How to Get Cheap Broadway Tickets in NYC (2025 Guide)
- Chelsea Hester-Bradt
- Apr 22
- 7 min read
Broadway on a Budget: Let’s Go
Seeing Broadway shows is one of my favorite things about living in NYC.
There's not much else that touches my heart and gets my spirits soaring like people belting their faces off and tapping like their lives depend on it.
But full-price tickets can be expensive! The average Broadway ticket price is around $128 and that varies widely depending on the show and the cast.
As a budget-loving, frugal-living gal who’d ideally see a show every night of the week, I've become pretty good at finding deals and discounts.
There are tons of ways to score affordable Broadway tickets these days. In this post, I'll give you a quick intro to these methods and take it a step further by showing you how I integrate them into my daily life.
Dare I say it's an art? ☺️
How I See Broadway Shows for $50 or Less (Yes, Really!)
In the past year, I’ve seen 20 Broadway shows. Here’s a peek at some of the shows I’ve seen and what I've paid:
The Great Gatsby (2025) - $45 - Telecharge Lottery
The Outsiders (2025) - $45 - Standing Room Only
Boop! (2025) - $57 - Theatr App (resale of lottery win)
Sunset Boulevard (2025) - $46 - Lucky Seat Lottery
Death Becomes Her (2025) - $40 - Broadway Direct Lottery
Real Women Have Curves (2025) - $63 - TDF
Maybe Happy Ending (2025) - $49 - Telecharge Lottery
Operation Mincemeat (2025) - $39 - Telecharge Lottery
Resources:
I describe all of these in detail below, but here are links for easy reference:
Discount tickets
Additional resources:
Playbill's Discount Policies, Broadway on a Budget & BWay Rush - Each of these websites provides helpful ticket information about all the shows running on Broadway right now
Showscore - Audience reviews and ratings of shows
How to Find Discount Broadway Tickets
(and Off Broadway; let's give it lots of love too!)
Click on the toggle to learn more!
TKTS
Pros:
30-60% off regular ticket prices
You can see what's available before going in person via the app and website
Good variety of shows (except the mega-hits)
You can choose what seats you want from their available options
Cons:
Limited to same-day or next-day matinee performances only
Sometimes long lines (especially in Times Square)
Popular shows may not be available
Where to find it:
Times Square (more crowded)
Lincoln Center (quieter)
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Use the TKTS app before heading to the booth! Check real-time availability so you know what's playing before making the trip.
TDF
What it is: Theatre Development Fund (TDF) membership for advance discounted tickets
Pros:
Book weeks in advance (great for planning)
Incredible pricing ($59 for Broadway, $11 for Off-Off Broadway)
Wide variety of shows available
Cons:
Requires membership ($42/year)
Limited to eligible people (though qualifications are broad)
Can’t choose your seats
Who's eligible (You don’t need to meet all of these. Just one!):
Student, teacher, or school staff
Work for a non-profit or are a clergy member
30 & under, union member, or federal employee
Artist, arts professional, veteran, or self-employed
See all eligibility details here
Digital Lottery
What it is: Online lotteries for significantly discounted tickets
Pros:
Potential for amazing seats at incredible prices
Less time commitment than in-person rush
Multiple shows can be entered simultaneously
Cons:
Very low odds of winning popular shows
Need to be available last minute if you win
Need to be available right when they're released, sold in under a minute
Limited to 1-2 tickets per winner
Where to find lottery tickets:
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Add the Telecharge, Broadway Direct, and Lucky Seat websites to your bookmark bar so you can quickly enter the lotteries each morning (takes less than 5 minutes!)
Digital Rush
What it is: Online rush tickets released at specific times each morning.
Pros:
Convenient - no need to go to the theater in person
Great pricing ($45-60 range)
Can be done from anywhere with internet
Cons:
Extremely competitive (especially for popular shows)
Limited quantity available
Need to be fast with your fingers! It’s thrilling. 😂
Where to find it:
Today Tix - 9 am every morning
Telecharge - 11 am every morning
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Set an alarm for 8:58 AM (TodayTix) or 10:58 AM (Telecharge). Have your finger ready and tap quickly! Every second counts.
In-person Rush
What it is: Discounted tickets available at the box office on the day of the show
Pros:
Usually the best pricing ($35-50)
Sometimes surprise great seats
Experience the fun of the theater community while waiting
Cons:
Need to line up early (sometimes VERY early)
Weather dependent (rain or shine, you're waiting)
No guarantee of tickets (you could get to the front of the line and they may be all out of rush tickets for the day)
I'll never forget scoring rush tickets to see Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in "The Music Man."
I was 7 months pregnant, but that didn't deter me from showing up at 7 am with a camping chair, coffee, and a good book. By the time the box office opened, I'd made friends with fellow theater lovers in line, and our chatting + my reading made those three hours fly by.
When I finally got my $49 ticket (orchestra, FULL view), it was so worth it.
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Check Reddit for updates from people who've rushed the same show. Search "SHOW NAME rush" in r/Broadway to get tips and recommended arrival times.
Theatr App
What it is: A ticket resale app where tickets must be sold at face value or lower
Pros:
Can find last-minute deals from other fans
Often includes lottery/rush tickets people can't use
Set price alerts for specific shows and budgets
Cons:
Best deals get snatched up in seconds
Somewhat unpredictable inventory
Need to monitor notifications
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Set up price alerts for your must-see shows, and when you get a notification, drop everything and buy immediately! I have it set to notify me anytime a ticket is being sold for $50 or less.
Standing Room Only (SRO)
What it is: Standing spots at the back of the orchestra section
Pros:
Available for sold-out shows when all else fails
Affordable (typically around $45)
Often great views despite standing
Cons:
You're standing for 2+ hours
Limited availability
Not offered for all shows
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and consider sitting in one of the lobbies before the show and during intermission to give your legs a break.
I recently saw The Outsiders via SRO. I was walking to the TKTS booth to buy tickets for another show, but decided to stop by the Outsiders box office on the way. They had standing room only tickets for $45 to see one of the best shows on Broadway right now. 😱
Putting it into action
Now that you know the methods, here are tips to implement them:
🗓️ Daily routine:
Enter lotteries each morning for next-day shows via Telecharge and Broadway Direct (takes 5 minutes)
🗓️ Weekly routine:
Enter lotteries for the week via Lucky Seat, Hamilton App, and Harry Potter (Today Tix)
⏰ Set alarms for digital rushes at 9 am (TodayTix) and 11 am (Telecharge)
🎭 Decide if you want to wake up early to in-person rush and plan accordingly if so (make sure to check Reddit Broadway thread for an idea of how early to get there)
🔔 Set up your price alert notifications on Theatr App
📋 Have a TKTS backup plan for days you really want to see something but didn't win the lottery or rush tickets.
🎟️ Go to the box office before the show to see what tickets they have left (they’ll often sell them at a discount close to show time) or if they have Standing Room Only tickets left.
👇 Follow the calendar I made (see below) to stay organized
🎭 Chelsea's Pro Tip: If you're visiting NYC, plan your must-see show in advance and enter lotteries for the other days of your trip for potential bonus shows!
Calendar Cheat Sheet
If this all sounds confusing and you’re like, “Chelsea, that’s a lot of information, JUST TELL ME WHAT TO DO.”
Voila! Here’s a handy dandy calendar cheat sheet for you to download!
Downsides to Budget Broadway:
Quantity Limitations: You can only buy 1-2 tickets at a time for most discount methods
Seat Selection: Little to no choice in where you sit
Unpredictability: The nature of rush, lottery, and last-minute tickets means you're never guaranteed a seat
Time Investment: Checking apps, entering lotteries, and waiting in lines takes time
But for me, the thrill of the hunt is part of the fun! There's nothing quite like the excitement of winning a lottery or scoring that last rush ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are rush/lottery seats usually good?
Surprisingly, yes! I've had front and second row seats through lotteries multiple times! These tickets can be partial view (I won lottery for Book of Mormon and it was a box seat), but most of them are great seats.
How early should I arrive for in-person rush?
It varies wildly by show popularity. For average shows, 1-2 hours before box office opening is usually sufficient. For hot tickets with celebrities, people line up as early as 5-6 AM. Remember to check Reddit for your best info.
Can I enter multiple lotteries at once?
Yes, yes, yes! I enter every lottery I'm interested in every day.
Are the views good from Standing-Room-Only spots?
Generally, yes, you're at the back of the orchestra with a full view. The downside is standing, not seeing.
Broadway Awaits (and It Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune)
From rush lines to digital lotteries, there are ways to make Broadway work for your budget. Bookmark this page, share it with a theater-loving friend, and let me know if you find any hidden gems I should add!
New here?
I'm Chelsea!
An Intuitive Eating Counselor and YNAB Budget coach who also dances and is obsessedddd with Broadway.
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