How to See All of Broadway's Best For a Fraction of the Price

By Hedy Phillips

Updated on 3/21/2017 at 6:00 PM

Flickr user Diego Torres Silvestre
Flickr user Diego Torres Silvestre

Ready to go on a theater-filled journey? I know, I know — Broadway tickets are so expensive, right? Well, not if you know what you're doing. I'll be the first to admit that it's easier to see Broadway shows for a lower price if you live in New York and aren't pressed for time like a tourist with only one weekend here. However, with a little research and planning, you can totally score tickets for the Great White Way's biggest hits. (Except Hamilton. If you aren't rich or famous, you aren't seeing Hamilton any time soon.)

There are a handful of ways to find tickets for less than asking price if you do a little work. Here's a short breakdown of the basic options:

  1. Lottery: Many Broadway shows offer a ticket lottery. While most theaters used to hold the lotteries in person before showtime, all but three have been moved to being completely digital. (All Book of Mormon shows, all Wicked shows, and Hamilton's Wednesday matinees are the only shows with in-person lotteries still.) What this means is that on the day of a show, you can go to a specific site and enter your information into a drawing. Most theaters don't know until right before the drawing how many tickets they will be able to offer. Sometimes it's 10, sometimes it's 30. If your name is drawn, you'll receive an email with information on how to purchase your discounted ticket either online or at the box office. In-person lotteries for The Book of Mormon, Wicked, and Hamilton are in front of the theaters two and a half hours before curtain. While the live lotteries are fun, digital lotteries prove to be much easier to enter. Lottery tickets can put you anywhere in the theater — I've sat way off to the side with an obstructed view and I've also sat in the front row practically catching Gavin Creel's sweat in my lap during The Book of Mormon. (Don't worry, that's a good thing.)
  2. Rush: Rush tickets can be purchased at the box office the morning of the show for a discounted price. They aren't always available, they might have obstructed views, and you have to go first thing in the morning (10 a.m. on weekdays, 12 p.m. on Sundays), but they're highly discounted tickets.
  3. Today Tix app: The Today Tix app is a concierge ticketing service that sells discounted tickets for shows up to a week in advance. The app also offers its own exclusive lotteries to some shows. Better yet, the app sometimes holds fun deals and contests, like this past Easter there was an Easter egg hunt on the site for coupon codes. That's how I was finally able to see Fun Home — for free!
  4. TKTS booth: Across the street from the giant Olive Garden in Times Square, there's a large set of bleachers. Underneath there is the TKTS booth. Here you can find discounted tickets for the day's shows. There are large LED signs showing what shows are available and for how much of a discount, but the signs will not tell you what the prices are, just what the percent off is. If you go this route, have a couple shows in mind when you step up to the window and try not to spend too long hemming and hawing over which show to see. Unlike the box offices, you don't get to pick price ranges and seats. You pick the show, they tell you the price, you purchase or walk away. The line is also often long, and the prices can change based on availability between the time you arrive at the line and the time you get to the window. That's why it's a good idea to have options, just in case your original choice doesn't work out. There's also a TKTS booth in Brooklyn and one in lower Manhattan at the South Street Seaport, in case you happen to be in those areas.
  5. Other discount sites: There are sites and clubs you can join to get discounted tickets, and some are even free. One option is Theater Mania, which costs $11 per month and can be canceled any time. I joined this for one month to try it out and found that none of the shows that came up were anything I wanted to see. None of them were even Broadway shows at all, actually.

    However, the stock of tickets is always changing, so you might have better luck than me. If you're between the ages of 18 and 35, you can join the Roundabout Theatre Company's site and have access to $25 Hiptix for its shows. That's how I was able to see Tony-winner She Loves Me so cheaply. The Manhattan Theatre Club offers a free 30 Under 30 club for people who are, you guessed it, under 30 years old. By joining — for free — you have access to purchase $30 tickets for the club's shows.

    The last club for young people to join that I'm aware of is LincTix through Lincoln Center Theater. Free membership for people ages 21 to 35 offers you the chance to purchase tickets for $32 for Lincoln Center's Broadway and Off Broadway shows. Beyond these sites that offer memberships, a quick Google search for "Broadway discount" or "Broadway coupon codes" might yield some results. I literally never purchase anything anymore without first searching for a coupon. (Living in Manhattan makes one thrifty.)

So now you have the basic outline for how to get cheaper tickets, but because I love the theater so much and want everyone to take full advantage of all it has to offer, I've provided a further show-by-show breakdown of all the lotteries, rush policies, and show information in the following gallery. In the past year living in New York, I've been to 23 shows and only spent more than $40 on a ticket less than five times. If you follow my guide, you can see all the Broadway shows just like me! Except Hamilton. We can't afford to see Hamilton.

POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

A Bronx Tale

  • Where: Longacre Theatre — 220 W. 48th St.
  • Lottery: No known lottery for this show yet.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets may be available for $39 at the box office on the day of the show.
  • What you need to know: This new musical is directed by Robert De Niro and features a doo-wop score!
  • More about the show

Aladdin

  • Where: New Amsterdam Theatre — 212 W. 42nd St.
  • Lottery: Win $30 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: No rush for this show.
  • What you need to know: The animals you know and love from Disney's movie version of this story won't be found in the stage show. The parrot Iago was turned into a court jester, and Aladdin's and Jasmine's sidekicks, Abu and Rajah, have been replaced by human companions instead.
  • More about the show

Amélie

  • Where: Walter Kerr Theatre — 219 W. 48th St.
  • Lottery: Win $45 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets may be available for $39.50 at the box office on the day of the show.
  • What you need to know: This musical that just opened stars Phillipa Soo, who is best known for her role as Elizabeth Schuyler in the original Hamilton cast.
  • More about the show

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

  • Where: Stephen Sondheim Theatre — 124 W. 43rd St.
  • Lottery: There's no lottery for this show.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets are available for $40 at the box office on the day of the show.
  • What you need to know: This musical tells of Carole King's life, starting before she was the well-known performer, and includes many songs you know and love.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

Cats

Chicago

  • Where: Ambassador Theatre — 219 W. 49th St.
  • Lottery: There's no lottery for this show.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets are available for $37 at the box office on the day of the show. Standing-room tickets are available for $27 when shows are sold out.
  • What you need to know: This musical has seen a number of famous faces in its cast, including Jane the Virgin's Jaime Camil, who most recently starred as Billy Flynn.
  • More about the show

Come From Away

  • Where: Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre — 236 West 45th St.
  • Lottery: There's no lottery for this show.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets are available for $38 at the box office on the day of the show.
  • What you need to know: This new musical takes place the day after 9/11 in Canada where thousands of travelers were displaced.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

Dear Evan Hansen

  • Where: Music Box Theatre — 239 W. 45th St.
  • Lottery: Win $40 tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: There's no known rush yet for this show, but check with the box office.
  • What you need to know: This show just moved to Broadway from its Off Broadway run earlier this year. The show stars Pitch Perfect's Ben Platt as Evan, and it's already getting a lot of buzz int he theater world.
  • More about the show

Hamilton

  • Where: Richard Rodgers Theatre — 226 West 46th St.
  • Lottery: Win $10 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: There is no rush for this show currently, but you can try your luck in the cancellation line if you're willing to wait upwards of 30 hours on the sidewalk.
  • What you need to know: The show earned 16 Tony nominations last year — a new record — and won 11 of them.
  • More about the show

In Transit

  • Where: Circle in the Square Theatre — 235 W. 50th St.
  • Lottery: Win $39 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: There is no known rush for this show yet.
  • What you need to know: This brand-new musical is entirely a cappella. The show runs a solid hour and 40 minutes with no intermission, with only 11 cast members providing all the music with just their voices. To say it's impressive is an understatement.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

Kinky Boots

  • Where: Al Hirschfeld Theatre — 302 W. 45th St.
  • Lottery: Win $37 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: Standing-room tickets will be available for $27 from the box office for sold-out shows.
  • What you need to know: The music Cyndi Lauper wrote for this dazzling and superfun show will have you dancing in the aisles and shopping for some sparkly boots of your own.
  • More about the show

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

  • Where: Imperial Theatre 249 W. 45th St.
  • Lottery: Win $39 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets are available for $39 at the box office on the day of the show.
  • What you need to know: This new musical, based on Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, stars Josh Groban as Pierre and is has one of the most interesting theater stagings I've ever seen on Broadway. The theater is set up so that the actors come into the audience and perform among them.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

On Your Feet!

  • Where: Marquis Theatre — 1535 Broadway
  • Lottery: Win $40 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: No rush for this show.
  • What you need to know: This is the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan that you never realized you needed to know. The show will have you out of your seats dancing and singing along. Also, the theater is inside the Marriott hotel, in case you're having trouble finding it.
  • More about the show

School of Rock — The Musical

  • Where: Winter Garden Theatre — 1634 Broadway
  • Lottery: Win $37 lottery tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: Limited rush tickets are available for $37 at the box office on the day of the show. Standing-room tickets are available for $28 at the box office for sold-out shows.
  • What you need to know: The music for this show was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber (yes, the Phantom of the Opera and Cats guy), and the entire cast of kids plays all the instruments live every show. If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself both inspired by their immense talent at such a young age and maybe a bit jealous of all they've accomplished at a fraction of your age. Just me? OK.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

The Book of Mormon

  • Where: Eugene O'Neill Theatre — 230 W. 49th St.
  • Lottery: This is one of the only remaining in-person lotteries on Broadway. By showing up two and a half hours before curtain, you can enter to win $32 tickets that will very likely seat you in the front row of the theater. Also, the show's Twitter account often tweets contests to win the opportunity to buy tickets as well.
  • Rush tickets: There's no rush for this show, but the box office does sell standing-room only tickets for $27 right after the lottery is held.
  • What you need to know: Showing up for the Book of Mormon lottery is a fun time. It's run by Lottery Dude, who makes the half-hour wait for the draw entertaining. Also, while this show is absolutely hysterical for the open-minded, please don't bring children along. The characters in the show liberally say "f*ck" and poke fun at religion.
  • More about the show
POPSUGAR Photography | Hedy Phillips

The Lion King

The Phantom of the Opera

  • Where: Majestic Theatre — 247 W. 44th St.
  • Lottery: Win $28 tickets by entering here.
  • Rush tickets: There's no rush for this show, but the box office does sell standing-room only tickets for $27 for sold-out shows. Also, for Monday through Thursday shows, seats in the last two rows of the rear mezzanine are $27.
  • What you need to know: Phantom is the longest-running show currently on Broadway. It's been on for a whopping 28 years. Also, the stage show is way better than the movie.
  • More about the show

Waitress

  • Where: Brooks Atkinson Theatre — 256 W. 47th St.
  • Lottery: No lottery yet for this show.
  • Rush tickets: There's no official rush yet for this show, but expect it to come soon. Some standing-room tickets are also available, but check with the box office the day of to find out. Because the show is brand new, all these details aren't ironed out yet.
  • What you need to know: This highly anticipated musical, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, just opened in April 2016 but earned four Tony nominations that year.
  • More about the show

Wicked

  • Where: Gershwin Theatre — 222 West 51st St.
  • Lottery: Win $35 lottery tickets by entering here. The theater also holds an in-person lottery two and a half hours before the show to win $30 tickets.
  • Rush tickets: There is no rush for this show.
  • What you need to know: The roles of Elphaba and Glinda were originated on Broadway by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth — two of Broadway's most well-loved ladies.
  • More about the show