The Great White Way’s glittering marquees are certainly alluring, but many Broadway bound tourists are shocked to discover that buying a ticket to sit and watch a show for an hour or two can cost more than a night’s lodging.
High ticket price and the disparate cost of available seats are big issues for would-be theatergoers-tourists and locals alike. While few dispute the entertainment and cultural value of New York theater-always listed among the city’s premiere attractions-many question whether they can afford it.
Why is the cost so high? “Ticket price is determined by producers in conjunction with theater owners based on the cost of mounting and running the show, and by the number of seats in the theater. Broadway production is extremely costly and we are responsible to our investors, as well as to theatergoers,” says Gerald Schoenfeld, president of The Shubert Organization, which owns 17 (the biggest number) of Broadway theaters.
Orchestra and mezzanine seats cost $65 for most musicals, $50 for most dramas. In the fall, orchestra and mezzanine seats for “Showboat” will sell for $75, and those for “Sunset Boulevard” will cost $70.
Even though tickets for upper mezzanine seats or those seats with partially obstructed views cost less-as little as $35-theatergoers rightly worry that these seats might not provide the best Broadway experience.
Equally discomforting is the idea that you might pay a hefty surcharge to get tickets to a hit show from a broker. “Scalpers” often charge $200 each for tickets to hit shows-the practice is illegal but over-eager and/or naive patrons are willing to buy at the inflated prices.
How can you buy wise on Broadway? If you want to see a particular show on specific dates, your best bet is buying from the box office with as much lead time as possible. You’ll pay the ticket’s full face value, but will have the assurance of getting exactly what you want for when you want it (no surcharges or discounts).
If you can’t go to the box office, you can order tickets by phone for face value plus a small surcharge. Telecharge (212-239-6200; for shows in Shubert or Jujamcyn theaters) you’ll pay a $4.75 surcharge per ticket. Ticketmaster (212-307-4100, for tickets to Nederlander theaters) charges $5 additional per ticket, plus a handling charge of $2.50 per order.
In case you run into difficulty booking seats for the show you want to see when you want to see it, you may have to turn to a ticket broker for assistance. Brokers can legally charge $5 or 10 percent to the face value of the ticket, which ever is more-but no more.
Discounted tickets are readily available if you have some flexibility-that is, if you’re willing to see a different show or can change your dates. The best source is Theater Development Fund, a non-profit organization, that makes discounted theater tickets available on a membership basis. To apply for membership, send a request, plus a self-addressed stamped envelope to: TDF, 1501 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10036. TDF makes ticket availability known through a mailing list, and sells tickets to members for $14, plus $1.50 handling charge.
If you can wait to purchase tickets on the performance day, you can get big discounts for selected shows at the “TKTS” discount theater ticket booths at midtown in Duffy Square (Broadway and 47 Street) and downtown at 2 World Trade Center (Mezzanine). “TKTS” discounts tickets 50 percent to 75 percent off face value, but adds a $2.50 per ticket surcharge. The “TKTS” booths are run by TDF. For information, call 212-768-1818.
The Hit Show Club distributes coupons for 25 percent to 50 percent discounts on tickets to selected shows. Coupons, redeemable at the box office in person or by mail, are available free of charge through the club’s mailing list or in various shops throughout New York City. To join the club and get on the mailing list, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Hit Show Club, 630 9th Ave., Room 808, New York, N.Y. 10036. Call 212-581-4211.
