<p>Son may be spending a week in NYC over winter break. How does one best find and buy show tickets? I’ve never been there. Any tips on what or what not to do?</p>
<p>Broadway.com has information about lotteries for show tickets. Each show is different, and not all offer this. Basically, you have to show up at the theater a few hours ahead of the show and put your name in. If it is drawn out, you get to purchase 2 tickets for a low price. Sales are cash only. And you take the chance of not having your name drawn, although some shows will also offer “lottery loser” tickets which are more expensive, but still good seats and still a good deal.</p>
<p>I have seen some great shows from the front row this way. But…you take a chance of not getting tickets at all and you must be flexible.</p>
<p>If you want to see an extremely popular show such as “Book of Mormon” you might be better off buying on-line at the same website. Tickets are expensive, but if your heart is set on a show it can be worth it.</p>
<p>Book of Mormon is sold out for months, even the premium seats.</p>
<p>There are a variety of ways to order tickets. If you want a particular show in advance, and you want excellent seats, you can order through Ticketmaster or Telecharge. Have your son look at a list of shows that will be running then and see which one/ones he’s interested in.</p>
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<p>The ones that use Telecharge can be linked from playbill dot com so he can see what seats are available and make the purchase that way. All other shows use Ticketmaster.</p>
<p>Discounted tickets (for non-prime seats) can be purchased ahead of time if you sign up through playbill dot com or broadwaybox dot com. Broadway dot com is another option.</p>
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<p>If he’s willing to take his chances and see anything, he can line up at TKTS on the day of the show and get discounted tickets for that night. I don’t recommend this if you are only in the city for a short time and if there are particular shows that you want to see because there’s no guarantee of a ticket, and you can spend hours in line that you might spend doing something that’s more fun.</p>
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<p>And, yes, there are lotteries for most shows but many involve a lot of time spent and very slim chances of scoring a ticket. If you choose to do a lottery, be sure to know the rules as they can be slightly different for each show. You will almost always have to pay in cash and if it’s a student lottery, you’ll need valid student I.D.</p>
<p>One last caution, if you are ordering ahead and arranging to pick up the tickets at the Will Call, many theatres want to see the credit card used to order. So, if you’re ordering for your son, he’s going to need your credit card in order to pick up the tickets. If he would like some show recommendations, let me know. </p>
<p>p.s. Keep in mind that the holidays are the busiest time for Broadway and off-Broadway shows so it’s advisable to get tickets as early as possible.</p>
<p>My daughter gets her tired body out of bed and goes to the ticket office and gets on the ‘rush’ line before the ticket office opens. (Usually with a book and a hot chocolate from Starbucks) and waits. The student rush prices are usually about $37 or so. I don’t know exactly all the details, but I think on each show’s website, they will give you info about student rush tickets. You need your college ID. and most shows, if not all, limit you to two tickets.<br>
If you need more info than that, just ask, and I’ll pass your questions on to her.</p>
<p>word of caution, if you Google a show, the first hits you will see are typically ticket brokers that charge more than face value. The safest way to not get ripped off is to go to the official website of the show, then click on ticket button.</p>
<p>We love TKTS, and usually the line moves pretty quickly. It can be a real pain if it’s really cold, or raining, though. One tip: if you’re willing to see a play, and not a musical, there is a special, much shorter line for plays–one of the staff people can direct you to it.</p>
<p>but if you have the budget for it, book of mormon tickets are available from a broker.</p>
<p>there are discount seats for many shows that you can buy on websites. I think I paid $4 for a 3 day window to buy tickets at nytix.com or broadwaybox.com. It was probably as cheap at tkts and I didn’t have to wait in a line outside.</p>
<p>Book of Mormon also has SRO tickets (standing room).</p>
<p>Fewer people go to TKTS at South Street Seaport, so the lines are shorter. And they sell matinee tickets a day in advance.</p>
<p>I’ve used the discount coupons offered by the sites alwaysamom mentioned (just google discount Broadway tickets and stuff comes up), and have had lots of success. You pay more than TKTS but less than full value.</p>
<p>I love the broadway box discounts. Sometimes, though you can do just as well at the show’s official webpage, if you are willing to sit in the balcony. Broadway theatres are small, so even from the last seat in the corner, you are certainly able to see and hear, and the price differential can be staggering. Also, non-weekend nights are often less expensive/more available – daughter and I saw “Phantom” on a Thursday night for $26! </p>
<p>Many Broadway shows do sell out, so if there’s a must-see, start looking now if dates are confirmed. Also, if it’s a single ticket, he may have more luck – I DID find Book of Mornon tickets last August for D and me by being willing to choose separate seats…and we ended up one row away from each other. (BoM was a blast, but there are many, many other excellent shows available!)</p>
<p>Consider off-Broadway shows as well. The difference is in size of theatre…not quality, and and prices and availability are often better. Off-off can be fun, too…but for someone not familiar with the city, those venues can be more difficult to find.</p>
<p>Tell him to enjoy!! Jealous!!</p>
<p>I just got back home to read the responses. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who commented!</p>
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<p>Hope your son has a great visit!</p>