to see the show . It is not always the same shows though but they are cheaper seats . The TKTS booth is in Times Square and I really cant tell if you will not see little dots as I think they are left over seats that did not sell . It is the only cheaper way I know of unless you use google to see if you can get something cheaper that way .. Also try StubHub.com sometimes the day of Yankee Games you can get cheaper seats maybe it works for broadway too ??

Good Luck !!

 

[Fyrefly]

If you sign up on Playbill.com you can see discounted tickets. I got the discounts I ended up using for Hairspray on broadwaybox.com.

There is a deep discount ticket booth in NYC proper, but you have to get there early, wait in a long line, and there is no guarantee that you will find good seats, or even the show you want. It's more of an option if you don't have a specific show you want to see but feel like seeing something that day.

A word of warning regarding the Disney shows - if you want The Lion King, either be prepared to cough up a LOT of $$$, or don't be surprised when you can't afford to go. I want to go badly and I still can't afford it and it's been out what, 15 years? It sells out nearly every night and a lot of websites resell the tickets at marked up prices. So just Be Prepared for sticker shock there.

 

[cmjaffe]

Especially for the show you want to see... you just have to allow a bit of time though... How to Succeed offers rush tickets... you get to the theater a couple of hours before the box office opens... and wait in line. When they open they have a limited number of seats available for $30 for that day's show. The tickets they have are what's called "obstructed view" but are just on the side and really aren't bad at all (especially for the savings). You get the tickets earlier than at TKTS and have the rest of the morning (if going to a matinee) or day (if going to evening show) to enjoy the city. Our family wanted to see Book of Mormon (FANTASTIC) and they offer standing room tickets for $30 (only 27 spots.. have to get to theater VERY early (some get there 7AM with seats to camp out) as well as lottery ($32 for 22 seats in front row and side box -- a real crap shoot), A couple of weeks ago we went to city (we're 2 hrs away by train) and saw long line for standing room (which was for afternoon and PM) so we decided to go to try for RUSH tickets to Spiderman ($30). Got there and waited a bit till box office opened at 10AM. Got tickets for matinee for the 3 of us that were considered obstructed first seats off center aisle of left -- last row in orchestra. All we missed was when Spiderman flew way out on mezanine... didn't miss anything in story. The next day we drove in from NJ and DS went on line for Book of Mormon standing room (got there at 8:30AM) and there was a really long line but he really wanted to see it. We got free street parking on 9th Ave and stayed in line with him for a bit (Box office didn't open until noon and standing room is decided one hour before curtain (I think -- lottery's drawn 2 hrs prior). Libby wanted to see How To Succeed or Billy Ellliot (both across the street from each other) so the kids walk over wait a Billy Elliot for a bit (nobody there) and then go on line for How To Succeed -- a fair size line... they get seats in orchestra -- probably the same as what you'd get at TKTS a a much cheaper price (not bad from seeing theater map and knowing price of $30 vs $130+)
and they come back to me waiting on standing room line. At noon we enter our 3 names for the lottery -- take our chances... there are well over 150 people entered for 11 drawings of seats... not looking good at all ... and then BOOM -- Alex "wins" 2 seats for $32... wooo hoo...people are asking him who he'll take since we had HTIB tickets... but before we have time to decide -- the unthinkable happens they pulled MY NAME.... HUUH... we become "hated" by everyone.... 2 in a row... we had made friends with others on the waiting line and sold the HTSIB tickets at face value.. but we have the dilema -- we have ONE extra front row seat... sell to a student waiting behind us in line who was leaving the next day to go home w/Mom.. They had missed out by 2 people the day before waiting on standing room. Found out later that if we had stayed in standing room line we would have missed out by one person.

PM me if you need additional info. I've also found places to park for 12 hrs for $14 tax inc. nearby.
We've done RUSH tickets before and it works out very well.
If you can wait until later in Summer you might not have to wait as long in lines.

Going to the theater is fun but a MAJOR $$ especially if you're looking at 2-3 tickets. Rush and standing room is the way to stretch your $$ and still get the great experience.
Have fun.
Carolyn

 

[jiminy14]

My DD got rush tickets for How to Succeed in Business about a month ago for $30. She got there about two hours before the box office opened and got a seat in one of the boxes on the side wall. She said the view wasn't really obstructed but she was looking at the stage from the side. Your best bet for rush tickets is on a weekday rather than a weekend. Keep in mind that How to Succeed has been dark the last few days because Daniel Radcliffe has been attending the premieres of Harry Potter.
The Book of Mormon is currently the hottest ticket. Regular priced tickets are not available until January and TKTS does not carry them. My DD has tried several times to get tickets through the lottery but there have been a hundred or more people trying to get 22 tickets. Each person is allowed to buy two tickets so most of the time only 11 people are getting tickets through the lottery.

 

[njmom47]

http://www.broadwayoffers.com
At this website, the tickets are discounted to $107.00 each. Hm....maybe the waiting in line for $30.00 tickets doesn't seem so bad!
ETA: I just went on Stubhub for tickets for a concert for my dd, and they have tix to this show for $89.00. Again, it's not $30 but still a little better than $107.00.

 

[ctink23]

Tickets for How to Succeed are $97 on playbill.com.

Rush tickets and the TKTS booth are really good options. But if you are traveling 2.5 hours, you might not want to risk coming in without tickets. Though, you will most likely be able to get something, especially at the TKTS booth.

If you are a student, teacher, union member, civil service employee, staff at a non-profit, military or clergy, you can sign up for a theatre development fund membership. TDF runs the TKTS booths. But if you get the membership to their website (tdf.org), you have access to deeply discounted tickets before the day of the show. No guarantees on what shows will have tickets available, but it might be worth the membership. I have seen tickets as low as $30 for popular shows.

 

[ctink23]

Forgot to add, I agree with PP. If you wait until the end of summer, or even after summer, tickets will probably be much cheaper. Fewer tourists and locals going to see shows. I had seen better deals on playbill.com for How to Succeed and others before the start of the summer.

 

[cmjaffe]

Only has 22 seats for lottery.. not 32.. that would be great.
It's a really small theater.

 

[cheap traveler]

Thank you all SO much! I was thinking of waiting until the end of August, but I do worry about going all the way down without tickets. Maybe I should take a day off and try for a weekday show.

Even $89 is a much better price than the $130 I was finding.

Thank you again. Any other tips, please let me know!!





ETA: Maybe I'll grab one of my friend's and head down to wait in line for cheap tickets one day. At least I wouldn't be sitting alone, and she could afford $30 tickets I'm sure!

 

[MichelleinMaine]

If you are a student, teacher, union member, civil service employee, staff at a non-profit, military or clergy, you can sign up for a theatre development fund membership. TDF runs the TKTS booths. But if you get the membership to their website (tdf.org), you have access to deeply discounted tickets before the day of the show. No guarantees on what shows will have tickets available, but it might be worth the membership. I have seen tickets as low as $30 for popular shows.

Thank you for this info! I was bummed you had to be full time staff at a nonprofit to qualify (I'm only part time)... just dawned on me my husband is fulltime at another NP, lol. Will definately check it out before our next NYC trip!

 

[DISshopkeeper]

You just never know what you will learn on the DIS. I thought rush tickets were for students only. Good info!

 

[LuvSulley]

I always use this site for discounted tickets: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/how_to_succeed_in_business_without_really_trying_nyc_tickets.aspx

 

[NYCDiane]

You just never know what you will learn on the DIS. I thought rush tickets were for students only. Good info!

Oh no! Many shows have rush and lottery tickets. My daughter and I saw Wicked twice with lottery! And the seats were amazing! We've seen a few other shows with lottery and I've noticed several others that have regular and student rush available.

Check out www.ilovenytheater.com

 

[Kitzka]

I only see shows with a discount. Broadwaybox is the way to go. The only show I have paid full price for has been wicked and Billy Elliott when it came out.

Lara

 

[living20057]

Thanks for the site. I just purchased Sister Act tickets orchestra row F for 89.50 I was looking on other websites and the price was around $150 each The last time I saw a show we paid $70 at the TKTS, and we were in the row R in the rear mezzanine section. I definitely feel like I got a good price, and we didn't have to wait till the end day of. The show is on Wednesday

I always use this site for discounted tickets: http://www.broadwaybox.com/shows/how_to_succeed_in_business_without_really_trying_nyc_tickets.aspx

 

[missycj96]

See if you can join tdf.org. I know teachers are eligible but i dont know the rest of the categories. Selection is limited but tickets are only about $40 each with very low fees.