How does one get tickets to hamilton?

[HamiltonPls]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 2:16am

I'm heading to New York from Australia in early September, and while I'm there Hamilton is performing only once. I know I can get resale tickets from TicketMaster and other 3rd party websites - but I'd honestly rather not spend $1000+ AUD for 2 rear mezzanine seats.

I called TicketMaster about whether there was any tickets (surprise surprise) they said no, and then here's the weird part, I asked if there was a cancellation line for the show and the said no. 

I just need to clarify several things:

1. Is the show worth fighting tooth and nail for tickets
2. The cancellation line will still be a thing by September right?
3. What time is it recommended to arrive at the line for a Tuesday with only a  7:00pm performance?
4. How much would you be willing to spend on Hamilton?

I honestly have no idea what to do, any help would be great!

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 2:23am

well obviously if you called them for a date that the website says there's no tickets, they will say the same thing. I don't know why the cancellation line wouldn't be there, but since that's in 6 months who knows what time people will be getting there on a Tuesday (also, why are you flying to New York for only one day? that seems strange) but it would probably be later in the morning than the weekend. Also there's that lottery, which who knows if that will be digital or in person at the time.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 2:28am

Most of your questions are impossible to answer, but I'lll try:

 

Worth fight for? Yes.

 

Cancellation line on Sept?  Yes, but that technically could change.

 

Time?  Impossible to know something 6 months out.  Currently, people are getting there at two in the morning. 

 

$$$$$ ?  I would never spend above face value, but for me it's both an ethical as well as financial issue. 

 

 

[HamiltonPls]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:09am

Thanks guys - I was posting this early b/c i was getting really stressed about it and I had no way to know whether I should wait before continuing my quest for tickets or to just splurge on TicketMaster now. I guess I'll just let fate decide when I get to NY. Btw -gypsy101- I'm not in New York for a day, I arrive on a Saturday which does have performances but I honestly believe I'll be way too jet lagged, but there's no performances on Sunday or Monday, before I fly out on Wednesday. Thanks for the help

[vdirects]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 8:57am

HamiltonPls said: "

I just need to clarify several things:

 

1. Is the show worth fighting tooth and nail for tickets
2. The cancellation line will still be a thing by September right?
3. What time is it recommended to arrive at the line for a Tuesday with only a  7:00pm performance?
4. How much would you be willing to spend on Hamilton?

I honestly have no idea what to do, any help would be great!

"

The show is worth standing in Cancellation line, but nothing more than that.

Who knows how long anything at the RR Theatre will last. There could be a cancellation line today and a lottery tomorrow. You can't really answer this question. By September they could change all sorts of things.

The question about arriving on Tuesday has been asked and answered 100s of times. I would look back at the last few posts in the Hamilton Cancellation Line thread or read the Hamilton Cancellation Line FAQ thread.

I would not spend more than 200-300 for Hamilton. 300 if the seats are good and it's the entire original cast. 200 for anything else orchestra. No more than 200 for anything past front mezzanine.

 

Updated On: 3/9/16 at 08:57 AM

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 9:28am

I don't know what to tell you except A) you should've bought your tickets 6 months ago B) Try the cancellation line.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 2:08pm

Ticketmaster has nothing to do with, or no knowledge of, a cancellation line. That is entirely run by the box office/theater, not the ticket vendor.

[Dave13]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:02pm

Sexual favors perhaps? Even then, you have to find the right person. JK

 

I think they cancellation is your best option if you don't want to pay $$$. You can always try to enter the lottery, but its basically 10-20 tickets with over 1000 entering the lottery. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:28pm

Dave13 said: "I think they cancellation is your best option if you don't want to pay $$$. You can always try to enter the lottery, but its basically 10-20 tickets with over 1000 entering the lottery. "

 

21 tickets and thousandS entering.

[kboboy]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 3:42pm

I'm in the same boat, heading to NY in Sept. All of the shows are sold out so the only options are to buy through resale vendor or try to find something on Craigslist closer to the date...or the cancellation line/lottery the day of. So if you definitely want to see it and not worry about scavenging for tickets when you get there, you will probably have to spend a pretty penny.... For those saying you would not spend more than 200-300 for tickets (300 only if they are great seats with original cast and 200 for good seats) y'all are probably lucky enough to have seen the show already or live in NY and have the option of scooping up tickets at decent prices right before a show starts pretty much any day of the week because those seats at those prices just do not exist. Unfortunately, for us traveling from out of state or country, we do not have this luxury. So, yes I do think it is a show worth fighting for and I have already bought some tickets online (which I think are decent seats) for a pretty high premium, but that's because I really don't want to miss seeing this show on Broadway. I will continue looking at seats between now and then and if I see better seats for a better price I will try to snag those and sell the ones I got (knock on wood that I don't end up with 2 pairs)....However, my advise is if you want to see the show but you are not 100% dead set on it, I'd go the cancellation/lottery/scalper route. You would definitely save money this way but there's also a chance you won't get to see the show. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 5:05pm

kboboy said: "I'm in the same boat, heading to NY in Sept. All of the shows are sold out so the only options are to buy through resale vendor or try to find something on Craigslist closer to the date...or the cancellation line/lottery the day of."

 

Most people who buy bogus scalped tickets that do not get you into the show are from Craigslist. You really should stick almost exclusively to Ticketmaster, with StubHub as a second and final choice. The reason you can find some things cheaper elsewhere is you don't have to make as much money when you can sell the same tickets over and over again, and none of them actually get you into the show.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:21pm

Why the heck do all these people plan trips to New York to see Hamilton without...I don't know...buying tickets to see the show when they become available??? I'm going in June and October and (gasp) bought tickets for both from ticketmaster for face value. Crazy thought, right?

[aaaaaa15]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:43pm

gypsy101 said: "Why the heck do all these people plan trips to New York to see Hamilton without...I don't know...buying tickets to see the show when they become available??? I'm going in June and October and (gasp) bought tickets for both from ticketmaster for face value. Crazy thought, right?"

 

Have to admit this does confuse me as well. I live outside the US and have seen Hamilton once and have another ticket for July. First was second row front mezz and second is second row side orchestra. I bought both tickets for less than $200 from Ticketmaster when they first became available. I understand that you have to plan ahead for this show but even if you buy a ticket then have to sell, you know that they will definitely sell so it seems a much wiser choice than leaving it until they're all sold. I'm sure some people have special circumstances but it's much easier and most times cheaper to do it this way and wait patiently!

Updated On: 3/9/16 at 06:43 PM

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 6:56pm

Yeah I planned my April trip to New York around the night I was able to purchase Hamilton tix.   

I just looked at availability of tickets for this Saturday on ticketmaster.  It looked like about 50 tix left, all for resale.  I believe all of them were well over 1000 each.  The last time I saw Hamilton, I sat in the rear mezzanine and my row, the row behind me and the row in front of me were all up for resale earlier that week. When the show started, I noticed that there were about ten empty seats around me, apparently unsold.  I suppose this means that these scalpers/brokers buy rows of tickets at face value and sell as many as they can for 5 to 6 times face value. If they sell enough at that price then they can afford to leave quite a few unsold.  But sooner or later, they are going to have to lower the re-sale price as the show gets closer and the pool of people willing to pay 1000+ to see the show dries up.  Then, a whole new crop of people who would love to see the show at regular full price can finally see it.  

Til then, enjoy #ham4ham! 

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:10pm

I agree with Dramamama611 about the ethical issue of spending above face value for a ticket, as this encourages scalpers, who in turn rip people off, which this is being facilitated by Ticketmaster.

i couldn't get a ticket when in New York last December, asked at the box office, not a problem, try again later this year, if I can't get a ticket I just see it when it comes to London in 2017, why don't you wait until it comes to Australia in 2018/19? In the meantime see another of the many great shows on Broadway has to offer.

[kboboy]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:16pm

gypsy101 said: "Why the heck do all these people plan trips to New York to see Hamilton without...I don't know...buying tickets to see the show when they become available??? I'm going in June and October and (gasp) bought tickets for both from ticketmaster for face value. Crazy thought, right?"

Well, as crazy as it sounds, perhaps I hadn't even heard of this show until...i don't know...last month when I heard about it on the Grammys. Yeah, I sure would have been a genius to have bought tickets to a show that I had never heard of a year out from a trip I didn't know I was going to take(ps I didn't plan a trip to NY to see Hamilton, but since I will be there for other reasons, I'm definitely not going to miss this opportunity to see it). Yes, obviously I would have much rather have bought the tickets when they were released in January or whenever for face value, but seeing as I didn't even know what this show was then, that would have been impossible. So please keep your snarky comments to yourself, unless you have something helpful to contribute. Thanks!

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:24pm

I bought mine last October or so, but okay, do what you want. Not my fault you hadn't heard of the show and have missed the boat, as they say. I didn't think my comment was very snarky tbh


Phantom of London, are you saying the people at the box office of Hamilton told you just to wait until it plays in London? What a silly thing for them to say.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:35pm

Here is where people who are early adapters come across like total d-bags to people who are discovering something new, which is something to be encouraged.  It'll happen again after the Tonys and really, I propose we save the eye-rolling for President Drumpf.

[Pauly3]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 7:51pm

gypsy101 said: "I bought mine last October or so, but okay, do what you want. Not my fault you hadn't heard of the show and have missed the boat, as they say. I didn't think my comment was very snarky tbh"

 

Your previous comment implied the person your comment was directed at was stupid.  That someone took that as snark, given the umpteen circumstances that could have lead that person to not have foreseen the need or desire to buy tickets back when they were available, is not surprising or unreasonable.  That you can't see that is surprising - or worrisome.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 9:55pm

Were you appointed as my therapist while I wasn't looking, Pauly3?

[RemlapLBC]

Posted: 3/9/16 at 10:16pm

Broadway Cares will sell at least a pair a show that has availability sooner than 6 months out.  You are paying double face value, but at least $$ going to a good cause.   

[kboboy]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 9:20am

gypsy101 said: "I bought mine last October or so, but okay, do what you want. Not my fault you hadn't heard of the show and have missed the boat, as they say. I didn't think my comment was very snarky tbh"

Haha okay...thanks for the wonderfully insightful advice that helps no one! I will do what I want. And no, it's not your fault, but to imply that we are dumb for not buying earlier tickets to a show we haven't heard of is kind of childish. Here's some advice, don't comment at all if all you're going to do it berate and make fun people, that doesn't help. And yes, using over exaggerated pauses and words like "(gasp)" in your text comes off as snarky... either that or it sounds like a teenage girl writing in her diary.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 12:19pm

Were you also appointed as my therapist while I wasn't looking, kboboy?

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 3/10/16 at 10:20pm

My family is going the first week of April... we bought great tickets for face value last July. If you want good seats at a normal price, the only option is really to just wait.

[Esgred]

Posted: 3/11/16 at 2:40am

• Read the box seats thread.
• Read the cancellation line threads (there's more than one).
• Enter the lottery if you live in or near NYC.
• Join the Hamilton official e-mail list to find out when the next block of tickets go on sale (Feb. 2017 - April 2017 show dates).
• If you have an American Express card, sign up for e-mails from them about Entertainment Access®.

American Express® Presales: During the specified sales period, tickets are available exclusively to all American Express® Card Members (including Prepaid and International Cards).

The November 1st 2016 through January 31st 2017 block of tickets went on sale (for American Express cardholders) on January 25th 2016.

 

On sale to General Public:

Start: Tues. 2/2/16 10:00 am

American Express Presale:

Start: Mon. 1/25/16 10:00 am
End: Tues. 2/2/16 9:59 am

 

On January 25th, I looked into American Express pre-sale tickets for Hamilton.  The cheapest seats were $139 for side rear mezzanine.

 

Also, on January 25th, there were seats available for $179 each for center rear mezzanine.

 

IMPORTANT:  When the next block of tickets go on sale, the prices will increase!  Earlier in Hamilton's Broadway run, the cheapest seats were $99 (side rear mezzanine).

 

Also, you used to be able to get box seats for $167.  Now you will pay $199 - $239 for box seats.

Updated On: 3/11/16 at 02:40 AM