Secrets of Getting Cheap and Discounted Broadway Tickets - Stellar Tickets

Oct. 24, 2008 - PRLog -- Theater prices have gone sky-high--$200 for a musical is now the norm.
But this is New York, and there's nothing New Yorkers (or anyone for
that matter) hate more than paying retail. The truth is, Broadway has
become a lot like the airline industry: If you know what you're doing,
you can spend a fraction of what the person next to you did.

Before you leave

Check out the actual shows websites, for discounted tickets and up-to-
date theater news. Circumstances vary from show to show, but tickets
can usually be bought from a week to three months in advance for up to
50 percent off (plus fees from the ticket agency, such as Ticketmaster
or Telecharge). Don't expect the hottest shows to be discounted, but
plenty of big-name productions, including The Phantom of the Opera,
Hairspray, and The Little Mermaid, were available at less-than-full
price at press time. BroadwaySeats.com provides a spectacular Guide to
Discount Tickets and for finding discounts when others fail to offer
the show of your choice.

The day of the performance

Locals and tourists score discounts of 25 to 50 percent by lining up
for same-day tickets at the two TKTS kiosks in Manhattan (tdf.org): in
Times Square at 47th Street and Broadway, and in the Financial
District at the corner of Front and John Streets. The big downside is
that you typically must wait more than an hour (sometimes less if you
want to see a play; lines are now divided into musical and
nonmusical). The most popular shows are unlikely to be available, and
you may not get your first choice. Most days, people start queuing up
several hours before TKTS opens. Tickets may be released several times
a day, so it's still possible to grab great seats by stopping by at 6
or 7 p.m., when lines are shortest. The Times Square location is open
from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and starting at 10 a.m. on
Saturdays and Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. on Sundays (hours are slightly
different downtown). They take only cash and traveler's checks.

Currently, two of the toughest tickets on Broadway--that rarely, if
ever, appear on TKTS or discount websites--are Jersey Boys (the
spectacular story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) and Wicked (a
musical about the Wicked Witch of the West). Most people book far in
advance, but tickets for both open up at the last minute for $25 or
less. Show up at the theater two and a half hours before the
performance (5:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. curtain) and sign up for the
lottery. (Bring a photo ID.) Rent and Hairspray have similar systems.

Several shows, including The Lion King and Mamma Mia!, sell same-day
rush tickets at substantially discounted prices for students. Check
tdf or telecharge for each show's policy.

30 minutes before curtain

If you arrive at a theater's box office and the show is sold out,
don't give up. Many big hits, including Spamalot, and The Lion King,
offer standing-room only (SRO) tickets for about $25, but not until
all regular tickets have been purchased. To find out if a specific
show releases SRO tickets, go to telecharge, or BroadwaySeats.com find
the show, and click on "Getting Tickets." Standing for two hours isn't
ideal, but most theaters at least give you a wall to lean against.

Beyond Broadway

The terms Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway have little to
do with theater locations and more with theater size, production
values, and ticket price. Off-Broadway shows usually top off at $60.
Off-Off-Broadway shows rarely exceed $25. There's plenty worth seeing
Off-Broadway. As a matter of fact, several successful Off-Broadway
shows have switched over to Broadway, including the hit play Doubt.
Check NYC newspapers and magazines for Off-Broadway listings; New York
magazine and The Village Voice are particularly good sources.

Theater fans may want to visit New York in August or September, when
performances at popular festivals are $15. The New York International
Fringe Festival (fringenyc.org) runs from August 12 to 28 this year
and features plays, musicals, dance, and multimedia performances. The
New York Musical Theatre Festival (nymf.org), from September 12 to
October 2, schedules more than 30 original shows. Though the
festivals' offerings are hit-or-miss, several productions have gone on
to successful runs off and on Broadway. Tickets for Altar Boyz were
just $15 at last year's NYMF, and it's now playing Off-Broadway for
$60. That's showbiz, kids!

When you just gotta see the show!

There are many times when you either forget to buy tickets in advance
for the hot show on Broadway or you just want to treat yourself to
some of the premium seats the theater offers. In these cases you want
to look to a direct premium ticket supplier such as
StellarTickets.com . Stellar Tickets is one of the nation's leading
independent direct online ticket supplier, specializing in discount,
premium and hard-to-find event tickets. Thanks to their direct
supplier relationships and low overhead, Stellar Tickets can offer the
best prices and personalized customer service. If you are searching
for discount, premium or hard-to-find Concert Tickets, Sports Tickets,
Theater Tickets, Event Tickets check out their site at http://www.StellarTickets.com.

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Stellar Tickets is one of the nation's leading
independent direct online ticket suppliers, specializing in Discount and Premium Broadway Tickets. http://www.StellarTickets.com