salsadiva

just what kind of a discounted deal can one expect from purchasing tickets here? Any examples from people who've purchased tickets whether musical or play. What they paid? Were they good seats? etc.

Thank you.
Annie

Anonymous

Tickets are discounted 25 or 50 percent, at the discretion of the theater. You can go to the TKTS web site to see what was offered during the previous week:

http://www.tdf.org/tkts/

Patrick

Most shows will be an actual 50% off plus a couple dollar fee (someone will need to tell the exact amount). You don't know what seats you will get and don't expect them to be honest about them. I've had really good seats, but my worst experience was last year asking for a single for either of two shows and which would be the better seat. The guy said "I have center orchestra just a few rows back for either" so I chose one of the two shows. When I got to the theatre, my seat was against the wall in the next to the last row of the orchestra -- fortunately it was not a full house, and as the lights dimmed, I quickly moved down front. But I was no happy with his outright lie to me.

You can go to some websites like www.playbill.com and www.theatremania.com and prebook some shows at half price. I suggest if you do, that you follow the links but then call rather than book on line and you can discuss the actual seats you'll get in advance, and you won't have to stand in that line.

Tim_and_Liz

We saw Mamma Mia! and 42nd Street for 50% face value.

Tim_and_Liz

Sorry, I forgot to include that we had GREAT seats.

MFNYC

You should also check the discount websites for advance sale ticket discounts up to 50%. It may be a little cheaper at TKTS, but you don't have to wiat on the line and can get what you want. Generally the shows with discounts are the same ones that show up on TKTS. Some good sites for discounts are: Theatermania.com, playbill.com, hitshowclub.com, broadwaybox.com. Many of these require freer registration. You can by in advance, or print out the coupon and take it to the box office anytime to purchase tickets.

hlphillips2

If you don't have a huge preference about the show it's a great option - but you must pay cash! Lots of people don't realize this.

We got great seats for a play a few months ago and stood in line half an hour from when it opened by going to the South Street Seaport location (I was over there anyway - cute area). Last spring I jumped in line about three hours before curtain and got one seat in the fourth row, orchestra for another play.

Both of these shows were 50% off, but both closed a few weeks later (to give a semblance of their popularity!)

HowardR

First of all, the service charge at TKTS is $3 per ticket.
Obviously, how good the seats are usually is in direct proportion to how well or badly the show is doing!
I can tell you that from experience, the seats you get with a special offer on playbill.com or another website are better than what you'll usually pick up at TKTS.
And as for Patrick's comment of not knowing what tickets you are getting, while the clerk may not be straightforward with you, just look at your tickets and you'll see where you're sitting! (Patrick, I'm surprised at you, a veteran theatergoer, not looking at the tickets in advance to see whether it was, indeed in the center!)

AJPeabody

TKTS sometimes gets unsold seats released just before showtime and since they are the ones they held back to sell for full price, they are often better seats. Also, at 6:30 PM and later there may be no line. Of course, you risk getting nothing. But, if you are near TKTS 30 minutes before showtime, it can't hurt to see if you can get a lucky ticket.

As for bad seats, I once got what the theater called "mezzanine" seats from TKTS. We were in the last row of the second balcony up there with some plaster angels on the wall above us. The angels had a better view!

Patrick

Howard, I don't remember the specifics now, but I'm not sure how I would have handled it differently. The show was Primate. I'm not sure what you're saying about looking at the ticket in advance and maybe I was misleading in what I said about finding it out when I got to the theatre. I didn't see the ticket until the sale was closed. Isn't that how it works? And you can't do anything about it then. I remember looking at the ticket and thinking something like Q 24 is near the front? I knew it couldn't be a great seat, but what was my choice at that point? I had already bought it. In London I'm used to total honesty at the TKTS booth, and just assumed that when the guy said it was front center, that it would be. I guess in the future (if I use the TKTS booth) I know that when they say it is front center I need to ask what the specific seat is, but I've never done that in London and never realized the dishonesty of the New York place.

HowardR

Patrick, I'm amazed that it happened to you with a ticket to Primate of all things. They couldn't even give away tickets to that disaster!
Perhaps you caught the clerk on a bad day! I've never had anything but "honest" experiences at TKTS.

antlori

I've gotten half-price tickets at the TKTS booth for just about any show I wanted to see--have never gotten a really bad one. If you ask, they will tell you what seat you're getting before they ring it up and you can say yes or no to it. The worst seat I ever had was one I paid full price for; it was for La Cage aux Folles and we were in the very last row of the theater. But we still loved the show! This spring I got 25% off Wicked tickets through Playbill.com as I really wanted to see it and I didn't think it would be on the board. These were also great tickets.

Patrick

Howard. I saw Primate in previews. The preview was nearly sold out, but the general buzz was already getting bad so there were tons of empty seats despite it being nearly sold out.

By the way, it may have been a weird show, but I'm sure glad I saw it. There were a couple of really amazing performances even if they were panned mainly for being so politically incorrect.

BudgetQueen

I average 4 theater trips to NYC per year. I am VERY flexable on my theater choices and use a variety of ways to purchase tickets using www.broadwaybox.com (got Hairspray in Feb $25 off) www.playbill.com or I head to TKTS a half hour before showtime- an hour if looking for off Broadway and see what's available. I have gotten MOSTLY excellent seats- including Wonderful Town, Taboo (closed) etc.