BY ALICE BURDICK SCHWEIGER
Exposing your kids to a Broadway show is an invaluable experience that can lead to an appreciation of the arts for the rest of their lives.
A live theatrical production not only engages kids, but it also infuses culture into a generation that relies on YouTube as their main source of entertainment. However, ticket prices on the Great White Way can be prohibitive. But there is no need to dip into your IRA for tickets.
Here are 9 ways to see Broadway and Off-Broadway shows at discounted prices:
Check out theater discount websites
Look up www.broadwaybox.com, www.theatremania.com and www.playbill.com they all offer discounted tickets for a variety of shows for all seat categories. www.nytix.com offers top Broadway show tickets for as low as $29.
Go to ‘Kids Night’
Once a year Broadway offers “Kids Night on Broadway,” where kids and teens 18 and under go for free at participating shows when accompanied by a full paying adult. The next “Kids Night” will take place February 25, 2020. It’s a program of the Broadway League and presented by the New York Times. Tickets on sale this month. www.kidsnightonbroadway.com
Sign up for the Hamilton digital lottery
Tickets for Hamilton are available for $10 through their lottery. You can download the Hamilton app Ham4Ham or go online at www.HamiltonBroadway.com/Lottery. Tickets are for 2 days in advance.
Visit TKTS
For last minute deals, head to one of New York City’s TKTS Discount Booths. You buy same-day theater tickets at up to 50 percent off. The booths are located at Duffy Square (47th Street and Broadway), Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium (Broadway at 62nd Street), and South Street Seaport (corner of Front and John Streets). Download the TKTS app to see what shows are on sale and prices in real time. There’s a $6 per ticket fee.
Take advantage of NYC Broadway Week
You can snag two-for-one tickets to a host of Broadway shows that takes place January 21-February 9. To increase your chances of getting great tickets, log on early the day tickets go on sale, which is January 8. Or you can go directly to the box office and avoid a fee. www.nycgo.com/broadway-week.
Download discounts apps
The app TodayTix offers discounts and handles the online lotteries for some Broadway shows. You can book up to 30 days in advance.
Play Broadway Roulette
Beat the list price by signing up with Broadway roulette. The show is a surprise, but you can set preferences for the type of show you’d like and eliminate up to 11 shows you’ve seen or don’t want to see. Pick a date up to four months in advance, pay $49 or $59. Premium seats, which are guaranteed orchestra, are $79 weekdays and $89 weekends. Every current show on Broadway is a possibility– including Hamilton. The morning of your selected date you’ll receive a text or email telling you what show you’ll be seeing. Pick up tickets at the theatre.
Sign up for a discount program
Some theatre companies offer tickets at discounted prices for younger audiences at their shows. Lincoln Center Theatre offers LincTix, a program for ages 21-35, which is $32 for most of their productions www.lct.org/linctix. Roundabout Theatre Company offers Hiptix, which is $30 tickets for ages 18-40, and with $100 annual donation they are guaranteed orchestra seats www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/hiptix/. Manhattan Theatre Club offers $30 tickets for ages 35 and under www.manhattantheatreclub.com/season-tickets/30-under-35/. Second Stage Theatre offers $30 tickets for those under the age of 30. www.2st.com.
Join TDF
A nonprofit, TDF is TKTS’ parent organization and offers other discounts as well. An annual $40 membership fee gives you access to Broadway shows– $43 for plays and $49 for musicals per ticket. Teachers, nonprofit employees, civil servants, union members, retired and over 62, students and a number of other groups are eligible for TDF membership. To see if you’re eligible, go to www.tdf.org/join. Up to 9 tickets can be purchased per performance.
