New York City

Where to buy cheap Broadway tickets

by Paul Joseph  |  Published May 27, 2018

Play a word association game with anyone and ask them to name words they associate with New York and it’s very likely that Broadway will crop up before long. Quite simply, the city’s theatre district is one of the most famous of its kind anywhere in the world and has staged a seemingly never-ending stream of legendary productions down the years.

A performance of Annie the Musical on Broadway (Photo: Eva Rinaldi via Flickr)

Broadway isn’t necessarily a cheap place to watch theatre, but there are still some great deals to be found – if, that is, you know where to look. To help you navigate all the options, we’ve researched a large number of online vendors that profess to offer cheap Broadway tickets and picked out three of the best. You’ll find our selection below.

Since its creation 17 years ago, BroadwayBox.com has been delivering theatre lovers with some great discounts for Broadway shows in the Big Apple, among them some of the city’s most popular performances. A great method for finding discounted tickets via the website is by applying discount codes. The site assembles the latest discount offers when you’re searching for tickets. Some shows have numerous discounts, each with different rules and availability, so you’re strongly advised to check these details to find the best one for your preferences and needs. The discount will usually be taken off your final purchase total during the checkout stage– otherwise, you’ll see a discount code that you’ll need to apply to your purchase. Furthermore, the company typically offers a marketplace to find tickets from guaranteed resellers.
Founded in 1997 New York Show Tickets operates on a membership basis, providing a variety of theatre-related services including promotional show tickets. Discounted tickets are available in many different forms. The hands-down best method is discount ticket codes, which can get you a great discount without a lot of effort, well in advance of the performance date. If you don’t mind waiting outside in the line for a couple of hours in Times Square, on the day of the show the tkts TDF ticket booth may be for you. Or if you’re happy to stand up for the whole show then standing room only can get you into a top show for very little money – and you can often get seated by an usher if there’s a no-show. You can also buy tickets online for face value from the official ticket vendor, but if you buy them in-person at the box office you can avoid paying agencies fees.

Theatre Development Fund

Book at www,tdf.org

Since 1968, the Theatre Development Fund has been one of New York theatre’s most altruistic forces for good, enabling disadvantaged theatre lovers to attend shows with significantly discounted tickets. They offer a huge choice of tickets on sale daily, with anything up to 50% off standard rates. If you’re happy to be spontaneous and book on the day of the event, this service is simply fantastic. Since ticket availability can change rapidly, to help plan your trip you can browse real-time listings on their website or on your mobile through the official app. You can then get your tickets from a designated Discount Booth – there are several across the city. And you can buy your ticket while knowing you’re doing some real good, as the $5 per ticket service fee supports programmes that bring theatre to those who may otherwise be denied the chance to attend.