How to Get the Best Deal on Theater Tickets

When shelling out $100 or more is the standard for buying tickets to see Broadway smash hits, something needs to be done. There are several ways you can get around high ticket prices. You may not be able to find tickets for high-demand productions like Wicked. But if you want to go see a classic like The Phantom of the Opera or go see a new musical like Avenue Q, here’s how to get the best deals.

Buy tickets online

Many online Websites will have special promotional codes you can type in to get a discounts on different tickets. Even going to Broadway.com will give you an opportunity to find some of those special discounts. Broadwaybox.com posts a slightly more limited list of codes and shows, but it’s free and you don’t have to register. Other sites like Theatermania.com, Playbill.com or even Ticketmaster will give you good deals too. Any number of sites can do well to give you discounts to your favorite shows like The Lion King or long-standing favorites like The Phantom of the Opera.

Use a ticket broker

A lot of times, ticket brokers get a bad name. But if you can overlook the image of scalpers standing outside the doors selling tickets for exorbitant rates, then you can find some really great deals on tickets. Many reputable and legitimate companies offer tickets for a good deal. An article on CNN.com entitled Budget Travel says some of the sites that can be trusted are StubHub and TicketsNow. The tickets aren’t always discounted from their face value, but these are good places to look.

Buy during the off season or off times

If you're trying to go to see a production when everyone else is, odds are, it’s going to be a little more difficult to get discounted tickets. Prices generally go up the more the seats fill up. But if you decide to see a play during January to February or September to October, it’s a little easier to find good deals on tickets. Also, it is easier to find tickets for a Wednesday afternoon show versus a Saturday or Sunday evening.

Stand in line the day of the show

Sometimes shows will hold onto some tickets and use a special lottery system the day of the show to give some lucky fans a chance to see it. Wicked does just that – selling lottery tickets for around $30. Some shows, like Chicago, will also sell tickets at a discounted price the day of the production. The downside is that sometimes, you have to stand in long lines, and tickets can be released several times a day, so going at different times will make it easier to get those must-have tickets to the biggest must-see shows.

Standing Room Only

If the show you want to see is sold out, some shows will offer Standing Room Only tickets. You can show up to the theater only 30 minutes before the show starts. It’s not the most comfortable thing to stand for two hours, but if the show is sold out, and you still get to see it, you will most likely feel it was well worth it in the end.