Buying tickets to Broadway shows couldn’t be any easier than it is today. If you’re Internet-savvy, which you probably are if you are reading this blog, you can purchase your tickets right on the show’s official Web site. No need to worry about security issues, as most of the sites have secure checkouts.
Of course, you don’t have to turn to the Internet to buy your tickets. Here are some tips:
- By Phone: If you still enjoy hearing someone’s voice when placing an order for tickets, you can always call one of the Ticketmasters that sells Broadway tickets. You can pay with your credit card and have the tickets mailed right to you.
- At the Door: If you don’t like to be tied down and need flexibility in your life, you can purchase your tickets at the door the day you would like to see the show. Even though this may seem like the easiest option, you may find when you get there that the show is sold out, which could put a damper on your night.
It’s best to plan ahead when buying Broadway show tickets.
Marcelina Hardy
(photo credit: midnight-digital)
April 17th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Discount Tickets | Comments (0)
You don’t have to be a New Yorker to know that NYC theater tickets, especially Broadway ones, can cost an arm and a leg. But don’t discount the endless possibilities for cheap theater tix. For every play and musical in New York, there’s a discount/free ticket just waiting for you to find it.
Over all the years of living in NYC and regularly seeing shows, I’ve discovered the Top 10 best ways to find good theater at a cheap price.
10. Promotional Mailings - If you’ve ever used a credit card to buy tickets to a New York performance, you know that theater companies love flooding your mailbox with promotional materials. You basically sign up for a guaranteed three years of daily postcards bragging about the “Hottest Show In TOWN!!!!!!” I usually find these mailings to be super annoying and ridiculously self-confident. But occasionally I come across a flier offering regularly priced Broadway tickets ($100 to $500) for much cheaper ($50 to $75). Or I’ll even see some of my favorite theater companies advertising season subscriptions for not much more money than individual tickets. So giving out your address isn’t necessarily a bad thing–that is if you don’t mind weeding through countless marketing kits and flashy postcards.
9. Ticketing Web Sites - Lots of online ticketing Web sites offer discounts to all types of theater, dance and music performances. You have to sign up to be a member, but it’s always free and easy. One of my favorites is www.theatermania.com. In addition to discount tix, it has tons of well-written articles and reviews you can trust. The membership club on www.playbill.com is also great.
8. Networking - The more you befriend people involved in the theater community, the more likely you are to see a show for cheap or free. Even if you only meet an actor/director once and give them your e-mail, they will probably put you on their listserve and e-mail you the discount code to whatever show they’re working on. If you have a good friend performing in a play, he/she can usually get you in FREE. Those on the “business” side of theatre (i.e., critics, agents, etc.) never pay for their tickets, and they’re always looking for someone to accompany them to a show.
7. AEA (Actors Equity Association) - One perk to being a member of the Actor’s Equity union is that you get access to discounted theater tickets through the Actors Fund. Hey, it’s your craft, so why make it expensive to study it, right? Also, AEA members get to see Showcase performances for FREE, as long as a show’s not sold-out and they bring their union card. You won’t ever see a Broadway show operating under Showcase Code, but all off-off Broadway and many Off-Broadway shows do.
6. Rush Tickets - These discounted tickets are usually sold “same-day” at the theater box-office. They’re such a good deal that, with the really popular shows, people will line up hours before the box office even opens. They’re often only available to students and require photo ID. If you’re not a student and don’t mind standing through an entire performance, you can also buy SRO (Standing Room Only) tickets for crazy cheap. Be sure to check in advance for a specific show’s Rush Policy because it varies among theaters.
*** For the remaining Top 5 Secrets, stay tuned for my next blog***
Shelia Shaigany
(photo credit: limowreck)
April 14th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Discount Tickets | Comments (0)
In my last blog, I gave practical tips on how to find discount theater tickets in New York. Now it’s time to share the ultimate top five ways to see NYC Theater for cheap!
5. Ushering - Volunteering to usher is one of the easiest ways to see a show for FREE! It’s super easy, and you can even sign up with a friend. Just show up earlier than showtime dressed in black, hand out programs for half an hour and then sit back and enjoy the show. Well … it’s not THAT easy. You should check each theater’s Web site to see their specific instructions for volunteering to usher. Playwrights Horizons and the Lucille Lortel Theater are two biggies in New York.
4. TKTS Discount Booths - TKTS Booths sell discount tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays at up to 50 percent off. There are two catches: it’s cash-only and only same-day tickets (one day before for matinees). Realistically, you probably won’t find tickets to a hit Broadway musical that’s recently opened. But you will get to choose from over a dozen high-quality and normally very expensive shows–even Broadway staples like Les Miserables or Rent. Sometimes the lines get a little too long and “touristy,” but it’s definitely one of the best deals you’ll find in Manhattan. You can go to either the TKTS Booth located in Times Square, or the lesser-known South Street Seaport Booth.
3. Previews - I love it when I find cheap tickets to a play or musical that’s in previews. A show during previews is treated just as seriously as any other performance, but just hasn’t officially “opened” yet. Sort of like a glorified dress rehearsal, with all the lights, costumes and sound cues in place. During these few weeks, the actors may not feel 100 percent ready or confident in their performances, but some audiences actually prefer this unpolished phase. It can bring out a more raw and honest energy to the show. Preview night tix are usually free, and you can just call the theater to see if any are available. The last days of previews are the best because that’s usually when the critics come, and producers are desperate to make a good impression and “fill the house with bodies.”
2. www.Play-by-Play.com - I swear by www.play-by-play.com. I would guesstimate that 75 percent of the shows I see each year are a result of this Web site. It’s a membership club that offers tickets to all types of performances for just $3.50 each. Of course, you have to pay a $99 fee each year, but it’s worth it. Performance listings and times are updated every hour during normal business hours, and the site offers a synopsis and Web link for each show. The only con is that listings for the most anticipated and hyped-up shows (i.e., starring a celebrity) don’t last very long before they get snatched. Sometimes it all comes down to good timing. A similar Web site is www.audienceextras.com.
1. Cheaper = Better - Of course the BEST way to save money on theater tickets is to, quite simply, see cheaper theater. Cheap theater means off-off Broadway, which usually only costs $5 to $15. Ask any theatergoer in New York, and they’ll tell you that off-off Broadway produces much more innovative and riskier work than the commercialized and compromised shows on Broadway. Broadway producers care more about suctioning in money from tourists than revolutionizing art and redefining its boundaries.
I find that the majority of expensive shows end up being predictable and forgettable wastes of money. Once in a blue moon I’ll catch a Broadway performance that pushes past mediocrity, bordering on brilliance. Ironically, these Broadway shows often originated on off-Broadway in some run-down performance space, probably in the basement of an East Village bar.
Of all my experiences watching theater, my most memorable ones have involved shows that had very little money invested, the freedom to take creative risks and most importantly, VERY CHEAP TICKETS.
Sheila Shaigany
(photo credit: stuckincustoms)
April 12th, 2009 by admin | Posted in Discount Tickets | Comments (0)
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