The most convenient way to find tickets is right here on campus through CUArts’ TIC or Barnard’s College Activities Office. The TIC offers discount codes for purchasing tickets online and in advance for some of the hottest Broadway and off-Broadway shows of the season. Assistant to the Director of CAO Sabine Lissain says that CAO hopes “to give Barnard students an opportunity to experience all that New York has to offer”—especially the theater scene.
CAO and TIC offer students the chance to purchase tickets from a block of seats for shows that students might not be able to get access to otherwise. Some of this semester’s possibilities include Billy Elliot and Shrek. The tickets go quickly, so it’s best to stay on top of upcoming shows.
For “day-of” tickets, the best option is TKTS at Broadway and 47th Street. The line may seem daunting, but the prospect of orchestra seats at 50 percent off should be worth it. If the tourist trap of Times Square scares you, there are two more locations to try—South Street Seaport and Downtown Brooklyn. Both of these are far from Morningside Heights, but they open four hours before the Times Square location, giving you a better chance to snag the best seats. TKTS has also made it much easier to pay for your tickets since both cash and credit cards are now accepted.
Better yet, use that student ID to your advantage while you still have it. A majority of current Broadway shows offer student rush seats for same-day performances. Though students tend to line up in front of the theater box office at early morning hours for popular shows, tickets to lesser-known shows may be easy to obtain throughout the day. Details of rush policies, pricing, and the amount of rush seats available can be found at www.playbill.com.
Undergrads can also snag cheap, student-only memberships and subscriptions. Roundabout Theatre Company’s free-to-join HipTix program offers $20 student tickets to certain performances. Playwrights Horizons, a well-known company with star-studded plays, has a student flex program where you can buy 4 tickets for $40 or 6 for $60. You can use the tickets at any performance of any show by calling to reserve them. The Theatre Development Fund allows students to become members and get discounts of up to 70 percent for a reasonable annual fee.
Another way of snagging cheap seats in advance is through Playbill or Telecharge. Playbill offers a free membership program where you get discount promotions for Broadway and off-Broadway shows—sometimes at up to 50, 60, or 70 percent off. You can access these on www.playbill.com or receive notifications for daily sales via e-mail. Telecharge offers a similar e-mail discount system available through its mailing list.
The best way to find cheap tickets is to be flexible and willing to try new shows. Off and off-off-Broadway tickets are significantly cheaper to begin with and they sometimes turn out to be amazing theatre experiences. With these ideas and opportunities available, there’s no excuse for not seeing theatre in New York for the rest of the semester.
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