How do you choose Broadway seats?

I have attended shows on Broadway for many decades. I now live on the West Coast.

I buy tickets on broadwaybox.com, and I prefer to sit as close as I can to the center in row J of the orchestra.

Thanks, any opinions on which play?

Broadwaybox.com is good for getting discounted tickets listed on the left hand column on their website. Since the 2 shows you mention are never discounted, you should first try buying tix from the official sellers of those shows. Wicked is sold by ticketmaster and South Pacific is on Telecharge. Every Broadway show uses one of these 2 sellers as their official seller. You can find direct links to both on a website like Playbill.com
Go to the left column there and click "broadway" under the subhead listings/tickets.

Non discounted tickets on broadwaybox are actually sold by brokers who charge over the face value. Sometimes that's necessary, but try the other route first.

Wicked has been extremely popular, especially among teen girls. I wouldn't discourage you, but if you're 2 couples, I'm not sure the men will enjoy this as much as other options.

I haven't seen this production of "South Pacific." It's gotten rave reviews and if it's choice b/w these 2, I think South Pacific is the better choice. I assume you know it's a revival and you can rent a DVD of the movie if you don't know it or to see if you think you'd like it.

If you're in your 50's, maybe you were fans of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in your youth? The show "Jersey Boys" is about them and has also been hugely popular. I recently saw "In the Heights" which won for best musical last year. It's just started being discounted. A revival of "West Side Story" will also be opening.

As for best seats, the closer to the center the better. The very best seats are sold as "premium" tickets and are very expensive. Anything in the middle of the orchestra. If it's a big theater, sometimes the front of the first mezzanine is better than the back of the orchestra. I think for your first B'way experience, I'd try to get as close to the stage as possible without being too far to the side.

seeksocean, you've got some very good suggestions above. But don't overlook Chicago, which is one of the longest running shows on Broadway right now, and for good reason. It's great, and is a little more adult than many other musicals.

seeksocean - It's such a personal choice in selecting a play. Having said that, I am in your age range and going to theater since age 12 - I would choose South Pacific as a first entree to musical theater. The production is great - wonderful acting, staging, memorable music and oh, that orchestra! The Vivian Beaumont is a wonderful theater at Lincoln Center with most seats being very good. My preference in that theater is to just avoid seats on the very far sides. I don't think I've ever had a bad seat there. If you go, get the CD (about $10) of this production. There's nothing like familiarity of great music to add to the enjoyment of the play. Enjoy!

Thanks! I think that South Pacific is our first choice. Should we pay the premium for excellent seats (like, when again will I ever get there?), or wait and see if in the spring, when we get there, there would be a discount deal? Probably a rhetorical question.

You won;t see discounts to South Pacific anytime soon. If you go to the official ticket seller NOW you have a chance of getting good seats without paying a premium to a scalper.

That's what I would do.

If you wait for a discount you are likely to have to go to a scalper and pay way more than face value of the tickets.

As nytraveler says, see what the best seats are for South Pacific without paying for premium seats. I would PHONE and speak to a live person (and print a detailed seating chart from the internet) rather than trying to do it online. Sometimes their idea of "best available" is not my idea of same.

okay thanks

Just out of curiosity, do you have the phone number?

There's a toll free 800 # listed here for buying tickets
http://www.telecharge.com/contactUs.aspx

Thanks! Since we would like to see what jazz may be in town when we are there (third week in May), how close in advance of that time in May should I book to still get decent seats...in your opinion. Thanks again!

Depends on who's playing (how well known they are) and the size of the venue. Some jazz places won't require any prebooking. It appears most places only have calendars through April. Wait a month and look again.

A few other quick suggestions regarding seating...

I've always been told to think "N" is nice - or in otherwords beyond Row N is not so nice.

If its beyond Row N, then I ask what is available in the front section upstairs.

Also stay away from the far sides close to the wall. Sounds obvious, but sometimes its a partial view depending on what might be on stage. Depending on the show, they may or may not have the box office tell you that.

You should know that front row seating for Broadway is many times not desirable - particularly if it is a large scale show.

Have fun whatever you choose to see!!

Just to clarify: there are full price seats and 'premium' seats on Broadway (not really sure about Lincoln Center because I'm a member of LCT and pay a discounted rate). Premium seats were started a few years ago (wasn't it Mel Brooks for Young Frankenstein?) as a marketing tool to overcharge, IMO, for the best orchestra seats. I have drawn the line, for myself, at paying full price with the additional charges ($131 per ticket) and not a penny more. As someone who goes to the theater frequently (paying anywhere from $30 - 130), there unfortunately are rarely performances, again imo, that are worth the full price. I do think that South Pacific is worth full price.

Thanks all...again. Centralparkgirl, what shows do you think warrant full price? I am still open to all ideas. I think I will wait a month to book in case there are any club acts that can't be missed. I really appreciate you all!!

For $130, South Pacific and August: Osage County. I loved Equus which is discounted and closing soon. Chicago and Avenue Q are both very good and discounted now because they're playing a long time. I have full price tix for West Side Story, but who knows? I have guessed wrong many a time and am currently in a 'choose more carefully' or 'wait 'til it opens' mood. I still think for a newbie, South Pacific is a quintessential B'way musical. Everyone I know has loved it. I'll bet that whatever you see, you will come away saying, I can't believe I haven't experienced this before! So, why don't you pick a full price show like South Pacific and a second one (maybe a matinee) - that is very good, but discounted because it's playing for years. And then I would choose Chicago. btw, I saw Billy Elliott and enjoyed it, but not sure it's worth $130.

If you decide on South Pacific, I would NOT spend the extra money for premium seats. The sightlines in that theater are excellent no matter where you sit! Regular orchestra seats are $120. And that's the most you should spend for the tickets (plus, of course, the normal add-on $5-7.50 per ticket surcharge when ordering on the phone or online).

I sound like a broken record but I really loved "In the Heights" (and was surprised at how much I liked it) and it's now on discount.

Thanks as usual! I think one play for the time we are there is good since the days will be filled with museums and sites and FOOD! Speaking of...where is a good place to eat near the theatre were South Pacific is playing? Not too fancy, but good. And, if the play starts at 8pm, when should we make a rez? Thanks! I am so ever grateful!!!

Dinner at 6pm will give you plenty of time for a leisurely dinner and then to walk across to the theater (the Vivian Beaumont theater is northwest of the Met Opera house - one minute walk past the Met). There's Bar Boulud, Daniel Boulud's new place $42 for a prix fixe 3 course dinner. Less expensive is Shun Lee Cafe (next to the regular restaurant) for dim sum and other good Chinese dishes. Josephina's or Fiorello's - all right across Broadway from Lincoln Center.

Thank you CPG! We are staying at the Omni Berkshire and I have been going to menupages.com and printing out all the menues of restuarants that have been recommeded and then mapquesting them from our hotel.

So many of the suggested places are less than a mile from our hotel. Where we live here in the rural northwest, we walk that far no big deal. Is it really not a good idea to walk within our NYC neighborhood at night (night being before 10pm)? My idea would be to do our daytime siteseeing and then take a 'hotel break' and then walk to dinner. But is that naive? Will taxis at night be my fate? Thanks Centralparkgirl in advance for your advice!! XOXO

Sorry about all my typos!

Seekocean, you absolutely can walk in the neighborhood of your hotel at night (there'll be far more people around than in your rural neighborhood!). The only thing I wouldn't recommend is actually crossing Central Park late at night, just cross from west (where Lincoln Center is) to east (where you hotel is) on one of the main streets (57th St. for example) and you'll be just fine. Just as an example, we have friends who live in the west 70s. We had dinner with them near Union Square, then walked to our hotel at 47th St., then they walked HOME another 30 blocks. It's the best way to get around. Of course, if you feel like it, cabs are abundant.

Your hotel is in a great location. As sf7307 said, don't go into Central Park at night. I personally avoid empty or quiet side streets at night. So walking across 57th Street is fine - plenty of people and traffic all the time.

sf7307 - laughing about your comments on walking around the city. It is soooo cold lately that cabs seem ideal!

CP, I'm cold HERE in SF...really, my mother told me I hated cold weather from birth! (As for walking in NY, well, there's no other way to go when it's decent weather -- when we were there in October, we walked one day from 49th and Lexington, to 71st and Central Park West, to Amsterdam and 116th and back to 71st and CPW. Believe me, I felt it the next day!)

sf - three words that I detest: wind chill factor!!!

(OT - how's your DH doing?)

(slowly getting there; back at work; eating everything in sight! - thanks for asking!)

Thanks! Since there are 4 of us, will one cab do?

Another restaurant idea we just experienced and LOVED is Center Cut. 212-956-1288 @44 West 63rd St. www.chinagrilmgt.com It's on the second floor of the Empire Hotel just above PJ's and right across from Lincoln Center. There's a glass elevator looking over the square, and they have a fabulous prix fix pre theatre (4pm-7 or 8pm?) for $39.00 for 4 courses. fabulous choices,we have the steak, a popover to die for, and the dessert is cookies to go! 5 enormous yummy cookies of many kinds-make great muchies for walking the city! you can also order a different dessert and take the cookies with you! (just don't rattle the bag during the theatre!!!) we ordered a side dish of spinach with artichoke hearts and puff pastry that was to die for. This place has been open just 3 months and is wonderful-it deserves to stay open!

as for walking? it's the Best way to see New york! of course a carriage ride through the park is also delightful, and a fun way to get near Lincoln Center . . . you can call ticketmaster at 212-707-4100 and speak to a person--and yes, it should be South Pacific and do consider Chicago-very different from SP and marvelous--and if the weather is bad and you want another show do consider The Lion King-get orchestra seats on the aisle-not to be forgotten! good weather? think of a walk through China Town and Little Italy. They're right next door to each other and lots of fun. sorry for so much info-we love NYC!

Thanks so much! What about the question of how many can fit in a taxi? There are 4 of us. Thanks!

One more question..!! Yes, a carriage ride was on the list..So much to do!!..Is this something we should pre-book..or even can prebook? We will be there the week before Memorial Day (including that weekend) and we have read that it's a great time to go as many New Yorkers go on vacation. How far in advance would/could you book restaurants?

A taxi fits four people, but someone will have to sit in front with the driver.

I can say that I've sat at the very top on the right at the Beaumont, and I had absolutely no problems with sight lines. It's one theater that is really great that way.

And I would NEVER ever pay more than the top regular ticket price for any play (frankly, I rarely will pay full price ... if there's no discount, I usually don't see it ... even The Producers). HowardR is right on that point.

Thanks Doug, I have always appreciated when you sign in on posts.

I like to do my homework and I feel that I get a better experience out of the deal...especially on fast trips like this. Glad to hear about the 4 in a taxi.

We did a package through Expedia, which I am happy with, so many things are taken care of and I feel the deal was fair, as we do fly out of our small regional airport, which can be expensive. I am looking forward to the surprises on this trip though...good ones, I hope.

On the question of booking tables at popular restaurants...how far in advance would you suggest?

Doug...one more thing (always one more thing with me!)...If we know we want to see South Pacific mid-week in mid to late May, how far in advance would you recommend us buying our tickets?

We do hope to see some good jazz and those schedules come later it seems. Thanks!

When you mention Expedia and a package and many things taken care of, I just want to say if you've bought airport transfers in NYC don't use them or try to cancel. Super Shuttle, the shared shuttle bus is just awful and actually more expensive for a party of 4 than a regular taxi.

I don't know the answer to your when to buy tickets but during the week you generally find better options. The show is at 7 on Tues. and 8 on other nights.

Shoot, we may have blown it on that one. I don't think that we can cancel that part of it. Oh well.

Our show nights would be Wed-Sat. I have an E-mail in to a relative that travels to NYC to see if she could just go and buy us tickets at the box office.

<< On the question of booking tables at popular restaurants...how far in advance would you suggest? >>

As far ahead as you can. Restaurants have different policies - some take reservations 30 days, 4 calendar weeks, 6 weeks, one calendar month, etc ahead. The only way to know their policy is to call them and mark your calendar.

Thanks Centralparkgirl. We want to book Norma's for sure for Sunday brunch!

I printed up all these mouth watering menues. Jubilee, Deux Amis, Cafe De Bruxelles, The Tea Box at Takashimaya, Solera, Cafe 2 at MOMA, and Fresco. Unreal. Any opinions on these choices so far?

In my small town we don't even have a traffic light, yet alone great restaurants to choose from. I am humbled.

opentable.com is a website from which you can book many but not all restaurants. Only the very most popular places need booking very far in advance. If you'd like a nice meal with great view, rivercafe.com or bateauxnewyork.com are both very nice. Not the best food in NYC but a good combo of good food and great views.

Mclaurie, Thanks! I'll check into it. I checked and we paid a total of $76 for each way to and from NYC airport on Supershuttle. Should we just deal with it, or eat the $$ and get a cab? Our flight gets in at 4:40pm mid week and leaves on a Sunday afternoon. You'd think Sunday would be a breeze either way, shuttle or taxi.

That makes me SOOOOO angry every time I hear about it. A taxi will cost $60 including $45 fare, toll and tip, so you're actually paying MORE for the honor of sharing a bus with other people and getting perhaps a grand tour while others are dropped off before you at their hotels, not to mention getting a tour of the airport to fill the bus up. This Super Shuttle scam has been going on for so long.....rant rant rant.

You can try to cancel. Whether to write off the expense is up to you. If you're not in a big rush to get to the hotel, use it going from the airport but I wouldn't use it for the return. They're infamous for not showing up at all and making people late or miss their flight OR asking you to leave hours before you need to for their convenience.

I haven't eaten in those restaurants and some of them don't get the greatest ratings on Zagat's (fwiw). One option near your hotel is Pampano, an attractive modern Mexican with the accent on very fresh seafood - not inexpensive. www.modernmexican.com

But, consider not limiting yourself to dining near your hotel - then the options are limitless.

One other suggestion. We like to have appetizers and a drink before a show. Hate eating a big meal and then sitting for 3 hours. After the show, we walk down restaurant row (46th between 8th & 9th) and pick one of the MANY restaurants along that strip. Never had a bad meal. Love Orso - you could probably even make an after-theatre reservation if you wanted to. We save our meal until then. NYC is still hopping and it's fun to be out! Also - my husband LOVED Wicked. Not just a teen girl's show! And it's different in case you've seen South Pacific a lot. Have fun!!

Buy your South Pacific tickets as soon as you can (now, if they are selling tickets for May).

Everything else can wait. There are few restaurants where you have to make reservations 30 days in advance any more (business isn't that good ... and I've gotten good times at places that used to book up far in advance with just a week's notice lately).

Sorry to hear about SuperShuttle, but I'm too cheap to pay double so I'd just take it (if it's really really bad, you can do a regular taxi on the way tack to the airport). It's a surprisingly abysmal service in NYC, and I just don't know why. I've used SuperShuttle successfully in many other places, but here it's so horrible I can't even begin to say.

Okay, my relative in NYC said she would go to get the tickets for me for South Pacific, so there's one problem solved. I'll try and figure out the supershuttle dilema. Thanks again!

I saw South Pacific last May. It is wonderful. You will come away humming the songs. The set is amazing too. Have a look at their web site for tickets. As I recall they have a very good display of available seats that is easy to negotiate. My friend and I split up so that we could both have great seats. That's always an option if you can't found enough good seats togeher. I wouldn't want to be too far to either side, but you could absolutely be as close as the front row or as far back as the back wall and see just fine. I would try for a more center position as the sound is better that way. Not a big fan of the mezzanine, prefer the main floor.

If you decide on Wicked, my favorite location is the front of the Mezz as that is a huge show with lots to see and its hard to take it all in if you aren't positioned just right on the main floor.

I agree with Doug. Get your South Pacific tickets soon. Having your friend stop at the box is a wise move, as it will save service charges. Just have them check first to make sure May tickets are available yet.
And remember what Doug and I have said: There are no bad sight lines at that theater!