The Best Deals on Broadway, By Price— Part One
So, you’re pretty much broke.
Maybe you’re struggling to get on by, and times are hard, what with the crazy NYC rent. And perhaps you love theatre, or just want to go to a theatrical performance to spice things up! Sounds easy enough, right?
But oh, the prices. (“Wow, what a steal,” said no one, faced with the $699 price tag on front-row tickets to the new revival of the late Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.)
So what are you going to do now? Suffer through, catching the few shows you can afford on a every-other-month basis? NO! You’re going to find the best deals and make a plan. With the proper tools, you can find great options for lottery tickets, rush tickets, box office tickets, SRO, student discounts… there are all sorts of ways to pay less out there. Let’s go through them. This is the first part of a series of articles that will cover the best deals on Broadway.
First, though, maybe you’re a beginner to the world of all things theatre. Maybe you’re staring at your computer screen, puzzled, wondering what on earth is a SRO?? Well, here’s a small glossary.
Rush
Rush is when, on the day of a performance, a small number of tickets are sold digitally or physically at a discounted price. They’re not like normal tickets where you book in advance — you either have to show up at the theatre’s Box Office (not too hard to find, just look around the area surrounding the theatre) or get ready to click fast digitally. These usually go fast.
Lottery
Lottery is when, usually within the week of the performance, you can buy tickets online (or in-person, but that’s only with Wicked) for a discounted price, except instead of buying them, you’re entering a lottery. You will get emailed if you win the lottery. There’s a bit of a catch — check your email, because you often don’t have very long to buy the ticket after you win. Just winning doesn’t mean you have bought the ticket — you have to win first, then buy it via the email. Some of these are very easy to win, especially for less popular shows, but they can also be virtually impossible.
Student/Military Discounts
Exactly what they sound like — if you have an active student or military ID, you can get discounted tickets to certain shows.
SRO/Standing Room Only/Standing Room
Some shows offer Standing Room tickets, or SRO, where you stand usually in the back of the orchestra. You’ll have to stand at the back the whole time but usually they’re cheap so if you’re desperate they work! These are usually only available when a performance is sold out.
Playbill Discounts
At the end, I’ll list all the active discounts on the website Playbill, which I’ll link along with the discount list. These are usually minor discounts within $10–$30 and generally still cost upward of $60, but in a pinch they work well enough.
Company-Wide Discounts
Some Off-Broadway theatre companies do rush or lottery at the same price no matter the show, which I’ll list toward the end as well.
Matinee
The afternoon performance that shows do on some days. I know this term might not be familiar for some casual theatregoers so I decided to include it here just in case. :)
There are other kinds of discounts along the way that I’ll point out, but usually they’re only for one or two shows, so no need to talk about them here. Off we go! (Just so you know, the following list including Broadway shows only. :) )
WICKED — Student discount, military discount, digital lottery
Wicked’s student discount tickets are $69. They are available on select dates, which are listed on this page. The tickets are sold in-person at the Gershwin Theatre Box Office. You need a valid student ID, and they take cash or credit. There’s a limit of two tickets per person, so keep that in mind.
Also, Wicked’s military discount tickets are $79. They are available on select dates, which are listed on this page. The tickets are sold in-person at the Gershwin Theatre Box Office. You need a valid military ID, and they take cash or credit. Only active military members allowed. Again, there’s a limit of two tickets per person.
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Wicked’s digital lottery can cost anywhere from $49-$59 dollars. Lottery is done via BroadwayDirect. For lottery for matinee performances, the lottery opens the day before at 10am and closes the day before at 4pm. For lottery for evening performances, the lottery opens the day before at 8pm and closes the day of the performance at 11am. Winners are notified after the closing time, and have 1 hour to purchase the won tickets. For this lottery, you’ll need to have a credit card and a valid photo ID. You can run for up to two tickets.
& JULIET — Digital rush, SRO
& Juliet does digital rush via TodayTix at 9am. You need a credit card and a valid photo ID. This’ll net you up to two tickets for $47 each.
Also, if the show is sold out, you’ll be able to go to the Box Office before the show for $45 standing room tickets. Honestly, not a very great deal, but since the show would be sold out it you were using this option anyway, it’s better than nothing. Bring cash or credit — no ID necessary. Sales start at 10 Monday-Saturday and at 12 Sunday. 2 tix per person max.
BACK TO THE FUTURE — Digital lottery, in-person rush
Back to the Future does digital lottery via this link at Telecharge. It opens at 12pm the day before the performance and ends at 3pm the day before the performance. Matinee winners are announced at 10am, and evening winners at 3pm. You need a credit card. Two tix/person max. $45. You have six hours to purchase tix after getting the email.
On the day of the performance, stop by the Box Office for in-person rush. Bring cash or credit, no ID needed. The Box Office will open at 10:00AM Monday-Saturday and 12pm Sunday. $40.
THE BOOK OF MORMON — Digital lottery
The Book of Mormon does $45 digital lottery via this link at Lucky Seat. It closes at 10am on the day before the performance, with winners drawn and emailed at 11am. You must claim your tickets and buy them by 3pm. These tickets are two/person max, and non-transferable. you need a photo ID.
CHICAGO — In-person rush
Chicago does $49 in-person rush at 10am Monday-Saturday and 12pm Sunday. You need cash or credit, and can get two tickets/person. There are only 25 tickets available, but I’m not sure how fast they go.
Note: Gutenberg! The Best Musical Ever! will close on Broadway on January 28th, 2024. The theatre’s next tenant will be The Heart Of Rock and Roll which starts this spring.
GUTENBERG! — Digital lottery, in-person rush, SRO
Gutenberg! does digital lottery via this link. It opens at 12pm the day before the performance and ends at 3pm the day before the performance. Matinee winners are announced at 10am day of, and evening winners at 3pm day of. You need a credit card. Two tix/person max. $45. You have five hours after the email to purchase tix.
They also do in-person rush for $40. Two tickets per person maximum. Their box office opens 10am Monday-Saturday and 12pm on Sunday. You’ll need cash or credit card, but no ID necessary.
Also, you can get SRO tickets for $40 if the show is sold out, two tix/person max at the box office (see James Earl Jones Box Office times above). You’ll need cast or credit card, but no ID necessary.
HADESTOWN — Digital lottery
For $47.50 (including fees), you can get lottery tickets if you win via this link at LuckySeat. You’ll need credit card card and photo ID. Lottery entries will be accepted until 10AM day before, and winners will be drawn and emailed at 11:15AM the day before. Tickets must be purchased before 3PM the day before, and picked up at the Box Office starting 2 hours before the performance.
Note: Harmony will close on Broadway on February 4th, 2024. The theatre’s next tenant is unknown.
HARMONY — Digital lottery
Participate in a digital lottery for the chance to win $49 tickets. The lottery opens at 12am the day before and closes at 3pm the day before the performance. Winners are drawn at 10am and 3pm and emailed, and tickets must be purchased by 5 hours after the email. You’ll need a credit card!
That’s all for this article.
Please stay tuned for more articles that will cover other Broadway discounts, including things like lottery and rush, that can get even cheaper — coming soon! Thank you for reading. :)
