Traveling to NYC mid-September and want to see at least 1 if not 2 Broadway shows. Tons of websites offering tix, but are they all resale? I cannot find any "box office" to actually buy tix at face value? Is it possible?

Tickets are face value if you walk up to the box office. They are discounted same day at the TKTS booth in Times Square for surplus tix, rarely the best seats, (long lines). Otherwise, you pay a service fee and shipping and anything else they want to add to the price. There are also ticket brokers with offices in the city that will sell you tickets at even higher markups. Living in the region, walking up to the box office or waiting at TKTS is my preference.

Welcome to the Great White Way, where everyone wants a piece of the action. If you are set on getting the hottest tix, pay now regardless of the fees, because there will be no tix for you when you get here.

For most Broadway shows, "official" tickets can be prepurchased online through their official box office, which is probably one of the major ticket engines. If you are concerned about using the correct site, go to the official website for the show and click on the GET TICKETS link there. And as mentioned, there will be a service fee. There are many other websites that may offer to sell you tickets . . .

There are options other than reseller sites. You can Google "Discount Broadway tickets" to get a few legit/reasonable options.

I think the point is, if you go to a musical's website, for tickets they send you to their agent, that's all. they are not "resellers". They have contracts to handle their online ticket sales (Ticketmaster or Telecharge I think). At least all the ones I've seen. That is no other box office online. To be honest, I don't know what happens if you call the actual box office on the phoen if that's your issue, not wanting to pay the service charge.

Otherwise, you can buy in person at the box office, and sometimes even some discounts there (same day especially). That only works great if it's a show with lots of vacancies or you don't care about seating much.

I have used broadway direct . com. It was cheaper than other sources.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._New_York.html

If there are specific shows that you want to see, you need to get tickets in advance and pay the service charges to do so. Broadway.com is a good site and again if you google any show you will be directed to their official ticket agent. Broadway Box is a good site as well as Today's Tix, but as a discount site, they may not have the show you want to see or have ticket availability for when you want to see the show. TKTS is a good option but not likely to have any of the hit musicals, easier there to get tickets for plays or for shows that have been on for some time. What you don't want to do is buy tickets from a private seller on some place like Craigslist as they are likely to be a scam. Also good idea that when you are in NY, head to any box office and buy tickets at face value but at least you aren't paying for any service charges. Given that I worked in midtown I frequently would buy tickets for visiting family members who live out of town at the box office.

Thanks all for the information! Per ellenem and Christina, I guess I am looking for the "official" ticket seller. Of course when I google the show, I see a lot of "sponsored" links. My brother says MJ is not to be missed, and when I google MJ broadway I do see newyork.mjthemusical which I suppose is the official seller. This takes me to Ticketmaster which apparently only has $20 service fee. I'm guessing when I actually check out, they'll add a few more fees as AJPeabody mentions. I know I need to get tix early especially since we're looking for premium seating and being from the west coast, going to the box office is obviously not an option.Maybe I'm too cynical, but when I see "discount", I read "scam" or maybe just some "buts". I dunno.

On a separate subject which I should probably post separately, I looked at the hotel my brother wants to stay at - the Emprie. The week we planned to go the rates are close to double the surrounding weeks. There must be something major in NYC Sept. 17th week?

MIght be Fashion Week and now Fashion Week unless I am mistaken has moved from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center. The Empire I believe is located right across from Lincoln Center. Might also be Opening Night for the Metropolitan Opera but most opera attendees are local and wouldn't need hotel room.

yesh, you do get a lot of websites selling tickets, some of them do have discounts though but only shows that are not super in-demand or lesser seats. Like Playbill or broadwaybox.com

There is a website where you can see what's selling at the TKTS booth, but sounds like you don't want that anyway. This is it
https://www.tdf.org/discount-ticket-...tdf/tkts-live/

MJ not on there
this is the show's official website

https://newyork.mjthemusical.com/

It's not fashion week ,that's earlier in September, I think.

There are some important meetings of the UN General Assembly that week, maybe that's it.

Thanks all! I always count on Fodorites when I visit a foreign country like NYC that I know absolutely nothing about. Anyway, we cancelled our international trip this summer so there's some room in the budget. Even I don't go to NYC looking for upscale accommodations, etc, without expecting to pay the price.