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Going to a Broadway show doesn’t have to break the bank.
Just ask Brian Stoll. The West Islip native has seen well over 300 Broadway productions and says he very rarely pays over $60 per ticket. These are his tips and tricks:
How to get affordable Broadway tickets
In-Person Rush Tickets: Many productions put aside a limited amount of tickets to be sold on the day of show beginning when the box office opens. General rush tickets can be purchased by anybody, but there usually is a limit of one to two tickets per person and the cost is between $35 to $50 a ticket. Some productions specify an age criteria for purchasing rush tickets, usually under 30. Then there are student rush tickets which require a valid student ID.
Standing Room Only Tickets: Usually only sold when a production is sold out and you stand in the back of the orchestra to view the production. Like rush tickets there is usually a limit of one to two tickets per person and prices range from $35 to $50 a ticket .
Enter a Digital Lottery: These are usually offered at least one day in advance via a variety of websites and you have a window of time to that day to enter the lottery for one or two tickets. Once that window closes you will be emailed (usually around 3 p.m.) letting you know if you’ve won the chance to purchase $10 to $50 tickets to the show the next day.
Becoming a member of the Theatre Development Fund (tdf.org): TDF is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone. They offer a yearly membership to qualifying individuals for $40 which allows members special access to deeply discounted tickets online in advance for Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway shows, as well as dance and music performances. Broadway musicals typically cost around $60 a ticket and plays are $50 a ticket. Members may purchase up to 9 tickets!
Download the TodayTix App: Offers regular and discounted tickets to a variety of theatrical events across the U.S., London and Australia. They have sales throughout the year and offer digital rush and lottery tickets as well.
Stoll’s love for Broadway
I fell in love with Broadway while attending Binghamton University, where I discovered the magical powers of my student ID. When presented at Broadway box offices, I could purchase highly discounted tickets, also known as rush tickets, for shows! So, I jokingly say I had to schlep all the way to Binghamton to find Broadway. Over a decade later, I’ve attended over 300 performances, rarely paying over $60 a ticket, and have found a loving and supportive group of people within the theatre community.
Serendipitously, after presenting a talk about the history and importance of the 140-year-old Broadway Playbill while working at Stony Brook University, I began speaking at libraries across Long Island. In addition to talking about the significance of the Playbill, I began divulging a plethora of money-saving tips on how to attend theatre on a budget. Now, with the help of Zoom, I’m able to reach a broader audience across the tri-state area with the goal of encouraging patrons to support the arts by taking advantage of their proximity to Broadway and beyond.
With the 2024-2025 Broadway season now underway, it is a great time to catch up on some of the stellar Broadway productions from this past season as well as prepare for a plethora of productions beginning in the next few months. For example, the recently crowned Best Musical, as well as the other previously nominated ones, offer tickets ranging between $30 to $50 via rush and lottery tickets. This means a limited amount of same-day rush tickets can be purchased at the box office, and you can also try your luck with lottery tickets online, usually a day prior to the performance. Just like the New York lotto, you’ve gotta be in it to win it! For a complete list of shows offering rush and lottery tickets, visit bwayrush.com.
Now, the icing on the cake of a Broadway experience doesn’t occur in the theatre but instead after the show at the stage door. This is where memories are made and friendships are born! If you’re lucky enough, while waiting at the barricades with fellow theatre fans, you might get the chance to have a little meet and greet of your own with the cast. Most of the time, I will ask for an autograph on my Playbill, which then becomes a keepsake souvenir, or request a quick selfie and share how meaningful their performances were and the work they do are to me. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you at the stage door!
Top: Broadway enthusiast and Long Islander Brian Stoll with show playbills. (Credit: Daniel Goodrich)
