For Broadway beginners...

Hey all,

This may be way too broad a topic, as I know this is something that is definitely different for every show, but I wanted to get a broad overview...

What is the best way to get tickets to a given Broadway show?

I am thinking about visiting Manhattan again next year, and I'd love a few tips. For example - what is a ticket lotto? Things of that nature.

I first visited NYC about 6 years ago and I didn't know ANYTHING about how to obtain tickets. So I did the touristy thing. Walked up to the TKTS booth in Times Square and bought what was available. I saw Rent for like $75 or something.

Problem was that I couldn't afford to see any other shows (the prices were so high) and most of the shows I wanted to see at the time were sold out anyway.

1) First off how to you get tickets to sold out shows without jumping on eBay

2) What are the different ways of getting tickets other than TKTS booth in Times Square

3) What are the cheapest ways to get good tickets for a show, and do the generally have decent seats for lottos and things, or are they nosebleed tickets?

4) Maybe there is already a guide for this someplace you could just point me to and save all the trouble.

Again, I realize this varies from show to show so I'm just looking for some general guidelines so that next time I come I can see at least one show each day.

Thanks in advance for not being snarky.

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talkinbroadway.com is a good source for every show that's currently playing. I believe it states running times, lotto and sro policies.

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Broadwaybox.com has all of the discount codes in one place. Roughly the same price as TKTS, so take the risk out of being stuck with whatever TKTS has day of show and buy your tickets in advance.

Use the the seating charts on playbill.com to see where seats will be, as not all balcony seats for example are "nosebleed" seats. It depends on the size of the theater, which on Broadway are generally smaller than those in other parts of the country.

If a show is truly sold out, the only way you'll get tickets in most cases is through a ticket broker ($$$), on ebay or some such reselling place, or by having a connection to someone on the show who can get you access to house seats (which are full price.) Depending on when you are going, not too many shows are actually sold out if you give yourself enough advance time.

This page on playbill.com gives you a good run-down of which shows have lotteries, standing room, or student/general rushes.

http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/82428-Broadway-Rush-Lottery-and-Standing-Room-Only-Policies


It also tells you how to enter the lotteries, but in general, you enter at the theater 2 or 2 and a half hours before the show starts and they draw names thirty minutes later. For Wicked, the show tomorrow is at 8 pm, and Wicked draws two hours before, so you would arrive at 5:30, enter your name, wait until 6 to see if your name is drawn. If so, you go buy your ticket and come back for the performance. Alas, I have never won a lottery but I will try a few more times this weekend.

Hope this helps!

Don't assume that because a show is usually sold out that it is always sold out well in advance. There are Wicked tix available for TONIGHT on line.

The more well selling a show it is, the less likely there are disoucnts (Neither The Addams Family not American Idiot have codes, so you assume that tix sales are fine without them.) The more popular a show, the more crowded the Lottery and the earlier the line begins forming for Rush. The time of year you attend also effects the availiblity of codes. Christmas week and Thanksgiving weekend, for example, traditionally have the fewest discounst available as that is a VERY lucrative time for B'way.

The more time you have the more you can try Lotteries or Rushes. If you are only in town for a few days, and you MUST see certain shows you could be out of luck because you can't always get what you want. (Some people seem to be lucky, however)

I seldom pay full price and use a variety of discount codes (I usually START with Broadwaybox) I like the idea of knowing AHEAD of time and seeing exactly what I want to.

As for how far in advance you can buy tickets? That varies from show to show. Wicked, Jersey Boys and others in the popular success mode, sell tickets further out. Others release tickets as the current batch hits a certain percentage of tix sold. IF a show closes before your tickets are valid, you get a refund minus the fees -- unless you fight for them. DISCOUNT codes are also only good for a short time, and you will probably have to wait to withing a month or two of your selected dates to have codes that are active.

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Fosse, every ticket lottery I've seen is for the front row. That can be good or bad depending on the show.

The exception is HAIR, which is for the boxes, but they are generally considered very good seats because of the view and the interaction.

(The other exception was SPELLING BEE, but it's not playing anymore, so it doesn't matter. And they were still great seats.)

Rushes are more of a hit-or-miss. I've had some in the front row, some in the back of the mezz, and some in between.

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