HOW TO SAVE $ ON SHOWS

aladdin

Seeing live shows is one of our favorite family (and date night/moms' night out) NYC activities. Here's a complete guide to saving $$$ on tickets.

See our list of short-running  family-friendly shows, some of them free, and our guides to kid-friendly Broadway and Off-Broadway with detailed age recommendations (plus our guide to saving on museum admission).

GENERAL TIPS

 Buy at the theater's box office

Avoid hefty online/phone service charges and get tips on the best seats. Tickets for all Radio City, Beacon Theater and Madison Square Garden shows available at any of the three locations.

See shows at off-peak days/times

Pricing is very dynamic for most shows with deals on weekdays and when less tourists are around (fall and January/February). Best prices are usually on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday matinees.

Look for Temporary Deals

Subscribe to our email list and/or follow us on Instagram to be notified of promotions including 2-for-1 Weeks (Jan/Feb & Sep), Kids Night on Broadway (Feb & Aug) and $20 Off-Broadway tickets (Feb & October).

IN ADVANCE

TodayTix

Download the fabulous free app or visit TodayTix.com for discount tickets to tons of shows at your fingertip, plus easy virtual entry into online lotteries. Look out for ticket fees on some shows. Seat selection usually not available.
💰 $20+ depending on show and seat location
Participating Shows: Aladdin, Lion King, Hamilton, Wicked, Blue Man Group, also some shows at BAM and other venues.


Playbill/Theatermania Discounts

Playbill.com and Theatermania.com offer discount codes for up to 40% off for many shows.
* Unlike most discounts, you get to select your own seats. Free online registration required to access deals.
* Codes can be used at theater box office's to save on service fees.
💰 $35+ depending on show and seat location
Participating Shows: Varies by season; currently Gazillion Bubble Show and many more.


Goldstar

Get online tickets to a variety of Broadway, Off-Broadway, stadium (i.e. Sesame Street Live), Radio City and other live shows for up to 50% off at Goldstar.com.
💰 Tickets for some shows start as low as $5, discounts up to 50% off
Participating Shows: Changes often, currently Gazillion Bubble Show, Blue Man Group and more.

SAME DAY

Lotteries

* Enter through Today Tix app or Todaytix.com, or through through show websites for The Lion KingAladdin and Hamilton. Wicked also holds an in-person lottery in front of the theater two hours before the show.
* Entry times vary, usually the morning of the show or the day before (though some like Hamilton are a week in advance, so check the details).
* Each winning entry only gets two seats, and they're often in the very front or very back and not always together.
* Must be 18+ to enter; must show ID to pick up the ticket (though anyone can use the ticket once it's picked up).
💰$10-$35
Participating Shows: Aladdin, The Lion King,  Hamilton, Little Shop of Horrors, MJ, Six, Wicked


 Standing Room & Rush

* Some shows let people stand in numbered spaces in the back of the orchestra when performances are sold out.
* Standing room tickets go on sale at the box office either in the morning or 1-2 hours before showtime.
* Some shows offer a limited amount of same-day deeply discounted rush tickets at the theater's box offices as soon as it opens (usually 10 am). Limit 2 per person.
* More deals are available to students with current IDs who can usually bring one non-student with them, so find a studious niece/neighbor to be your date.
💰$20-$79, some shows are cash only
Participating ShowsWicked, Met Opera, American Ballet Theater


GAMETIME

* This online ticket marketplace focuses on last-minute tickets, with prices diving as curtain time approaches. I recently got Hamilton center orchestra tickets for $171 forty minutes before curtain.
* When buying in a browser, save an additional 2.5% with with the Rakuten plugin.


TKTS Discount Booth

* Get same-day tickets (next day for matinees) for a wide selection of Broadway, Off-Broadway and dance shows for 20%-50% off.
* Lines can be long, especially in the summer, and sometimes shows sell out. The recently reopened Lincoln Center Atrium location usually has shorter lines.
* You can choose from availble seats, with different prices for different areas.
* See historical and current availability on the TKTS app or website.

💰 $50+ depending on show and seat location
Participating Shows: Changes daily; usually Aladdin, Blue Man Group, The Play That Goes Wrong, & Juliet, Back to the Future.

B Is for Broadway: Onstage and Backstage from A to Z

From AUDITIONS to ZIEGFELD, grab a ticket to this smash-hit, rhythmic alphabet book featuring favorite Broadway performers, creators, songs, and shows. Spot beloved stars and creators from today and yesterday, such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patti LuPone, Ethel Merman, and Billy Porter, depicted in snappy text and vibrant illustration.

A portion of sale proceeds is donated to The Actors Fund.