Just for the heck of it, I checked all the discount offers on broadwaybox.com, and fewer than a third of them have discounts of 50% for individual shows. Most of the other two-thirds-plus shows have discounts in the 40-45% off range.

I guess that I'm in the minority, but I LOVE Wicked! I've seen it 5 times with a bunch of different leads and loved it every time. I cry at the end of the first act, and I sob during the finale every single time. I would not, however, pay above face value for a Broadway show.

Another thing to consider for TKTS is the time it takes: even at South Street Seaport, I waited in line for almost an hour. I tend to use discounts at playbill or broadway box just to free up more time in the city. I use TKTS only if I'm seeing a show the day of my arrival flight (after being delayed 12 hours and missing a show during one trip, I never purchase tickets for my arrival day.)

I am not a Phantom fan at all - I think it's a bit boring. I would also suggest In the Heights. There are discounts right now, and it's a fabulous show.

Glad to hear about the option for credit card use at TKTS. I remember once I couldn't find an ATM there that would take my network. Grr! Much easier with the credit card, of course.

As I said before, what show you like or dislike is so subjective. I do agree that a show like "Lion King" or "Mary Poppins" is a sure hit with kids if you want to play it safe. Just have your mind made up when you get to the ticket window because there will be others behind you.

It's a book???

Going to see it in SF this April.
I hope I don't sit next to someone who has seen it umpteen times and sings along with it expecting a compliment from me because they know all the words like when we saw Jersey Boys. 8-|

"I guess that I'm in the minority, but I LOVE Wicked!

Bethke14, you are NOT in the minority. Over six years of sold out houses make clear that this is a wildly popular show.

keep on lovin it bethke14!

Hey I never liked Cat's either, but it sure made a lot of people happy and a lot of people a livelihood for many years.

Gotta love the arts, even when you don't like'em so much!

Yes Kal, there was a book! "It's not easy being born green......."

You're not in the minority beth. There are Wicked fans here but it sounds like that's not the best option for the OP. cpg, you broke my heart. :-( HowardR bruised it a couple of years back but cpg (shaking head emoticon here).

It will be a while before there are Wicked discounts - which is amazing. I've seen it in 3 cities and I'm not telling how many times. :-D The book was interesting but the play is more "inspired" by the book than a retelling of the book.

IF you are a big fan of the show, considered the Behind the Emerald Curtain tour - but not if you aren't going to see the show.

Just got back from Chorus Line. Hard to believe I've not seen it before. My friend's ex went to school with Michael Bennett and some interesting stories were shared - included the origin of his name.

bbt, we saw Phantom in November. I'm guessing South Pacific tix will be hard to get too. Good luck with your choices.

My take on the musical "Cats":

"Cats" was a dog.

Come on starrs, we've been down this yellow brick road before - you must never take my theatrical views personally!!!! About Chorus Line - saw the original 3x and loved it; saw the revival recently and some of the cast were lackluster. What did you think and what's the story with Bennett's name?

Re Chorus Line - I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected. I really expected to totally love it. Enjoyed it - just wasn't "wowed".

Bennett was the name of the high school they attended. Apparently, he chose it over his original surname.

Oh, and I was teasing you about "Wicked" :-)

During the reign of CATS on Broadway -- our retelling of their slogan?

CATS --"Now and FUR-ever."

Oh, and they never bought up my idea for the interminable National Tours that went on and on:

"CATS -- coughing up yet another hair ball in a town near you."

South Pacific tickets are now available discounted through Playbill.com and Broadway Box.com. But both leads are out of the show--Kelli O'Hara because she is pregnant and Paulo Szot because of some other committment. I've heard his replacement is excellent (don't know about hers yet) and I'm sure the show is still well worth seeing. It is at Lincoln Center, not right in the theater district, if that's a consideration.

I'm going to be in NY around the same time as the OP, and we're planning to see South Pacific, In the Heights, and Billy Elliot. I've already seen Wicked, and thought it was ruined by being in that big barn of a theater.

Starrs, it's too bad you missed the original version of A Chorus Line. It was one of the best ever! Saw it 6 times! After reading the reviews of the recent revival, I decided against seeing it, as I felt it would tarnish my golden memories of the original!

I second that Howard! It was my first musical on Broadway and still my favorite! The revival was very nostalgic but not the original

I third that Howard! Haven't seen a revival in 20 years, but the original was something to behold (I can hear Priscilla Lopez singing What I Did For Love even as I sit in my office in San Francisco 30 years later)! Oh, and add the original Annie to the list of shows I liked quite a bit better than Wicked (can't get enough of Andrea McArdle's voice)

Another Wicked fan here....another great source for discounts on shows is www.workingadvantage.com. We have it through work and have gotten a number of good deals. However, you don't get to pick out your seats (which doesn't work for everyone).

Try this site for a coupon and follow the link to TICKETS NOW- www.nytheatre-wire.com/coupons
I accidentally found this site this morning when I googled "Theatre coupons" A calendar of events pops up and I noticed Wicked was listed. Over February break we saw Guys and Dolls and loved it. Not sure what the NYTimes reviewer saw, we totally disagreed with him/her. Mary Poppins is fun for everybody, we took our grandchildren but I think we liked it more than they did. There are great reviews for South Pacific. Billy Elliot and Shrek are next on our list of shows to see- hopefully in May. The visitor center on Broadway is never very crowded and I have felt at ease getting tickets there many times if I didn't plan ahead. Hope the coupon site helps you.

I wish I had seen it, HowardR. :-(
I'm glad I saw the show, but was a bit of a letdown.

Starrs, I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I saw A Chorus Line. "Thrilling" is an appropriate description. I remember when it ended, we sat there speechless, in awe. That final number just knocked us out! And, we wanted the whole show to start all over again!

Couldn't agree more Howard!

<i>Couldn't agree more Howard!</i>

Nor I!

I am back from New York and I got to see Wicked. I went to the theatre and tried the lottery but did not win. I guy working there told me to stand in the cancellation line. I was able to get great seats in the Orchestra section for the regular price. My daughter loved Wicked the best. We also saw Phantom of the Opera(my favorite) and 39 Steps. We were not to impressed with the last one. I ended up getting all my tickets the day of the show from the theatre itself. I walked by the TKTS booth but the lines were too long for me. It was not worth half price tickets for me to stand for an hour especially when you are on vacation. I printed out the codes from broadwaybox and used them for one of the shows. I cannot wait to go back and see more.

Glad it was a good trip and you got good seats for Wicked. I totally agree with the use of time during short vacations to wait in the TKTS line.

Just bought tickets for the family to go see Chorus Line. I saw it years ago and can't wait to see it again.

DH said something about some of the songs changing.....old ones gone, new ones put in. I seem to recall something like that in the movie - but does anyone know if any changes were made to the show?

The revival is not in NY anymore, but I don't recall new songs when I saw it. Unfortunately, the NY revival cast was very uneven and didn't compare to the original (which I saw several times). The original was fantastic!

I'm confused. How could Grcxx3 buy tickets for A Chorus Line in NY, when it closed months ago? Her DH is wrong. There were no song changes in the revival.

Wow, I'm confused too. Certainly Grcxx3 is NOT talking about the Broadway production unless she's just bought tickets for a production that doesn't exist!

It is on tour now. Maybe she's talking about somewhere else?

Howard -I have tickets for the touring company. The show is coming to Houston in January.

I saw the touring company in Atlanta last season and was very underwhelmed. I was surprised at how much we didn't like it. I'd never seen the Chorus Line before, was very psyched...and very disappointed.

I hope it has improved.

starrs - what "underwhelmed" you?

DH and I have seen it before but this is the first time our sons will be seeing it.

I saw it years ago on Broadway. A friend of mine from high school and her husband were in it for years - but I missed them. Altho I did see the husband when he was in Cats.

grcxx3 - I saw the original three times. The production that I recently saw did not have a great cast. Even the best productions can pale when the cast isn't wonderful. I've seen this happen many times.

Well, I know the cast makes the difference. Let's just hope by January they have gotten it together. :)

I hope so too!

It wasn't a good show.

Hi starrs - did you not like the premise? the music?

starrs - in what way?

I don't know how to describe it. I love musicals expected to love the show. Perhaps it was the cast as HowardR mentioned. There were two standouts in the cast but the rest of the show felt...don't know what word to use...lethargic?

Our seats were great but it almost felt like we were watching a movie. The energy that usually reverberates from the stage just wasn't there. Don't really know how to describe it. The premise and the music were fine. We were just...underwhelmed.

The revival did not overwhelm the New York critics, whose main criticism was the it was--in my words--too much of a copy of the original, without a sparkle of its own.....and, of course, a copy is never as good as what it copied!