How do you guys afford to see all of these shows?- Page 2

[courtnyj]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 3:42am

Pssh - TKTS is too expensive for me!

One weekend I was bored and added up all the ticket prices for the shows I'd seen in the last three years. When I did the math I discovered that I had spent an average of $25 a ticket.

Course I'm not a student anymore but now when I travel to New York I try to bring a student with me.
Updated On: 6/5/08 at 03:42 AM

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 3:46am

I couldn't agree more with you FRC.
The variety of shows out there that constantly change and then someone sees a show 6 times and complains they don't see that many Broadway shows!

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 4:14am

Ummm...I have a job and get paid. THAT'S how I am able to see shows.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 7:00am

I've seen everything I want to see...rush, lotto or discount codes. If a show really touches and moves me, yes I will go and see it multiple times. But it's not at the expense of other shows. If I want to see a show (and there are very few I don't want to see...when I don't it's usually a case of an actor or two I simply cannot stomach or a playwright whose work I have severely disliked in the past), I find a way to see it.

I'm also not a seat snob...as long as I can see I'm fine.

And I sort of adapted the saying to make it say "When I get any extra money, I buy theatre tickets. If there's any left over, I buy books. And if there's still any left over I buy food."

Updated On: 6/5/08 at 07:00 AM

[Weez]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 7:42am

I used to live in Bath, a ten minute walk away from the Theatre Royal, which is a SUPERB theatre. Many of the pre- or post-West End tours go through there, they originate their own stuff which quite often ends up in the West End, and there's a whole lot of other fun stuff besides. If I turned up on the day of the performance at noon, I could get a stand-by seat for £5 ($10). So I saw 'The Deep Blue Sea', 'Visiting Mr. Green', 'The Vortex', 'Legal Fictions', 'The Importance Of Being Earnest', 'Pygmalion', 'The Last Confession', 'Kean', and 'Amy's View' months before they made it to the West End and for a fraction of the cost. GodDAMN I miss Bath. XP

As for the West End, I buy the cheapest seats where possible, hunt down discounts through BroawayBox.com and LastMinute.com when available, and really take advantage of things like the National's Travelex season (tickets for £10! ). And sometimes - and I'm not as ashamed of this as I'm sure I should be - I'll coerce my mother into going to see a show with me, because so far she seems more than happy to pay.

(I'm also immeasurably smug at getting to see the Donmar Warehouse's 'Othello' for a mere £7.50. Okay, I had to get up EARLY and it was only a standing ticket, but when I think about people paying hundreds and hundreds of pounds for tickets on eBay, I get SUCH a warm glow. :3)

Also I can't afford to buy anything BUT theatre tickets. O_O But it's a price I'm willing to pay for my addiction. ^_^

Updated On: 6/5/08 at 07:42 AM

[mallardo]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 11:44am

You should always use TCKTS in both New York and London but of course you have to buy your tickets day of performance. In other cities, LA for example, you pretty much have to pay full price but that's not the Broadway price.

London is also wonderful because there is the National Theatre where the top price for the best show in town is 65 dollars US and there are many subsidized seats. I saw The Revengers' Tragedy - I recommend it! - last week sitting in the front row for 10 pounds - twenty bucks. You can't beat it.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 12:56pm

well for the most part lottos and student (or regular) rush. But also a lot of the shows I like tend to have discounts at the box office for same day purchases and I'm lucky enough to live in NYC and be able to do that. I've used TKTS once, but will probably use it a few more times esp. for plays because that line is so unbelievably short it is hard to resist.

And also my Dad's job gets something called Plum Benefits, which has incredibly seats for very reasonable prices so we'll use that when i go to theater w/ family or something.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:31pm

I thought everyone on here was rich, no?

[george95]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 1:40pm

I make very little money as a teacher, so I always use:

broadwaybox.com
playbill.com
schooltix.com

One of those three.

I dont ever do rush or lotto because I'm a planner and I dont like the uncertainty of it. And those seats are usually in the front row and that's too close. I usually pay between $50 to $66 per ticket.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:15pm

I'm a librarian so I make... not a lot. But there are SO many great discounts out there.

Living in NYC does help because of lottos - and also being able to use TDF (which I realize not everybody is eligible for) - but if you have the ability to go last minute, you can see almost anything on the cheap.

And budgeting. Some of my coworkers spend 40 or 50 bucks on a weekend going out and drinking. I spend that money seeing a show. It isn't that hard. You just pick your poison.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 2:29pm

I'm one of the out-of-towners, so I also have to budget in hotel & train, which has made me a firm believer in discount codes, TKTS and the cheap seats. I used to use TKTS almost all the time, but the price difference between them and most the discount codes has become so minimal I use the latter more...and since I'm on my own most of the time (by choice), I can usually score better seats as a single.

Plus, I'll skimp on hotels and food. A small single at the Herald Square Hotel and pizza suit me just fine.

As for seeing shows multiple times, I'm addicted to Xanadu and have been onstage all four times. The first time it was for budget reasons, the last three because it's just so much damn fun. Have also seen "Avenue Q" and "Altar Boyz" four times, but that was from seeing it first myself and then bringing others for return visits.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 3:05pm

I am a student so I also make... not a lot.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 3:14pm

There are a few shows I've seen more than once but I always feel as if I've seen different shows because I've never seen the exact same cast twice.

"befriend a theatre reviewer. They normally get a pair of comps for a show and sometimes cannot find anyone to use the 2nd seat: Sad but true."

Think Riedel needs new friends?

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/5/08 at 3:46pm

Oh yeah. I also use TDF. (teacher here too, so funds are limited)

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 2:16am

Thanks, msf3, for asking the ?
Since I still don't have tickets for SP yet, so this has given me a few options that I did not know :]

I see most of my shows while they are touring, not Broadway, since I don't live in NYC. I also budget for these, and do without other unnecessities (I try to keep food in my realm of things "necessary").
However, I'm sure that after getting a "taste" on my upcoming vacation, I will try hard to see my favorites in Broadway, if at all possible.
Nothing like Broadway!

[shh282]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 4:38am

I gave up going out for dinner alot this year so that I could see more broadway shows - and did rush and lotto.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 5:11am

bwaybabe2 ~ Sadly, there really haven't been any discounts out there for South Pacific since it's been virtually sold out. That will end up being a full-price ticket...if you can even get one.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 6:03am

wow..jg, thanks for the input. I guess I will have to forsake the "3rd" show I wanted to see! :{...this trip is already costing me a bundle!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 6:39am

It's on my want to see list...but I haven't found a time I can see it and there are tickets yet.

Good luck.

[CJR]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 12:33pm

Comps. Lots and lots of comps.

And I'm rich. Duh.

I second what bythesword said. You're getting raped booking through Broadway.com. No wonder you can't afford to see more shows.

The variety of shows out there that constantly change and then someone sees a show 6 times and complains they don't see that many Broadway shows!

Also, just because some people choose to see a show more than once and complain that they don't see other shows doesn't mean everyone does that. I see shows multiple times (case and point: Chicago an obscene number of times. More than I care to publicly admit) and I still see other shows playing. I know a lot of people who are like that.

Updated On: 6/6/08 at 12:33 PM

[olitwist2]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 12:40pm

I've never seen a Broadway show. I would really love to see one though!

[rich.hanson59]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 8:15pm

What is a "comp"?

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 8:32pm

A comp ticket is when someone either in the cast or crew gives you a free ticket.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 8:39pm

I've never done rush/lotto. I just use discounts. The last time I sat in the orchestra was for MAMMA MIA! last February.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 6/6/08 at 9:39pm

I have a really good paying job and I also buy partial view and upper mezz seats.