An evening of Broadway without breaking the bank

Sarah Rebell Guest Writer

In the 1930s, a ticket to see a Broadway show cost roughly the same amount as a movie ticket, three or four dollars. By the mid 1970s, Broadway tickets cost $15. By the end of the century, an orchestra seat went for around $80, but ticket prices have been grossly inflated in the past 10 years to push the cost of premium seats can cost over $400.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid paying these extravagant prices for even the best Broadway shows. The Miscellany News has compiled a list of ticket venues and Web sites that will allow a college student to partake in an enjoyable theatrical experience in New York City on a modest budget. And even if you end up in the nosebleed section, it is often possible to move forward at intermission.

TKTS Operated by the Theater Development Fund, TKTS offers half-price tickets for a wide range of Broadway and Off Broadway musicals and plays. While tickets for in-demand shows such as “Spamalot” and “Jersey Boys” are generally unavailable, long running shows such as “Chicago” and “Phantom of the Opera,” or shows struggling to find an audience, have open seats.

The booth’s all-in-one convenience allows theatergoers to look over the selection and choose back-up shows in case their first choice is unavailable. Patrons usually will not know whether tickets for a particular show are still available until they reach the window.

“TKTS takes a lot of time, but you don’t have to go from box office to box office if you don’t get tickets to your first choice show,” said theatergoer Jeannine Frumess ’09.

However, because TKTS is such a popular option and tickets can only be purchased a few hours before curtain, lines can be long and frustrating. Plan accordingly: Be prepared to wait up to two hours (especially on weekends), have a few shows in mind, and bring cash, since TKTS does not always accept credit cards. The TKTS booth is temporarily located on the ground-floor plaza of the Marriott Marquis Hotel; a permanent booth in Father Duffy Square is set to open in Spring 2008.

Student Rush Student rush is probably the most popular option for college students. The concept was first started in the mid ’90s with the musical “Rent,” early in its run at the Nederlander, and since then a majority of Broadway theaters have since followed suit. About two hours before curtain (but earlier in the day for sought-after shows), students with valid IDs can purchase either one or two tickets for $20 to $30.

“The theaters are really beginning to understand that it’s important for students to experience the art of theater—and at a price we can afford,” said Aaron Grober ’11, a regular theatergoer and avid student rush enthusiast.

Lauren Goldberg ’11 also had high praises for the policy when she and several incoming freshmen went to see “Spring Awakening” last year. “We bought student rush tickets, went out to lunch and then saw the show,” said Goldberg. “It was an amazing musical, as well as a great pre-college bonding experience!”

In lieu of student rush, some theaters have general rush and standing-room-only tickets, which are sold only when seats are sold out.

Lottery Some shows, such as “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Wicked” and “A Chorus Line,” use a lottery system instead of a rush system to sell $20-$30 tickets. Like rush tickets, patrons can purchase these tickets two hours before the curtain.

Would-be theatergoers write their names on slips of paper that are put into a box, which is closed exactly two hours prior to curtain. At that time, names are selected from the box to fill out the theater, and the lucky ones can enjoy that evening’s performance. Tickets won through the lottery must be paid in cash.

“I went with three friends to see ‘The Drowsy Chaperone,’” said Frumess. “If you win the lottery you can get up to two tickets. Two of us ending up winning, and all four of us could see the show.”

Playbill.com The theater lover’s bible, Playbill.com includes not only news, interviews and features about current and upcoming shows, but it also lists nearly every professional New York show, on or off Broadway. To boot, the Web site is frequently updated to show the discount tickets policies for each Broadway show.

Signing up for the Web site’s Playbill Club is a free and easy way to purchase discounted tickets, because members regularly receive information and discounts for shows. Unlike TKTS, student rush and lottery options, members of the Playbill Club have the flexibility to buy tickets well in advance and plan their evening accordingly.

Playbill.com is not the only theater Web site of its kind. Other good options include broadwaybox.com and theatermania.com.

Alternative Productions Broadway blockbusters are not the only options for an enjoyable and affordable theatrical experience. Plays and Off Broadway shows tend to offer more affordable ticket prices and focus on less mainstream topics. For example, “The Farnsworth Invention,” the new Aaron Sorkin-penned play about—not surprisingly—television, will soon open on Broadway with orchestra seats going for $91.50. Good Off Broadway shows can be found at venues such as Theatre Row, Page Seventy Three Production and Primary Stages Productions.

Don’t get discouraged by outlandish ticket prices. If a show in Times Square is essential to your visit to the city, you have several options to beat the overpriced system. As a result, you can focus on the performance and not that dent in your wallet.