TKTS - How does this work?

[Gopherchik]

Hi!

We want to check out a 10:00 p.m. Blue Man Group show on October 23, 2004 - we arrive in NYC that morning at about 11:00 and our prospective hotel is very close to the TKTS booth.....

So - how does this work? Will we most likely be able to get discounted tickets for the show?

Thanks! :)

[thereuare]

I haven't been to the TKTS booth in quite some time, but i still believe that BMG sells out every show, so i'm doubtful you'll find tickets there (TKTS is used as an outlet for shows to sell-out otherwise unsold tickets).

However, BMG is a great show and IMO most definately worth the money... i've seen it 3 times (and once was the jello guy at the end... but i won't say anymore).

Unless you find out otherwise that Blue Man Group is no longer selling out every show, i would recommend buying tickets ahead of time. The theater is very small... ideally you want to be on the main level, but not in the first 3 rows. I think you can buy tickets thru Ticketmaster or to save ticketmasers service fee you can call the box office direct... but i don't know if the box office will tell you the exact seat assignment.

[Gopherchik]

Thanks- that's what I was afraid of!

[cheezhead]

It's easy to check the tkts web site to see what shows have been coming up half price.

http://www.tkts.com/tkts/broadway.html

Also, I really didn't care for the Blue Man Group show when I saw it in Vegas. To each his own.....

[thereuare]

I have actually heard similar comments about the Vegas show.

The shows have a lot of similarities but are also a little different (from what i hear)... i think part of the NYC appeal is the 'intimiate-ness' of the show, and i can see how that could be easily lost in a Las Vegas mega-theater.

[larryweiss]

I am a New York resident and theater goer. There are no better deals in the city than TKTS. If you are disabled, just go to the head of the line. These guys have heart.

[ufauxreal]

What time do you usually have to get in line at the TKTS booth.. and how long do you usually have to wait, to get tickets for that day?

JB

[thereuare]

You can see the hours at the TKTS WEBSITE.

There is always a line but it does move pretty quick.

Those that are more active in the theater scene than i am can comment better, but i would try to get there 30-45 minutes before they open to have the best chance at good seats and/or the show i wanted. The downtown location is less known than the Times Square location and the line there is usually less/quicker... yet both pull tickets from the same database.

[thereuare]

This is from another thread on the board but copied here as well since it's on-topic and appropriate:

TKTS: to avoid the Time Square lines at TKTS you could visit the downtown location booth which doesn't get nearly as crowded. This location sells matinee tickets one day in advance and evening performances the day of:

The TKTS ticket booth at the corner of John and Front Streets is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.  Tickets for evening performances must be purchased the day of the show.  Tickets for Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinee performances must be purchased one day in advance.

TKTS Summary (<--link)

(note: the above link states that the downtown location is closed on Sunday, but the quote above from another site states that they're open, so try to confirm times beforehand)

[YankeeCaliguy]

I can't stress getting the tickets at TKTS at South Street Seaport location (John/FrontSt) enough. Seems they always had better selection, nicer employees and on average only 3-4 people ahead of us in line. This was Sept 2004.

[jluff]

Just so people know there is a great site called nytix.com that you can join through paypal for 3 bucks and get all those half prices waaay in advance. I never wait at that booth since I discovered that site. You also get prime choice at half price months ahead of time!

Here is the most current list of discounted broadway shows:

http://nytix.com/Links/Broadway/listofcurrentshows.html

[Sgasrock]

http://www.entertainment-link.com/tkts.asp

This site has an updated listing by the day, so you can see if the show you are interested has been coming up on a particular day of the week. They usually update the list at least once a day.

[blkjck1]

If there is nothing that drives me more nuts at TKTS are people who don't know what they want to see when they get to the ticket window, or ask if a show like "Wicked" is on sale for half off. Do yourself a favour and look at the board to see what's on sale before you stand in line! Pick 3-5 shows that you would like to see, and rank them in order so that if it does get sold out, then go to the second option.

Get used to the fact that hot shows like "Wicked" or "Spamalot" are not going to be at TKTS for a few more years to come as well. If a star like Denzel Washington or Julia Roberts is going to be in a play, you'll never see it unless you bought way in advance too.