When is Broadway the busiest?

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:19am

I'm just curious as to what times of the year Broadway is the busiest. I'm specifically wondering about Christmas time - is it harder to get tickets around then? Are rush tickets more popular then compared to the spring/fall/summer?
Thanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:25am

the time between Thanksgiving through New Years is VERY busy on B'way. Many shows will get a big enough burst to allow the show continue through the winter.

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:28am

How about early January just after New Years?

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:40am

BUSY:
May-August
Mid November-New Years

SLOW:
January-March
September-October

April does relatively good business because it's the cram period before nominations come out.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 10:03am

IMMEDIATELY after New Year's it's still decently busy but then pretty drastically drops off.

NY' Day is a Thursday so I expect that that weekend will be PACKED....but my the end of the next week it will lighten up.

[thelastmidnight]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 10:05am

"I'm specifically wondering about Christmas time - is it harder to get tickets around then? Are rush tickets more popular then compared to the spring/fall/summer?"

It depends on what shows you see. In fact, for the majority of shows I've seen during this time period, you can saunter over to the box office 15 minutes before curtain and you'd still be able to get a rush ticket.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 10:28am

Busy weeks are Thanksgiving week and the week between Christmas and New Years. The busy time sometimes extends until the weekend after New Years because often kids are still out of school.

The weeks between Thanksgiving week and Christmas are sparse with the week right before Christmas particularly deadly. Too much shopping and party-going.

President's Day week is also busy. Kids are out of school. Easter/Passover weeks ditto.

Weak times are January and early February, the 2-3 weeks post Labor Day, 4th of July if they play at all, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Christmas Eve which is so bad that shows rarely play that night.

You can spot weak times because those are the periods that things are put on "mid-winter sale" like Phantom has done over the years and some other long runs without big advances for those times.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 10:54am

I was there New Years' weekend.

There was nothing on TKTS, virtually everything was 100% sold out that day. I ended up having to get a balcony seat for The Little Dogged Laughed. I think I later read that it was the highest-grossing single day in Broadway History.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 11:05am

The period around most college's spring breaks can be bad at times too. There are a lot of students who go to college in or around NYC who come to the city to see shows. Also, there are a lot of NYC and schools in the NYC area that are closed at once.

[philly03]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 12:39pm

"It depends on what shows you see. In fact, for the majority of shows I've seen during this time period, you can saunter over to the box office 15 minutes before curtain and you'd still be able to get a rush ticket."

I was there New Year's weekend as well. No seats left for anything during a matinee, but I already had my $110 Row J in the mezzaine balcony of the Broadhurst for Les Mis that I bought two days proir. Also, just about every show cancels all discounts & Rush policies during the week between Christmas + New Year's...even Legally Blonde did.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 12:46pm

I was within NYC limits last Christmas and after receiving a TKTS gift certificate from my grandmother she couldn't use that needed to be used before year's end, I ended up in the city on the Friday before New Year's last year (the 28th, if I remember correctly). Quite a few shows had added matinees that Friday to make up for no shows on Christmas/Christmas Eve/extra tourist rush, so I figured I'd hit TKTS early (about 9 am for a 10 am opening) and see what was there. I wasn't picky about what I wanted to see, just wanted to see something I hadn't already seen. I was about 25th in line and per usual the line was huge by 10.

I was a single gal and ended up with a very nice center orchestra seat to see the 2 pm show of Grease (the couple in line in front of me wanted tickets to the show, but they had none together so sales were good). View was very nice, though I was could say the same for the show (but that is for another thread).

So tickets (at a 50% discount) can be had then.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:27pm

I would think summertime too, because the weather is nice and people are on vacation.

[Kev14]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:42pm

Don't expect to find anything that easily the week between Christmas and New Years. The line for TKTS is always huge and they sell everything. Also if you look at show schedules a lot of shows raise their prices for this time period. If you want to go in December, I would recommend like the secondish week of December.

When I go to NY in March it's dead. There was no line for TKTS, you could walk up right before a show and get great tickets. Also I found some great promotions. If you don't want to buy all your tickets ahead of time think about this time of the year. Hotels will also be cheaper than Christmas

[Polka Dot2]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:51pm

I have a friend who's looking at January. How soon after New Years do you think is a good time to get tickets?

[philly03]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:55pm

Last two weeks/first week in February are the loneliest I've ever come across Broadway.