1. TKTS
TKTS is one of the most iconic business in show business. Located in Duffy Square, TKTS generally has tickets to all but the very biggest shows on Broadway and often at a 50% discount. The only bad news is, you have to wait in line for them. TKTS does have both an app and a website, however, so you can certainly check there first. Other options include a downtown booth in the South Street Seaport as well as a Brooklyn location at One MetroTech Center. For theater goers not interested in musicals, there is also a “Play Only” window located at the Times Square booth.
2. Shop online
Apps like TodayTix app allows you to purchase tickets on your mobile device up to a week in advance, while nytix.com is a web-based membership service that costs just $4 per month. Sites like Broadway Insider and Entertainment-Link will often feature good coupon codes.
3. Rush Tickets and Lotteries
Some of Broadways’ biggest smash hits like Wicked, The Book of Mormon and Hamilton, often offer day-of-show tickets via a lottery system. Names are generally drawn at the box office a few hours prior to curtain time, although some are conducted digitally. Rush tickets are sometimes available on the day of the show for as little as $25. You can find out which shows offer lotteries or rush tickets – and how to register – through Playbill’s Broadway and Off Broadway guides.
4. Memberships
If you’re going to be in NY for a while, consider joining a membership service like TDF or get a membership through one of the major theaters itself. If you are eligible, you can get an annual membership to TDF for $30, which allows you to get good ticket deals days in advance of the show and sometimes weeks. You can also see off- Broadway shows through their OffOff@9 program for just $9. With the theater companies themselves, you pay a fee up front (around $60) but then get year-round discount tickets Best of all, however, they give you the chance to buy them before they open them up for sale to the public.
