Students Find Melody in Cheap Tickets

When paying a visit to New York City, there are certain activities—such as a visit to Times Square or shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue—that are touted as cultural necessities. The foremost of these is attending a Broadway show, and whether you’re a musical enthusiast who has seen The Phantom of the Opera 12 times, an occasional theatergoer who lets friends choose the show du jour, or a reluctant audience member practically dragged to your seat by an enthusiastic parent, you will no doubt have gone to at least one production of a Broadway sensation by the time you head home for the summer.

Yet as students in New York, the cost of attending a show can cripple your budget. With Ticketmaster selling nosebleed seats to Wicked at $51.25 apiece, the cost of these trips will leave you feeling the financial consequences as long as the catchy show tunes persist in your head.

Now, I enjoy a good production of Grease as much as the next girl—probably more, considering “Hopelessly Devoted To You” is embarrassingly high on the “Top 25 Most Played” playlist in my iTunes. Yet, as I soon discovered, attending a show can be off-puttingly expensive, especially on the weekends. Even the touted TKTS booth on 46th Street and Broadway, which sells tickets half-price, left me with a $66 hole in my wallet, a void no outstanding number of “Summer Nights” could make me forget.

With my sister set to visit for the weekend and the promise of a show luring her all the way from California, I knew I had to find a cheaper solution. Turns out I didn’t have to look much further than my e-mail inbox, where the most recent Columbia University Arts Initiative message advertised exclusive—and substantial—discounts to select Broadway productions.

Curious and more than a little excited at the prospect of Mamma Mia! tickets for between $21.50 and $31.50, I clicked on the link and began my purchase. The process was simple enough, and despite the “one ticket per Columbia student” policy, the website easily allowed me to purchase two. Although it seemed too simple, the deal was too good to pass up, and taking a deep breath, I clicked the “Purchase” button and hoped the pickup would go as smoothly.

To my surprise and relief, it did. Armed with my CUID and credit card, I approached the box office an hour before show time, but to my delight all I was asked for was my last name. With two tickets in hand—and only a slight transaction fee tacked on, which raised the actual price to $36 a seat—I prepared to enjoy the show for half the price I had previously paid.

This time, when the curtain lifted, I was free to enjoy “Dancing Queen” with the satisfaction that I had gotten the best deal out there.