Where to Find Discount Broadway Tickets

Feeling lucky? Many popular and Tony Award winning shows offer digital lotteries (think of this as a Powerball but for Broadway - a Broadway lottery) at huge discounts. Each show has its own rules and prices vary: as an example, Hamilton offers the Ham4Ham ticket lottery – you can enter the digital lottery through an app, and if you win, you can purchase up to two tickets for $10 each. Not a bad deal, right? Check out Lucky Seat to find digital lotteries for various shows including Hadestown, Waiting for Godot, and Moulin Rouge!. And Broadway Direct handles the digital lotteries for shows like The Lion King, Six, and Wicked.  

The idea of rush tickets started with the hugely popular Broadway production of Rent in the 1990s. The show started selling discounted, affordable tickets for first two rows of orchestra seats in the theatre to anyone who showed up at the box office on the day of the performance. Broadway tickets were sold first come, first served. That process continues at many shows, and the rules are the same: a limited number of discount tickets are available at the box office from the time it opens until the tickets are sold out. Exact seat location is usually at the theater’s discretion.

Standing room only (SRO) tickets are what they sound like: for a much cheaper price than an orchestra seat, you can stand in the back of the theatre and watch the show. This is actually much more comfortable than it sounds, most theaters have a padded bar to lean on, and the view is pretty great. Even better, you can avoid the long lines by being first in line for the bathroom at intermission. Standing room only tickets are only sold at the box office if a performance is entirely sold out, so it can be worth calling the theater to ask if they are available before you make the trek into Times Square. 

The cancellation line covers tickets that have been, you guessed it, canceled or otherwise gone unclaimed. Head to the theatre box office a few hours before a performance and see if any tickets are available. These tickets are usually sold at face value, though this can be a way to get a ticket to a popular show that has been sold out for months. Quick tip: People cancel in bad weather: one person’s snow storm can be another person’s Broadway dream…

Broadway Week

If you’re lucky, you’re visiting New York during Broadway Week, which runs twice a year (and for longer than a week) in late January/early February and then again in September. Many of even the most popular shows offer 2-for-1 Broadway ticket discounts. You can check out who is participating here: https://www.nyctourism.com/broadway-week/.

TDF Membership

If you live in or near NYC and love seeing Broadway shows, it may be worth getting a TDF membership. For a $40 annual fee, TDF offers discounts on many Broadway and off-Broadway theatre shows, dance performances, concerts and more. Many people are eligible to join including students, teachers, recent graduates, seniors, freelancers, and more. Even popular hits like Aladdin, Death Becomes Her, and Hell's Kitchen often appear on TDF. 

Type A planners, this one is for you! It’s often cheaper to book tickets in advance, but some shows go out of their way to reward audience members for buying early. These shows offer promo codes and up to 30% off for booking a seat months in advance.

OTHER TIPS AND TRICKS

• If you’re traveling in a large group (usually at least 10), you may qualify for a group discount. Rules vary from show to show, but it’s worth checking telecharge, ticketmaster, and broadwaybox group discounts or if you go to a show’s website, you’ll find a phone number or email to inquire about group tickets. 

• You can also opt for “partial view” theatre tickets when you’re buying tickets on telecharge, ticketmaster, or seatgeek. Do some research: this can mean anything from not being able to see a small portion of the stage to sitting directly behind a pillar.  

• If you have an American Express credit card, you may be able to get early access to theatre tickets, special discounts, or preferred seating.

• Wednesday matinee tickets at Broadway theatres usually have the cheapest tickets, while weekends or an evening performance can be more expensive.

So there you have it! You can get a great seat location at a great price without having to pay for premium seats or going through a ticket agent or ticket broker. Enjoy the show and use that extra cash to treat yourself. With all the money you’ve saved, you might even be able to catch another Broadway show! Need tips on what to see? Check out our article on Best Broadway Musicals to discover information on everything from Operation Mincemeat to The Queen of Versailles.