Broadway rehearsals-Tickets?or how to see a show for not much $
 

We are a family of 4- two kids ages 13 and 8-that are planning an "on a shoestring budget" short trip to NYC right before Christmas. This will be our second time to visit after going last summer and loving it!
This time money is tight, but we would really love to be able to see a show again with the kids. (We saw The Lion King before-wow!) I read somewhere that you may be able to see final rehearsals to the shows. Is that true and if so, how much are tickets? I know about the TKTS booth, but can you get tickets there for less than $50 a piece? We really need to not go higher than about a hundred dollars for all of us. If it can't be done, we will wait until next time! Many thanks for all of your help.

You are talking about Previews. The tickets are at full price, but I get them at greatly reduced prices because I am a frequent theater goer. Try playbill.com

I second the recommendation for Playbill.com -- we go to NYC to see our daughter about every 6 wks. Last weekend her college roommate from NC was also in town and wanted to go to a show. I checked the Playbill website the night before we were to drive up, and picked a couple of offerings. After talking to the girls the next morning while we were driving up Rt95, I phoned in an order for tickets for us all to see a show that night! Couldn't have worked out better. Now, you've got a lot more time to plan, and you can order tickets in advance for many of the specials they offer. The Broadway shows may still be $40-50 a ticket at half-price, but there are off-Broadway shows, Magic shows, concerts, dance preformances...I'm sure you'll find something to fit your needs. Happy planning!

I third Playbill...Sign on and become a member (free) for their newsletter. They have specials every week where you can get tix for cheap for Tues-Ths. shows.

Shows are done so often that they don't really do full blown dress rehersals after the play is up and running.

During the holiday season, you will be hard pressed to find any theater under $50.

Some freebies that are fun; riding the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, free nights at museums, Central Park, churches, holiday window displays at Saks, Berdorf, Bloomies, Macys, etc., and the tree at Rockefeller Center to name a few.

I have seen tickets to the Radio City Music Hall Extravaganza for under $40 but they are usually last minute.

Check out the website CheapoNewYork.com and good luck!

There is also an organization for students regarding Broadway shows and other cultural events. I can't remember the details, maybe someone else from nyc can help you oor a web search. good luck and have fun!

Thanks so far for taking time to respond. I did sign up for Playbill and hope that we can maybe find a deal through it. GoTravel- the info on the Radio City show interested me as that was one of the places/shows that I think the kids would love to see. Where did you see tickets advertised cheaply, do you recall? Being that we have the two kids we are a bit confined to the type of show to see. I am going to post another ? about which ones are appropriate for kids. That way I will know which to zero in on through the discount sites. Thanks!

To wondering: I think the organization you're referring to is the Theatre Development Fund and the website is tdf.com. I believe this is the same group that runs the TKTS booth. From time to time they offer great deals, but you have to be a member (there's a yearly fee) and the membership is restricted to certain categories of people, such as students, teachers, union members, or something like that. I think you have to provide proof of eligibility to join, so it doesn't work for everyone. But if you can qualify it's a worthwhile organization to join.

I found the cheap seats either on the Radio City Music Hall website or on ticketmaster.com. I don't think they would have them discounted yet. I checked on December 23 for the matinee on December 24th and they were available. Keep watching the websites.