Cheap Tickets to Broadway
For those planning a trip to New York on a budget, you might have already considered free things to do such as Staten Island Ferry but here’s a chance to pick up free/cheap tickets to Broadway. No trip to New York is complete without taking in a show so we’ve plenty of ideas to keep the costs down on a Broadway/off-Broadway show.
Follow our guide below that range from last minute ticket deals to offering your services as an usher!
Times Square
1. Become an Usher
This is not as preposterous as it sounds! You can actually volunteer your services for just one evening in return for FREE tickets. We did exactly that during our recent trip to New York. Having contacted Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village prior to our visit, we were told to arrive an hour before the performance wearing black trousers & smart shoes. Whilst I was nervous of what our duties would entail, particularly as I’m not too hot on the old left & right, we did nothing more arduous than help add flyers to programmes, zap tickets on the door & hand out programmes.
Luckily for me, (or should I say the customers), visitors to this particular theatre could sit anywhere they liked. As the play began, we joined the audience & sat back to enjoy the show.
Cherry Lane Theatre
How To Become A Usher For A Day
i. There are many New York theatres that offer free tickets in return for a quick stint as an usher. Simply email participating New York theatres a few weeks before you plan to visit, including your availability.
ii. Whilst this mainly relates to off Broadway shows, (with the exception of The Roundabout Theatre which is located on Broadway), it’s a great way to enjoy a show for FREE.
iii. Don’t be put off with ‘off Broadway’ shows as there are some amazing musicals & plays available. Dare I say our off Broadway show at Cherry Lane Theatre was more entertaining than Tom Hanks On Broadway, (Lucky Guy) the previous evening, (although Tom was fabulous, the play lacked substance).
Cheap tickets for Broadway; tkts booth
2. Tkts Booth at Times Square
For substantial ticket discounts for top Broadway shows, worth checking out the tkts booth on Times Square. Savings range from 20-50% off standard price tickets and works particularly well for those that can be flexible on their choice of Broadway show. With a range of theatre shows available each day, you will be allocated the best available seats at the time of purchase.
3. Cheap Broadway Tickets; Rush Seats
Most Broadway & off Broadway shows keep tickets back to the day of the performance, known as Rush Seats. The number of tickets available on the day differs from theatre to theatre with each box office tending to run a slight different procedure. In general terms, if you are looking for rush tickets, you must be willing to queue for at least a coupe of hours BEFORE the box office opens with no guarantee of securing tickets. Whilst the discounts can be considerable, you will have to balance the time spent queuing against potential savings. More for those on a longer break to New York or travelers on a serious budget!
If this is for you, it’s worth putting the leg work in up front; work out exactly what you’d like to see & how rush seats works for that particular theatre. Often theatres will limit rush seat to a certain number each day so worth counting up the number of people in front of you in the queue before you waste the next few hours of the day needlessly!
