How to Get Discount Broadway Tickets- The Adventuring Millennial

Do you like deals? Do you like live theater?

Then you’ve come to the right place!

Trust me, I get it. Broadway shows are expensive.

But if you are a theater-lover like me, you don’t want the ticket price to get in your way of seeing a show. I’ve been traveling to NYC since I was thirteen and now (as of a year ago) I live in the City That Never Sleeps.

I’ve seen dozens of Broadway shows. And no, the magic doesn’t die when you move to the city. I’ve seen at least 6 Broadway shows in the past year.

Some of my all time favorites include The Lion King, The Book of Mormon, and Spongebob the Musical.

So, are you wondering how I’ve managed to see so many shows without breaking the bank? Keep reading! In this post, I am going to give you some insider tips for scoring cheap Broadway tickets.

Before I go into too much detail, let’s take a look at some of the shows I’ve seen and how I scored the tickets for each one:

Be More Chill: Rush Tickets

The Prom: TKTS

Spongebob the Musical: TodayTix and TKTS

Frozen the Musical: TodayTix

Come From Away: Rush Tickets

School of Rock: Rush Tickets

Waitress: Rush Tickets

Elephant Man: Standing Room Only Rush Tickets

Avenue Q: TodayTix

Puffs the Play: TodayTix

Those are just 10 shows I’ve seen with a discounted ticket. Honestly, I don’t even remember the last time I paid full price to see a Broadway show.

Ready to learn some simple tricks so you can also score some cheap Broadway tickets? Let’s go! NYC is calling…

TodayTix

TodayTix is a tried and true method for me. Once I found out about this app a few years ago, it is the first place I go to check for cheap tickets.

If you aren’t familiar with TodayTix, it is a website and app where you can find “last minute tickets.” I put that in quotation marks because you can actually purchase tickets a few weeks out with this app.

To get started, download the TodayTix app. Once you are in the app, you can search for shows based on different filters, including date, type of show, and location. You will usually find shows around 20%-40% off the box office prices.

Be aware that most shows charge a $12.50 service fee per ticket.

Once your purchase your tickets, you won’t have the physical ticket until the day of the show. You will meet a TodayTix representative outside the theater 30 minutes before showtime. They are easy to spot since they wear a red TodayTix shirt. Simply give them your name and you will be given your tickets.

Overall, I’ve had a great experience with TodayTix. Unfortunately, once I received tickets that were not listed as “obstructed view” but they were located in the very back of the upper mezzanine. I had to stand during the entire performance. You don’t get to select your specific seats with TodayTix, so it is a gamble. But, I’ve used TodayTix for at least 10 shows at this point and only had a negative experience with one of the shows. (Also, I emailed customer service to let them know about my experience and they gave me a discount on a future order).

Occasionally, TodayTix offers digital lottery or rush tickets to select shows. You should check the app or website to learn more about these. Basically, you have the chance to enter to win even cheaper tickets to popular shows through the app. Later in this post you will read more about digital lotteries and rush tickets.

Essential Information:

TodayTix offers discounted tickets for Broadway shows, Off Broadway shows, comedy performances, and special events.
You can purchase tickets from the website or in the app.
You will be charged a $12.50 service fee per ticket for most shows.
After purchasing your tickets, you won’t receive them until the day of the show-you need to meet a TodayTix representative outside the theater 30 minutes before showtime.
You can’t select your specific seat but are given the Best Available option.

Pro Tip: Check TodayTix regularly for updates. Occasionally they offer no-fee shows (so you don’t have to pay the $12.50 service fee) or tickets to one-time only events (like Podcast festivals or comedy shows).

PROS:

You can purchase discounted tickets from your phone.
A variety of shows are offered, including Broadway, Off Broadway, and comedy shows.
TodayTix is offered in a few locations, including NYC, London, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, and Melbourne.
TodayTix sometimes offers digital rush, lottery, or no-fee tickets.
Most shows are discounted 20%-40%.

CONS:

Most shows include a $12.50 service fee per ticket.
You don’t get to select your specific seat.
You have to meet up with a TodayTix representative 30-minutes before showtime on the day of the performace to collect your tickets.

TKTS Booth

The TKTS Booth is a classic stop for discounted Broadway tickets. Most people are familiar with the glass booth in the middle of Times Square (it’s been there for over 40 years after all). But did you also know there are a few other locations throughout the city?

The TKTS Booth is a same-day ticket seller run by TDF, a non-profit organization that aims to bring performance art to everyone.

Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those shady discount ticket resellers offering front row seats to Hamilton. This is a legit place to buy real tickets for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.

Here are all of the TKTS Locations:

Times Square (Located “under the red steps” in Father Duffy Square at Broadway and 47th Street)

*Be aware that the evening performances go on sale in the afternoon at this location. If you arrive in the morning you will only be able to purchase matinee tickets.*

Opening Hours:

For Evening Performances:
Monday, Wednesday-Saturday: 3:00pm – 8:00pm
Tuesday: 2:00pm – 8:00pm
Sunday: 3:00pm – 7:00pm
For Matinee Performances:
Wednesday-Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 3:00pm

South Street Seaport (Located at the corner of Front and John Streets, at 190 Front Street)

Opening Hours:

For Same-Day Matinee and Evening Performances and
Next-Day Matinee Performances:
Monday-Saturday: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 4:00pm

TKTS Lincoln Center (Located in the David Rubenstein Atrium at 61 West 62nd Street)

**This is where I have had the MOST success scoring cheap tickets through TKTS**

For Same-Day Matinee and Evening Performances and
Next-Day Matinee Performances:
Monday-Saturday: 12:00pm – 7:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm

If you plan to use TKTS, here is what you need to know:

People get there early, so plan to get in line at least an hour before the booth opens.
Ticket availability changes daily but you can check the website or app to see what has been on sale recently.
Credit cards, cash, and TKTS gift cards are accepted at the booths.
Each person can purchase 6 tickets.
Most tickets are discounted 20%-50% off original box office prices.
You can’t pick your specific seat, but you will be given the “best available” option and you can ask if there are any other ticket options.
The Times Square booth offers a Play Only express line if you only want to look at tickets for plays.
Each ticket price includes a $6 service fee.

Pro Tip: If you purchase a ticket from TKTS, you can return within 7-days to Ticket Window #1 in the Times Square Booth to purchase additional tickets without waiting in line. Just make sure to bring your ticket stub with you.

PROS:

Tickets are available for dozens of Broadway and Off-Broadway performances at 20%-50% off the box office price.
Each person can purchase 6 tickets.

CONS:

To get the best seats, you need to wait in line at least an hour before the tickets go on sale.
Discounts are only offered on same-day tickets.

Rush Tickets

Rush tickets are by far my favorite way to score cheap Broadway tickets.

This is a pretty foolproof way to grab tickets for around $40 (if you are wiling to get up early and wait in line).

The rush ticket trend started back in the 1990s with Rent and today many Broadway theaters sell discounted same-day tickets from their box office.

Here’s how it works:

Theaters that offer rush tickets (you can find an up-to-date list here) start selling these tickets when the box office opens. Review that list and decide which show you want to go for. Then, double check when the box office opens and where the theater is located.

Most box offices open at 10 am Monday-Saturday and 12 pm on Sundays. I usually try to get rush tickets on Saturday mornings and I’ve figured out that if I get in line between 7:45-8:00 am, I am usually guaranteed to get tickets for the show. Yes, you read that correctly, you should line up a good 2 hours before the box office opens to secure these tickets.

After you get in line, you basically just wait for the box office to open. Bring a book, headphones, or a friend to make this go faster.

Once the box office opens, you can finally purchase your tickets. Be prepared to decide if you want matinee or evening tickets. Each person can purchase two tickets and you will be offered the best available seats (you can’t select your own seats).

If you plan to purchase rush tickets, here’s what you need to know:

People line up multiple hours in advance, but 2-hours early usually guarantees you will get tickets.
Matinees and evening tickets are available at the same time.
Most rush tickets cost $40.
Student rush tickets (unlike general rush) are only available to people with a valid student ID.
Many theaters only allow each person to purchase 2 tickets.
Some theaters sell standing-room only rush, which means you will have to stand in a designated section throughout the entire show.
Rush tickets are often “obstructed view” tickets, meaning you won’t have a full view of the stage. You might be all the way to the right or left, in the very back row, or behind a beam. You won’t know this until after purchasing your ticket.

Pro Tip: Research current Rush Ticket availability ahead of time on the Playbill website to know which theaters are offering rush. If you are flexible, make a list of shows and when you are in Times Square, visit each theater to find the shortest rush ticket line. Most importantly, get in line at least 2 hours early to give yourself the best chance of securing rush tickets.

PROS:

Most tickets are only $40.
Matinee and evening tickets go on sale at the same time.

CONS:

You will have to get in line at least 2 hours early.
Each person can only buy 2 tickets.
Many tickets are obstructed view.

Digital Lottery

Digital lotteries are the least guaranteed option, but they are still worth mentioning.

Some Broadway shows sell tickets through a digital lottery. To win the chance to purchase these tickets, all you have to do is fill out a short online form.

The two website I use to check for digital lottery tickets are:

Lucky Seat: This website has an up-to-date list of the theater lotteries available, with links where you can enter each lottery. They even include lotteries outside NYC. As of April 2019,Hamilton, Book of Mormon, Frozen, and Mean Girls are listed on this site.
Broadway Direct: This site also lists a few different lotteries, including Aladdin and Lion King, but it is essentially the same concept as Lucky Seat.

As I mentioned earlier, you can also enter some digital lotteries through the TodayTix app.

While we are on the topic, let’s talk about the Hamilton lottery. You can enter this lottery daily though the website or Hamilton app. If you win, you can purchase up to 2 tickets for only $10 each!

It is free to enter the lottery drawings and you only pay if you win. Besides Hamilton, most digital lottery tickets cost between $30-$40.

I don’t have any secrets here. Just keep entering and hopefully, you will get lucky! I won lottery tickets to Kinky Boots, so it is possible!

If you want to enter a digital lottery, here is what you need to know:

Entering the lottery does not mean you are guaranteed to win the ticket.
You only pay if you win and most lottery tickets cost between $30-$40.
You can enter online (through Lucky Seat or Broadway Direct) or on an app (TodayTix or the Hamilton app).

Pro Tip: Don’t give up. Keep entering every day and you might eventually win.

PROS:

Easy to enter (no standing in line).
Most tickets are $30-$40.
Each winner can usually purchase 2 tickets.

CONS:

Not nearly as guaranteed as the other options on our list.

Now that you know how to get discount Broadway tickets, what are you waiting on? Go for it!

Don’t hesitate to leave any questions in the comments below. Also, if you have any other tips or have scored cheap Broadway tickets, I’d love to hear from you!