8 Secrets to Getting Cheap Broadway Tickets, According to an Insider

The cost of Broadway tickets can be downright mind-boggling, but there are creative ways to get affordable tickets for your family outing in New York City. Here are eight ways to get cheap Broadway tickets in New York City.

1. Kids’ Night on Broadway

Once a year, the Broadway League hosts a night where kids under the age 18 accompanying an adult get to go to a Broadway show for free. The free Broadway ticket includes discounts at participating restaurants, parking discounts and more, and some shows have special talkbacks and events for kids. Visit Kids’ Night on Broadway for more details.

2. Broadway Roulette

One of the newest ways to get cheap Broadway tickets is through Broadway Roulette. This is an easy way to get a last-minute deal, but you must be open and flexible to what you are seeing. You and your child pick the day and time and describe to the team at Broadway Roulette what you like and don’t like. On the morning of the show, Broadway Roulette lets you know what you are seeing. The beauty is that all tickets are just $49 to 59 and picking up tickets is simple.

3. Enter a Ticket Lottery

Believe it or not, entering a daily lottery works for a lot of people and tickets can be as low as $10 per ticket! Right now there are lotteries for Hamilton, Mean Girls, Frozen, Aladdin, Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, and The Lion King. Information can be found here on how to enter various lotteries and ticket pricing. The catch is that you must be able to attend the play that day so be prepared to be flexible for cheap Broadway tickets.

4. Join/Follow Discount Ticket Sites and Apps

Playbill, Goldstar, Broadway Box, Stub Hub, and Theater Mania are great resources for cheap Broadway tickets. Sign up for their newsletters and follow their news on tickets rather closely. Also, download the Today Tix app, which offers discount Broadway tickets on nearly every show and also alerts you to enter daily lotteries. Tickets are easy to pick up outside the theater and can be booked in advance. Groupon is another app to watch for cheap Broadway tickets.

5. Be Open to Off-Broadway

New York City is home to some of the best non-Broadway options in the world, and there are theater companies dedicated to working for children and families. Check out and consider joining theaters such as the New Victory Theater and the Vital Theatre Company for discount Broadway ticket options.

6. Join Theater Development Fund (TDF)

If you’re a teacher, fulltime government employee, arts professional, member of the military forces, freelancer, or fit another qualification of the organization, TDF, join it! It’s an incredible resource for discounted productions that can be booked in advance, generally the week of the show.

7. Get Cheaper Tickets in Person

Managed by the Theater Development Fund, there are four TKTS Discount Booths in New York City: Times Square, South Street Seaport, Downtown Brooklyn, and Lincoln Center. Visit these locations for cheap Broadway tickets. The key is to download the TKTS App so you can see what shows are available before heading to the booth.

8. Student Rush Tickets

Teenagers with student IDs have access to Student Rush tickets, which are cheap Broadway tickets for as low as $20 to $30. Each Broadway show has their own policy, but they typically must be purchased day of performance. The student’s plus-one does not have to be a child.