Can You Tell Me How TKTS Works? Please.

[Sleeth1]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 11:32am

1) Can you only find out what shows are available once you get to the window? Or are there signs that are updated that you can see while you wait in line?
2) Do you have time to ask them "I want the best seats you have left, and I'm not particular about which show?"
3) It's cash only, right? Or will they take debit/credit cards?
4) It's just BROADWAY proper, right? Nothing Off-Broadway?

From what I have heard, people are rushed (because others are waiting, naturally) and you must simply state the show you want to see (from the options, of course) and they just sell you the next tickets available. I love NYC and the people, too... but I don't want to arrive at the window and take up a whole lot of time. From my visits in the past, people can be a little impatient. I don't want to look like some cluless Texan.
Thank you so much for any info you can provide me. I'm visiting soon, and I still have a night open where I'm thinking about just doing TKTS.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 11:39am

1. There is a board witht he shows listed. When the tickets are gone, they take the title off the board.

2. No - you have to ask for a particual show.

3. CASH ONLY.

4. - Both Broadway and Off-Broadway.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 11:49am

And don't be intimidated by the line. It's goes quick. Especially in the new Marquis location.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 12:35pm

I have always had good experiences at TKTS. The best thing is to have 2 or 3 shows you want to see that are on the board. I have always gotten good seats for shows in the Orchestra section. When I have gone, they tell you where the seats are and usually tell you they are the best seats available. I have never come across an inpatient person at the window. They have all been very nice. Don't worry about looking like a cluless Texan! I have met some nice people from all over the country in line and it was the 1st time for a lot of them and they were fine! Have fun in NYC.

[Sleeth1]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:30pm

Thank you ALL so much. People on this board are very friendly.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 2:35pm

5. Are we???

Just give it time, MWAHAHAHAHA...

Updated On: 4/21/07 at 02:35 PM

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:12pm

Here's a super stupid question for you guys though, how much are these orchestra tickets that you get? Regular price?

For all the shows I've seen, I've never done TKTS so I'm clueless.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:15pm

They are generally 50% off regular ticket price...sometimes more or less.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:20pm

We're not these NY monsters lol. Besides, most of the people on the TKTS line are in your same shoes, only worse. Most are out of towners that want to experience Broadway so they can complete the NY experience.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:20pm

But you can only buy tickets for certain shows on certain days right? Is that what they meant when they said Les Mis Monday-Thursday TKTS?

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:21pm

You can only buy tickets to shows on the day of at TKTS.
Unless you buy at the one in South Street Seaport, those you can buy tickets the day before you see the show. Updated On: 4/21/07 at 03:21 PM

[eyekanspehl]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 3:53pm

To respond to the question about payment - do they still accept travelers checks, or have they since stopped that?

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 5:11pm

Travelers' Checks are still accepted.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 4/21/07 at 5:15pm

I'm from Texas! lol I'll try not to look stupid though haha..

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 4:16am

If you have the choice between trying to get a single ticket for a particular show through TKTS or doing Student Rush, which is probably better/cheaper?

Also from Texas! man we really are a bunch of clueless Texans when it comes to this stuff....

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 7:41am

Student rush is cheaper. I think the highest I've seen student rush is around $37. For most shows (Broadway anyway) TKTS would be at least $10 more. One option (and something I've done before) is try rush or lottery and if I didn't get anything that way and really want to see something, go to TKTS.

If you've got someone with you, you can do like I did with my parents. I put my dad in the line and my mom at the board. I talked with mom about show choices, then gave my dad a list of 3 choices. I ran into the Marquis box office to see IF they had any tickets for Drowsy for that night (they didn't), then back to check on mom, and back to report to dad. By this point the guy in front of him was asking me about a couple of shows. When Daddy got sent into the feeding frenzy, I told Mom to wait at the board and we'd be there ASAP, then went to the exit so Daddy would know where to go. His response? "That was...an experience." (We saw Spelling Bee.)

[Piercemn]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:21pm

I use TKTS all the time and have never had trouble with the seats I've had, except at The Cocoanuts, where the woman next to me talked throughout most of the first act, but that had nothing to do with the tickets themselves. She was just rude.

Thrice, I've wanted tickets to shows, but had to make other choices:

Side Show. We saw this on our first night in New York, Christmas 1997. We'd seen the matinee of Chicago (got those with a phone order). We had thought about seeing Jeckll and Hyde, but picked that instead, thinking that Jeckll would be up again. It never was, so we didn't see that.

Flower Drum Song. It was on the board, but by the time we got to the window, it was gone, so we went to the revival of Dinner at Eight instead.

Confessions of a Mormon Boy. It was on the board, but same thing, so I went to Encores for 70 Girls 70 instead.

I've never paid more than $59 for tickets, and was main floor, 9th row center for Gypsy, 5th row center for Will Rogers Follies, and have always had good seats. I
even got a ticket for Lestat at TKTS. The woman at the Palace box office said I'd be better off getting one from them. It would be cheaper and she seemed to know the show would bomb.

Now, a word of advice: Check out their website often, as they list weekly the shows that are up. Don't expect the major hits to be there. Lion King, Mary Poppins, Curtains and the more recent things aren't up often, if at all. They can and do get to price for their tickets, so if you want to see those, you're better off ordering online.

As others have said, be prepared to have two or three choices, because as shows fill, the tickets are gone. If you can, get there early. I've gone from a matinee to TKTS
and gotten on line right away. I usually get what I want, with no compromises.

Another thing that's fun is talking to people around you about shows they've seen. You may choose something you originally wouldn't have seen. Also, get Time Out New York magazine. It has the most complete listings of theatre that week and is read by most everyone who visits TKTS, because it helps determine shows.

TKTS is one of the best things about Broadway.

[zacwac08]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 9:49pm

Would it be difficult to get four seats together? I'm going this summer with my family and I'm interested in seeing shows like LoveMusik, Grey Gardens, Company, and 110 in the Shade. I imagine that more seats would be available for these shows since they are less oriented toward tourists.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 9:54pm

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 10:02pm

Pierce- Dinner at Eight was way better than Flower Drum Song

[bobert5353]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 10:08pm

How will the ticket availability be a few days before the Tony's?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 10:18pm

^ Depends on the show.

I wait in line (yes it looks long...goes quick. Once you get into the area of tix lines make friends with people in lines and that can get you up quicker. its baiscally battle to the death but still fun.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 10:44pm

in response to zacwac08, tickets will be together if you buy them all at the same time... Once, in line for Les Miz tix, there were these german women behind me and they sat next to them...

I would also go to TKTS at south street sea port (just take the subway to the Staten Island Ferry and its At the corner of Front and John Streets, near the rear of the Resnick/ Prudential Building at 199 Water Street.) the line is much shorter, and they open earlier than Times Square does so you have the day to explore, and sea a show at night...

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 11:04pm

"As others have said, be prepared to have two or three choices, because as shows fill, the tickets are gone. If you can, get there early."

It is to my understanding that it does not matter what time you get in line because shows keep releasing tickets throughout the day. Many times, you can get a very good seat 30 mins before curtain.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 5:53pm

Question: My boss wants to go see GREY GARDENS on Wednesday evening. If she went to the South Street Seaport TKTS tomorrow afternoon, would she be able to buy tickets for the evening show for the following day, or would she have to go later on that evening to get the tickets?

She was amazed that she had a question about Broadway that I didn't have a definitive answer to...any help would be appreciated. Thanks!