Moulin Rouge and Hadestown are on TKTS for 50% off almost all the time. I say almost, because of exceptions like thanksgiving weekend. But the two shows never sell out, so I’d personally go to TKTS and not pay full price. Worst case scenario you can buy them at full price online last minute. Hamilton is never on TKTS though.

I just need to throw out the obligatory Do not buy your tickets on Broadway.com reminder.

Go to Broadway.org. They will link you to the official ticket source for every show on Broadway.

Go to Tdf.org and tickets live to see what prices are at the TKTS line (good seats up to half price…but not Hamilton)

If you go to the box office when you get to town you can save fees. I got a Hamilton ticket for $99 next March and a really good next day moulin rouge for $69 Black Friday.

For shows where you really want amazing seats or that may sell out, buy directly from them in advance. But! If you would be happy with any of several different shows, then you can wait until the last minute and try to get lottery or rush seats. Even if you don't land one of the official "rush" seats, most box offices have a decent day-of discount if you go in person. One rule of thumb I use- if the show is showing up as currently available on the TKTS app, then they are probably selling at a discount at the box office as well, without the long line.

I refer to this article frequently- https://playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003

Box office sells tickets no fees. Hamilton I had to buy almost six months out but got a great deal. If you have a friend willing to help it can save you $15 or so in fees per ticket.

TKTS also has an app I watch it around trips to nyc.

One downside, you can only buy in person at TKTS so you may have to wait in line for a bit. But I think the discount is worth it.

Definitely NOT BROADWAY.COM unless you like paying 2-3 times more for a ticket due to ridiculous fees. Also if you’re going to NYC before Feb 4, 2024, you can skip Moulin Rouge. Unless you really are a fan of Casey Cott. He and Courtney Reed are…not the best in this show in my opinion. I’ve seen it many times. The time I saw it with them was hands down the worst.

Just visit the shows' official websites and click the GET TICKETS button.

Well I have no idea right now who will be cast by then but I’m sure they’ll be great.

Also it is a fun show anyway and if you haven’t seen it a bunch of times like I have, you might be more forgiving of less than stellar performances since you’d have nothing to compare it to.

TKTS app shows you what’s available live. And your 1st receipt allows you to skip the line for 7 days.

I would say with the shows you’ve listed, you can probably find some reasonable tickets. You can look at the theatr app the day of, but maybe a compromise might be that you pick the two you are most excited for and buy those so you know you have them and then try once you are here for your others.

Just wanted to add on the queuing for long periods thing - you'll consistently be done with rush shortly after 10am (or 12pm on Sunday when the box offices open later.) Once the box offices actually open, the only waiting you have to do is while they process tickets until they run out. The box office staff are efficient and it goes fast. There really isn't a scenario where you're stuck in a rush line all day; people arrive at different times, but when it ends is pretty consistent.

Next week pretty much all the new shows will be in previews which saturates the market. Most of the locals who normally do rush will focus on the new shows which is good for you.

Broadway Rush, Lottery, and Standing Room Only Policies

Plot your digital rush, lottery, and in person rush strategy here. The listings are by show. Happy hunting!

I tend to have specific shows I want to see so I buy tickets directly ahead of time for the best seat choice. I e get lotteries when there but have only won 1x.

Lottery will be cheaper, but often a very remote chance of winning—depends on the show and how broadly you cast your net. Most (not all) shows are on tkts, and if it’s on that day you can basically guarantee a ticket. Just involves waiting in line for over an hour usually, and the tickets will be much more expensive than the lottery. My favorite pre dinner meal is at tortazo

You can do both. The lotteries are always at least a day before so you’ll know by the evening before whether you won. If you didn’t win you buy from the tkts booth day of.

What shows are you considering?

Bwayrush.com is my source for all the rush/SRO/lotteries! Direct links to all the shows

Love this! I’ve worked in/around theater for a loooong time and I tend to forget that a lot of people don’t know these things. I saw Maybe Happy Ending last week and I’m seeing Gypsy tonight!

Another thing to mention is that I do suggest buying your tickets direct (aka not through a third party seller like Stubhub, etc) when possible. If there is ever an issue with the tickets where you need an exchange/refund, you will more than likely be pointed back to your point of purchase, and third parties can make it way more complicated than it needs to be. A lot of these sites (looking at you, Broadway.com!) will also add absurd fees that you simply don’t need to pay.

Yes!!! Also check out the TKTS booth (run by TDF) in Times Square or Lincoln Center! They have same day tickets for most shows and can be up to 50% off. If the show you want to see is really popular I suggest going earlier to secure your ticket but if it’s a show that’s been running for a long time you can get tickets as late as 15 minutes before showtime

For day of rush tickets, it’s more likely you’ll get tickets the earlier you go right? Thinking of doing it for Oh Mary!

Some helpful links:

Broadway Rush, standing room and Lottery policies: https://playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003

Schedule of shows and upcoming shows: https://www.broadwaynowandnext.com

Hiptix under 40: https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/hiptix?url=%2Fget-tickets%2Fhiptix%2F&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAA94IdFwf1xCmzLSLgmKa5GQd2uGl4&gclid=CjwKCAiAneK8BhAVEiwAoy2HYVw9jLpLqMaiknkjfRiNSGhWwo9S2Q7bOYjL8N4YAaZSxsur4IgRSRoC4sMQAvD_BwE

Most lotteries open the day before for the shows in question. You’ll have to keep checking the websites to enter daily.

Cabaret only has lottery and digital rush. I personally despise digital rush. It’s frustrating and extremely difficult. If there was a show to get advance tickets to or tkts, this is the one.

Mincemeat has been selling well and a lot of performances they only have 2 rush tickets so if you’re determined you’ll have to get there quite early.

Death Becomes Her and Maybe Happy Ending are definitely doable for rush. Still get there early but it’s possible. Note that you’re getting whatever seats they give you. If you can afford a ticket in advance, it would be worth looking at that option for MHE because of the sightline issues.

Museum of Broadway was very interesting but not worth $50 each. Definitely go for a sale price though.

Stubhub

I enter the digital lottery every day for all of the ones you listed except Cabaret (already saw it) and so far, Death Becomes Her is the only one I've won a ticket for. All of those shows are regularly available at TKTS though (discount ticket booth for day-of tickets). Also, check out the app Theatr which is a ticket re-sale app. Often people who win lottery or rush tickets will resell them here if they won, but can't go.

This website has a helpful breakdown of what shows offer rush, lottery, and standing room only tickets: https://bwayrush.com/

As for non-show Broadway things:

-The Museum of Broadway, I'm not a museum person, but found this very enjoyable!

-Marie's Crisis, a bar in the west village with a live pianist who plays show tunes all night and the whole bar sings along. Open 4pm-4am seven days a week. 4pm-8pm is more chill, less crowded. A line typically starts forming out the door around 8pm and that's when the night pianist arrives and the vibe gets more enthusiastic. Cash only. Probably my favorite spot in all of NYC. :)

-Ellen's Stardust Diner if you want a lighthearted dining experience where the servers sing and perform throughout the meal

-Broadway Up Close walking tours. Very cool tours of Broadway theaters and they have a Hamilton tour taking you through the financial district

Enter lotteries. Hit or miss but sometimes you’ll get offered a discount code to buy tickets if you lose.

Others have offered good advice on TKTS, Today Tix, Rush, etc. Somewhere there is a Broadway on a budget site that lists the options by each show…

TKTS, an hour before show time

https://playbill.com/article/broadway-rush-lottery-and-standing-room-only-policies-com-116003

Discounts.

Summer season the prices spike. Go in the winter months (Jan - Mar) for cheapest tickets.

And, https://broadwayforbrokepeople.com/

I live in NYC, and if you have some flexibility or appetite for risk, I always go on stubhub or seatgeek like an hour or two before the show.

You can rush, enter lotteries, or try the TKTS booth… I find that just getting seats online if reasonably priced is worth it because then I know I have a plan and don’t need to spend time waiting in lines to might not get to see a show I want.

Broadwayforbrokepeople.com has most of the details on lottery and rush tickets. Broadwaybox.com has coupon codes that work for select shows. I also would only buy through the preferred ticketing vendors (telecharge, ticketmaster and seatgeek). Tkts is great for same day tickets and if you google tktslive you can see what's for sale and see if there is a trend going on. Enjoy your trip!

Shows with lottery and rush programs can be your best friend. Even for a sometimes not perfect seat, being able to get a ticket for $50 or less will make up for it.

If you want to see a show that doesn’t have rush or lottery, TKTS is a great option, along with going to the shows box office on the day of the show. I recently paid $79 for a day of ticket to a show that would’ve been $399 if I bought it a few days prior. As long as you’re seeing a show that doesn’t sell out in advance, you’ll have a lot of options to get a good seat for a good price. Good luck!

If you want to buy tickets for full price in advance, use the seller officially affiliated with the production, which can be found on the show’s website or linked on Playbill’s show directory. Do not buy from Broadway.com.

If you want discounted tickets, you can try the TKTS booth in Time Square, which is day of, or the TodayTix app, which can be bought ahead of time.

todaytix is pretty cheap if you want a guaranteed show

Depends on what you want to see and how flexible you are

If you go to the official website for a show you’ll find a link for tickets. The official sellers will ALWAYS either be the theaters website, telecharge, ticket master, or seat geek. If you’re buying through these methods make sure to check out playbill.com/discount and broadwaybox.com for discount codes.

TodayTix is a reputable reseller where if you’re willing to not know what your exact seat is you may be able to find a deal. They have a reputation for being extremely hard to get a refund from though (not that it’s ever easy with broadway tickets).

If you’re willing to buy last minute you can do so through the TKTS booth in Times Square day of for good discounts, rush at the theaters or through TodayTix’s digital method for some shows, or enter digital lotteries.

DO NOT buy through broadway.com. They are a scam reseller and have an absolutely ludicrous markup

A few options I’ve used, from most risky to least:

1. Lottery— most shows will have some sort of lottery where you usually enter the day before and find out that evening if you got a ticket. Seats are generally pretty good but you’re going to rarely win, and if you’re hoping for lottery that means you are trying to get tickets for a show the next day which is a short timeline. If I’m entering a lottery, I usually enter for a handful of shows I would like to see but am not super enthusiastic about to fill a slot in my schedule I haven’t already with pre-purchased tickets.
2. Rush— a rush ticket is when you stand in line at the box office before they open to buy day-of tickets. Many theatres will have rush, but if a show is popular (think Music Man currently) the line is going to start at 6 am or earlier. The number of tickets sold varies but in my experience is generally 20-50. If a show does standing room only (SRO) where you stand at the back of the orchestra the whole time, they’re probably going to sell those tickets at this time as well. For less popular shows, I have also gone up to the ticket window right before a show starts to see if they happen to have leftover rush tickets, or spare comps/ticket returns. Wouldn’t recommend cutting it that close unless you have something else fall through.
3. TKTS— there’s a popular booth in Time Square, and a couple of other spots around town. You stand in line, you see what options they have (they’re only going to have shows that aren’t selling super well), you buy a ticket. In most instances you’re buying a ticket for that day, so I would recommend going in the morning. Prices here are likely to be about the same or slightly more expensive than TodayTix.
4. TodayTix— I use the mobile app. Many shows are represented on the app, and you can buy weeks in advance. Seats here may be good or may be terrible, but the price is almost always good. I think TodayTix is a good mix of finding a deal but not having to work very hard for it.
5. Direct from the theatre— Honestly, if you’re buying far in advance, know what shows you want to see, and are willing to do some digging for discount codes, this is the way to go. Always go through the show’s official website. It’ll often take you to Telecharge. Do NOT use Telecharge on mobile if you can help, it only shows you three seat options at a time and they’re usually not your best options; the website will show you the full house to pick from. I would highly recommend finding a discount code— you can google it and see what comes up. Oftentimes the folks over at the BroadwayWorld.com message board will have a code to use. Sometimes Telecharge or SeatGeek will have a general discount code good for any show, or usually there is a show-specific code you can use. Those codes are usually going to get you specific dates/seats but again, if you’re buying a month or so out that’s not going to be a problem.

Also, a note on seating because we do it different than most of Europe to my knowledge: orchestra is the ground floor, generally center orchestra is the best seat in the house (prices reflect that). Mezzanine (or mezz) is the next level up. Balcony is top level. Generally, if I have a choice to be front of mezz or back of orchestra I’ll do mezz because you get a full view of the stage. There’s also something called ‘restricted view’ which are seats whose view is obstructed in some way. I honestly have never gotten a terrible restricted view seat; you may miss some action here or there, but for how cheap the seat is I find it worth it (for example, I have orchestra restricted view tickets for A Strange Loop that were a third the cost of the seat right next to it. Can’t imagine the view is that bad).

Depending on the show, buy from the official ticket seller suck as Telecharge, Ticketmaster, or SeatGeek. Never buy from Broadway . Com. It’s a great resource to learn about the show but they have outrageous fees. Are you looking for a specific show or two ?

TodayTix is a good option if you don't mind poor seats or waiting until the same day

You should go on the shows main website and then buy tickets from the show directly. The show will lead you to their seller, which is most likely either Ticketmaster, Seat Geek, or Telecharge, but occasionally there are others. This is the cheapest way to get tickets and the least amount of fees will be added this way.