Broadway tickets help

[Jim Tom Pinch]

Any good suggestions on a reputable way to get tickets to a Broadway show (My girlfriend wants to see Phantom in NYV) at less than face value? I know there are services, but I can seem to tell them apart on line and I don't want to get screwed.

Thanks in advance,

 

[Oz]

Actually, I'm glad you started this thread. I was wondering the same thing for a trip to NYC sometime during the next year or so.

 

[August West]

you're not guaranteed a ticket but if any are available below cost, this is where they'll be other than maybe on craigslist or some place like that.

TKTS ® Times Square Theatre Center
is temporarily located just outside the New York Marriott Marquis hotel on West 46th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue (read about this)

Hours:

Mondays, Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
for 8pm perfs: 3pm - 8pm

Tuesday’s from 2pm - 8pm

Wednesdays and Saturdays
for 2pm matinees: 10am - 2pm

Sundays for matinees:
11am - 3pm
Sundays for evening perfs:
3pm TO CLOSING


TKTS ® Lower Manhattan Theatre Center at South Street Seaport ( the corner of Front and John Streets, the rear of the Resnick/Prudential Building at 199 Water Street )

Hours:
TKTS SOUTH STREET WILL BE CLOSED
THANKSGIVING DAY THU, NOV 23, 2006

Monday - Friday 11:00am to 6:00pm
Wednesday matinee tickets are available on Tuesday ONLY

Saturday 11:00am to 6:00pm Saturday matinee tickets are available on Friday

Sunday matinee tickets will be sold on Saturday from 11am to 4pm. Please note that there are no tickets for Saturday matinee performances available on Saturday

Sunday: 11:00am to 3:00pm for Sunday Evening performances only

There are no full price tickets sold at any TKTS Booth.

Easily reachable by subway, you can take the J,M,Z, 2,3,4,5 to Fulton Street or the A,C to Broadway-Nassau. The M15 bus travels down Second Avenue to the Seaport.

 

[spup1122]

Rachael Ray featured this on her $40 a day in NYC. She did say you had to get there early because of lines and that you can't be picky on what time you want to see a show or really what show you want to see.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

TKTS really is a good deal, especially for the plays that aren't the mega-musicals. I caught "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" and "Faith Healer" out of TKTS on one road trip.
Also, talk the GF out of "Phantom," for the love of god.

 

[jgmacg]

To avoid the long lines, go to the TKTS at the Seaport. And Fen's right, start making your best arguments against Phantom as soon as you can.

 

[Moderator1]

Go to www.playbill.com and join the Playbill Club. They said out frequent discount offers.
And the TKTS real early thing is a thing of the past because of computerized updating. Waltz up to the booth about 20 minutes before curtain and pick your show when the lines are gone.
Selection varies. This week is tourist hell and hardly anything is there. Sometimes you can see whatever you want.
My wife wanted to see Phantom. On a previous trip, it never showed up at TKTS. So I sucked it up and paid full price. We left the theater and walked past TKTS to get some lunch (and laughed at those in line for the evening shows). Phantom was up there.
Playbill also lists Broadway grosses weekly and you can see how a show is drawing and get an idea. Last time I looked, Phantom was doing about 70 percent capacity so you may be able to get seats at TKTS.

You won't get Jersey Boys or any of the hot draws but you can get some excellent shows at great prices. Don't be afraid of the term "off broadway" either - great shows in smaller theaters. Last two off broadway shows I saw were excellent.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I saw the Brent Spiner-Michael Cumpsty "1776" and the Natasha Richardson-Alan Cummings "Cabaret" at the Roundabout which is sort of On/off-Broadway. (Small house, on the east side of the square.)
TKTS, on both of them, by the way.

 

[Jim Tom Pinch]

Thanks. No talking her out of Phantom.

 

[Moderator1]

Then go and enjoy it. I went to please my wife and had a fine time. I've seen many better shows but, hell, it's Phantom.

 

[Freelance Hack]

Thanks. No talking her out of Phantom.

Phantom's not a bad show. I've seen it probably five or six times. If she hasn't seen it, you owe it to her. It may not have Sarah Brightman nor Michael Crawford, but it's still a good show.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Phantom's a great woman's show. Your chances of scoring at TKTS are excellent. And if it's not up there, go to the box office. Don't believe they're selling out with any regularity, at this point.
Most everyone who's wanted to see it . . . has seen it.

 

[spnited]

If you get lucky you can get day of show tickets for "Rent" for $20.
Have to go to the Neiderlander Theater on 41st St. about 3 hours before the show and get in the "drawing" for the $20 seats in the front 2 rows (only 34 tickets per show).
Given that the crowds for Rent are down a bit, your chances aren't all that bad and it is a great show.
Best idea is go by the theater (41st between 7th and 8th) in the afternoon and read the $20 ticket policy that's posted out front, then decide if you want to take your chances.

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

This won't help immediately, but if you visit NY regularly and would like to see some shows, go to the NYTimes website and sign up for TicketWatch.

They'll e-mail you discount offers. The latest was $50 off on some performances of "Mamma Mia."

If you like to try something different, don't overlook the Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway productions. Get a copy of the weekly magazine Time Out New York, which has thorough listings. Ticket prices are much lower (sometimes in the $15-$30 range), so you won't need a discount. Some of the stuff is absolute crap, but some of it also pretty good.

 

[Moderator1]

Forgot about this one: Broadway.com has a last-minute ticket availability feature. Sometimes the dates are 1-2 weeks away. Sometimes Phantom shows up. Sometimes the tickets are discounted. It's updated every day at 11 a.m. eastern.

Phantom is on the current list.

http://www.broadway.com/gen/general.aspx?ci=524474