Where to Find Discount Broadway Tickets

Discount Broadway Tickets

So you’re in New York City, you’re excited to see a Broadway show, but you need to keep to a budget. We’ve been there, we are there, we’re happy to help. Broadway shows are magical, wondrous, once-in-a-lifetime experiences…and they can also be, let’s face it, expensive. But cheap Broadway tickets exist, and if you know where to look, there are plenty of discounts, last minute deals, student rates and lotteries that can keep the ticket price down while still giving you a good seat to some of the best plays and musicals around. Here are a few of them:

TKTS Booth

A tried-and-true method for tourists and locals alike, this is the easiest way to buy discount tickets in person. There are two TKTS booths in the city and they offer same-day theater tickets up to 50% off. The most well-known TKTS discount booth is right in the center of Times Square and is located under the giant red steps at Broadway and 47th. It opens at 3pm every day, and at 11am on days when matinees are available (usually Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays). Signs near the booth will advertise what shows are on sale, or you can check the tkts website for up-to-date lists of available shows, wait times at each booth, and more. The other TKTS booth is located in Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium at 61 West 62nd Street in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Websites and Apps

Here are the most popular sites and apps that offer a variety of ticket discounts. It can be worth doing a quick search through each platform to find the best deal, but all of these sellers have good customer reviews and offer real savings.

TodayTix

Download the TodayTix app, and you can buy tickets from them directly. You’ll find many exclusive ticket sales, discounts, lotteries, and last-minute deals to choose from. Popular and easy to use, this app makes ticket buying easy, and it includes Broadway and Off-Broadway options as well as comedy shows, dance, and concerts.

BroadwayBox

BroadwayBox collects discount codes that you can use when buying your Broadway theater tickets. New shows and discounts are added frequently, so it’s worth checking the site frequently to see what’s on offer.

Playbill Discounts

Playbill has a list of discounts for various Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Playbill is one of the most popular theater sites and also has up-to-date Broadway news and features on your favorite shows and actors. Current and recent discounts have included Stranger Things: The First Shadow, The Fantasticks, and & Juliet.

Theatermania

TheaterMania has a reliable collection of discounted tickets – just be sure to click the “discount” box on their website as they also sell full-price tickets. TheaterMania is active in many other cities as well, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Check out the website for a full list of cities.

Theatr

Theatr is a ticket resale app that aims to sell tickets at or below the seller’s actual paid price. It’s worth checking frequently, because tickets tend to sell fast! This community-oriented app has a few ways to purchase. Some tickets are instantly transferred, meaning you’ll receive them immediately. Other times, you’ll work with the seller to organize a hand-off of physical tickets. This newer app is on the rise and has been mentioned in Forbes, NPR, and Vulture.

Lotteries, Rush, Standing Room Only (SRO) and the Cancellation Line:

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 and Paranormal Activity. 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 and TDF

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, The Lost Boys, and Schmigadoon! often appear on TDF.

Buy Early and Save

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 40% off for booking a seat months in advance.

& Juliet

& Juliet offers a 20% discount if you buy 2 to 3 months in advance, and 30% off if you buy over 3 months in advance! Sign up above to unlock its current promo codes. This wildly popular hit features pop hits like “Roar,” “Teenage Dream,” “It’s Gonna Be Me,” and more and follows Juliet after she decides that her story is going to be better than some great tragedy with Romeo.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child offers $10 off tickets that are bought in advance. Set many years after the events in the Harry Potter book series, this play follows Harry Potter’s son Albus and Draco Malfoy’s son Scorpius as they start school at Hogwarts.

Schmigadoon!

Schmigadoon! is based on the tv series of the same name and follow a couple who find themselves in a town where musicals have come to life…and they can’t get out.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Stranger Things: The First Shadow offers a discount of up to $50 off if you order a few weeks in advance! Stranger Things: The First Shadow takes you back to Hawkins in 1959. Henry Creel is new in town and finding it tough to adjust to his new school after a troubled past. With impressive special effects and an all-new story, it appeals to both fans of the Netflix series and audiences experiencing the upside down for the first time.

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby offers a 30% discount on tickets booked at least 2 weeks in advance. Sign up above to unlock the code for this offer. You may have read it in school, but you’ve never seen Gatsby like this. Come join the party and immerse yourself in luxury as you follow Nick Carraway and his dealings with the elusive Jay Gatsby.

Students and Young People

Students and young people are also eligible for many discounted Broadway tickets as well as cheap tickets to off-Broadway shows.  Check out Lincoln Center’s LincTix, Roundabout’s Hiptix, Manhattan Theatre Club’s 30under35, Atlantic Theater’s $20 student rush tickets, Playwrights Horizons’ Young Membership and Student Membership, MCC Theater’s $25 student rush tickets, $30 student tickets at the Public Theater (only available in person at the box office), and Second Stage’s 30under30.

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 Outsiders.

Last Minute Tickets

If you're looking for information on how to buy tickets to a Broadway show in just the next few days - or even tonight! - check out our Guide to Last Minute Broadway Tickets for tips on how to get great seats. Even popular shows like Maybe Happy Ending and Buena Vista Social Club often have unexpected discounts!