Hamilton dilemma - 1st trip to NYC

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:50am

My husband and I are going to NYC for the 1st time in October and are looking into Hamilton tickets.  I have performed in community theater since I was young so needless to say I cannot wait to finally see a show on Broadway!  I am obsessed with Hamilton - read the Chernow biography, have most of the score memorized - and was hoping to see it in October even though we are stuck buying them at resale prices.  I would appreciate advice on ticket prices for certain seats that are available, whether or not it is worth the inflated cost when it's no longer the original cast or if we should just wait and see the tour when it comes to Memphis next season and go see Waitress instead.

So here are my questions:

1. Should we buy tickets now or do prices start to drop closer to the show?

2. At this point we have a few options for seats that are around $650 apiece after all fees are included - ORCH row M seats 18 and 20, ORCH Row Q seats 17 and 19, or Front Mezzanine Row C seats 9 and 11.  Or we could get Rear Mezzanine Row A Center for $719 apiece after fees.  Which would you choose?

3. Should we buy tickets to see Waitress instead and try our luck at getting cancellation or lottery tickets to Hamilton on the days we are there, knowing that we most likely won't get any and plan to see it when it comes to Memphis in 2019?  

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 12:50 AM

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:57am

I would say buy the Waitress tickets now. Actually, you could probably wait and get those tickets via TKTS to help offset the cost of the Hamilton tickets.

For Hamilton do the cancellation line and lottery. Also, prices to start dropping on Stubhub before and especially the day of. You can either download or print the tickets, unless they're pick-up only, but only person would have to get the tickets from the Stubhub office and make the dash to the Richard Rodgers if you wait until just before curtain. (Assuming you are physically able to wait or make the dash.)

If you're there on a matinee day, the wait in line won't be as bad.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 12:57 AM

[youwillbefound2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:59am

650 for one ticket? I just found 440 dollar tickets on StubHub for October 1st.

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 1:44am

I didn't realize how long you wait in the cancellation line. I'm reading 6+ hours usually?  We are traveling with my mother-in-law and our 7 and 9 year olds.  She has kindly offered to keep them one evening so my husband and I can have a date night but we definitely couldn't leave them for 6-8 hours.  So I guess that's out unless we get lucky and there's not much of a line closer to showtime.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 01:44 AM

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 1:53am

youwillbefound2 said: "650 for one ticket? I just found 440 dollar tickets on StubHub for October 1st.

"

There are cheaper tickets available but from what I've read the view is not as good?  We were looking at tickets considered to be the best value for the money, but it's so hard to know if there is that much of a difference between the experience of seeing it at orchestra level vs rear mezzanine?  Looking at the pictures online of the views from different seats it looks like you are really high and far away in the rear mezzanine but maybe it doesn't feel that way in person?  The cheapest tickets I've found are for the furthest back or for partial view seats and if this ends up being my only chance to ever see a show on Broadway I would like to be able to see everything.

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 1:54am

10086Sundays said: "I would say buy the Waitress tickets now. Actually, you could probably wait and get those tickets via TKTS to help offset the cost of the Hamilton tickets.

For Hamilton do the cancellation line and lottery. Also, prices to start dropping on Stubhub before and especially the day of. You can either download or print the tickets, unless they're pick-up only, but only person would have to get the tickets from the Stubhub office and make the dash to the Richard Rodgers if you wait until just before curtain. (Assuming your are physically able to wait or make the dash.)

If you're there on a matinee day, the wait in line won't be as bad.

 

"

What is TKTS?  Oh, and thank you for the info on StubHub ticket prices!

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 2:57am

TKTS are booths run by TDF that sell discounted tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. (Musicals & Plays) Here's a link to their site. The main booth in Times Square sells tickets the day of the show, other locations sell the day before the show. They have a real time display to show you what's available or what was available when the booths are closed.

For Waitress: Broadwaybox currently offers a discount code. Which you can use in advance or at the box office. Also keep an eye on Theatremania for a code. The current one ends 9/3, but there may be a new one for October released at some point.

For Hamilton, if it's going to be your date night show, I would keep an eye on prices the day of the show and either accept that you'll pay more by buying hours ahead or just plan on something else. Tracking prices and stressing about getting the tickets in time doesn't seem like the way you'd want to spend a rare night away from the kids. 

The Band's Visit is the new show with a lot of buzz coming in this season and it begins previews 10/7. That would be my suggestion to replace either show.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 02:57 AM

[@z5]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 10:17am

Skip waitress... it's underwhelming 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 10:26am

Yeah I agree; skip Waitress and watch Hello, Dolly! instead. Donna Murphy tickets are easy to come by and she's doing a whole week in late Oct/Nov. That's one production on Broadway which is not worth missing right now.

[Rainah]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 10:33am

I would go row M, for the tickets you've listed, or mezz. Never sat in the RR mezz, I don't mezzes generally, but I sat M12 for Hamilton before and I was very happy with my seat.

I will also add - there are lots of people who are willing to wait in the cancellation line for you if you pay for their seat. That would be $460 each (your seat and theirs) and the seats are either front row or the really nice premium.

The broadway company is pretty solid right now (Especially if you get Javi and Medina in) but the tour is extremely strong as well. The question is, do you trust that the tour will still be strong by the time it gets to you? Joshua Henry will be out, probably Rory as well, who knows about Luwoye (I'm selfishly hoping he'll return to broadway, I want to see him in the role so badly)

[JPeterman]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 12:28pm

You have gotten some good advice on here.  I think you should buy tickets now for either Hello Dolly (which is an amazing show) or this upcoming season's hot ticket, The Bands Visit.  Waitress is touring and will probably come to you at some point.  If Dolly tours, it certainly won't be with someone like Bette or Donna so I would say go see Hello Dolly, you won't regret it.

 

I have bought tickets for Hamilton the day of the show on Stubhub and that worked out great.  You could get tickets cheaper than you are considering now, and/or much better seats.  Also, Ticketmaster has been adding new tickets for sale a few days before many performances.  They are usually premium seats in awesome locations but you are looking at mediocre seats at premium prices now, so wait until the week before the date you are interested in and check Ticketmaster each day.  Some awesome premium seats will likely pop up.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 12:28 PM

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 1:00pm

It sounds like no one you care about is in Hamilton anymore and, since you know the recordings well, you may even be unhappy hearing different voices than what you are used to.  Perhaps it is best to wait for Hamilton to come to you  with people you do not care about and only pay  one  quarter of the price.  Also, Hamilton has no stage technology that will not tour so you will see a faithful reproduction in Memphis or any city as opposed to Phantom, Lion King and WIcked  or even Groundhog Day  all which look different on tour. Not that I am recommending these.  For me, Dolly would be the way to go... though Groundhog Day was the most technically  complicated production I have ever seen... and $60. So please re-consider sending $650 on theater.

 

The sooner people stop paying $650 per ticket, the better off Broadway audiences will all be.  When you mention it may be your only time to see a Broadway show it sounds like you have limited resources.  Broadway shows are worth $189 and less (mainly less) do not pay $650 for a show with a replacement cast.

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:34pm

JPeterman said: "You have gotten some good advice on here. I think you should buy tickets now for either Hello Dolly (which is an amazing show) or this upcoming season's hot ticket, The Bands Visit. Waitress is touring and will probably come to you at some point. If Dolly tours, it certainly won't be with someone like Bette or Donna so I would say go see Hello Dolly, you won't regret it.



I have bought tickets for Hamilton the day of the show on Stubhub and that worked out great. You could get tickets cheaper than you are considering now, and/or much better seats. Also, Ticketmaster has been adding new tickets for sale a few days before many performances. They are usually premium seats in awesome locations but you are looking at mediocre seats at premium prices now, so wait until the week before the date you are interested in and check Ticketmaster each day. Some awesome premium seats will likely pop up."

Thank you!  I was thinking about Hello Dolly! because I love Bette Midler but I was afraid we might end up with an understudy (my husband tells me this was a Seinfeld episode).  Does she currently do all of the performances? 

I happened to check Hamilton tickets for today's and tomorrow's shows on Ticketmaster just to see what prices are like and I noticed that there are some tickets that are not labeled "verified resale" that are really good seats and no additional fees so I was wondering how that was possible?  Currently all seats available during our dates are resale tickets so I just assumed all of those shows sold out.  Our dates are October 14-17.  Is there anything going on in NYC at that time that would cause there to be a slim chance that tickets will come down in price the day of the shows?

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 3:42pm

Mike Costa said: "It sounds like no one you care about is in Hamilton anymore and, since you know therecordings well, you may even be unhappy hearing different voices than what you are used to. Perhaps it is best to wait for Hamilton to come to you with people you do not care about and only pay one quarter of the price. Also, Hamilton has no stage technology that will not tour so you will see a faithful reproduction in Memphis or any city as opposed to Phantom, Lion King and WIcked or even GroundhogDay all which look different on tour. Not thatI am recommending these. For me, Dolly would be the way to go... though Groundhog Day was the most technically complicated production I have ever seen... and $60. Soplease re-consider sending $650 on theater.



The sooner people stop paying $650 per ticket, the better off Broadway audiences will all be. When you mention it may be your only time to see a Broadway show it sounds like you have limited resources. Broadway shows are worth $189 and less (mainly less) do not pay $650 for a show with a replacement cast."

I totally agree - it really makes me sick to feed into the ticket scalping frenzy.  It is good to know that the stage technology is the same on tour.  We are definitely planning to wait it out and buy the day of if possible and if not to just see the tour.

I didn't realize the technology for Wicked and Lion King are different on Broadway than the tours.  Is it a big difference? We are trying to decide which show to take our kids to see and had ruled out Wicked and Lion King because they tour near us so often and my daughter has already seen Lion King.  I have seen Wicked twice - once with my brother in Chicago and once with my husband in Memphis - and it is coming back to Memphis this season so I was planning on taking them then.  We have been leaning towards Aladdin.  Our daughter is 9 and son is 7.5.  I had considered School of Rock as well but my mother-in-law is going with us and I really don't think she will like the music.  She pretty much only listens to classical and gospel.  Would it be better to take them to see Wicked on Broadway rather than waiting to see it on tour and seeing Aladdin?

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 03:42 PM

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 4:12pm

Alladin is first rate in every way.  It is a sure bet you will be happier seeing Aladdin for the first time, in the the most exquisite theater ever built in NewYork, then seeing Wicked or The Lion King for the third time  in the ugliest theaters ever imagined in the country.

Yes, settings can be different since the load in on tours  is two days and for Broadway the entire stage floor can be opened up and things can rise from the basement.  This is impractical on tour.  The look can be the same but the effects are different.

The thing about Hello Dolly! is that the cast is so superb, it is the kind of actors who you will never see on tour. ... even the alternate Dolly has two Tony Awards.

Excited for you to come to NYC for the first time. A big welcome!

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 4:25pm

Regarding Hello Dolly, Donna Murphy plays Dolly on Tuesdays and will also play her on Sunday, Oct. 15th. However, if you end up seeing Donna, due to schedule or cost, as Mike Costa said, she's a Tony Award winner and has gotten raves here. 

Telecharge page for Hello Dolly. It lists the dates Bette will be out. So far, I believe Bette has only had 1 or 2 unscheduled absences so I would not let that prevent you from getting tickets. 

Have you thought about Anastasia? Perhaps 1 parent and son goes to Aladdin or School of Rock and 1 parent, MIL, daughter goes to Anastasia. (Not because of any gender reasons, I just think Anastasia is too long for a 7.5 year old.)

ETA - Regarding the Hamilton tickets & fees. If the circle/seat is blue it's being sold by the show, but you will still pay Ticketmaster's fees. (It just doesn't say it like it does for resale) Keep checking because the show may release seats for your dates as they get closer. Even the day of, since they sometimes put unclaimed lotto seats up for sale.  At premium prices though.

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 04:25 PM

[Sbrininger]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 5:10pm

Mike Costa said: "Alladin is first rate in every way. It is a sure betyou will be happierseeing Aladdin for the first time, in the the mostexquisite theater everbuilt in NewYork, then seeing Wicked or The Lion King for the third time in theugliest theaters ever imagined in the country.

Yes, settings can bedifferent since the load in on tours is two days and for Broadway the entire stage floor can be opened up and things can rise from the basement. This is impractical on tour. The look can be the same but the effects are different.

The thing about Hello Dolly! is that the castis so superb, it is the kind of actors who you will never see on tour.... even the alternate Dollyhas two Tony Awards.

Excited for you to come to NYC for the first time.A big welcome!"

Awesome! Thank you!  I will definitely look into Hello Dolly!  You have been very helpful. 

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 05:10 PM

[Public User]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 5:27pm

Instead of obsessing about money, try enjoying yourself.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 6:17pm

It sounds like you've decided to not see Hamilton unless you can get more affordable tickets the day of. That's a reasonable choice. As someone who paid exorbitant hotel concierge prices for a nosebleed (very top row of mezzanine) with original cast 2 years ago, it was worth every cent. BUT as a tall person with knee problems, I warn you that there was zero leg room. Not sure if that's true all through the Mezzanine. Others can post here as to their experience. If you do go to see Hamilton, be sure to get Orchestra or Mezzanine aisle seats. I will say despite my discomfort, Hamilton is my favorite NYC theatre experience and I've seen 35 Broadway and off-Broadway shows on my trips to NYC. But Hello Dolly! seems like another great choice (l'll be seeing it with Bette in November, but I think seeing it with Donna would be another affordable, but great choice - I think that Hello Dolly may even be available at TKTS on days Donna's performing). I'd also echo that I had a great time at Aladdin. 

I first came to NYC for a work trip in 2010 and it was love at first sight. I've been back every year since! Enjoy! 

Updated On: 8/30/17 at 06:17 PM

[broadwayliz22]

Posted: 8/30/17 at 6:25pm

i would recommend waiting for the hamilton tour for it has a pretty strong cast and you will definitely be able to get cheaper tickets. go see something else in nyc. i think hello dolly is a great suggestion as stated above, but i would also recommend dear evan hansen while you can still go see it with ben platt. 

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 8/31/17 at 9:28am

Wait for Hamilton to come to your area.  The original cast may have been worth the prices you are quoting, the current one isn't, especially if you only have to wait 1 more year.