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"How Did You Hear About Us?"

“How do you know what to see?”

I often get asked this question by people who are having trouble finding out about shows and deciding which tickets to buy. Theatre marketing can leave something to be desired (not everyone is Shucked!) so being “in-the-know” about theatre can be tricky when you don’t know where to start. While there’s no single answer for how to find shows, I find the best way to become an avid theatre-knower is to do the following:

Cultivate your own taste- know the shows you like, don’t like, and why! Knowing your own taste is essential to understanding what shows you may like in the future! While you should also try to find shows that may not normally be on your radar, knowing your taste will help with the next step.

Find critics you trust- try to regularly check out professional theatre critics at major outlets, like Helen Shaw at the New Yorker, Jesse Green and Laura Collins-Hughes at the New York Times, and Jackson McHenry at NYMag/Vulture. Whether you find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with their theatre opinions, understanding their taste in relation to yours can help you find new shows you hadn’t previously been aware of.

Check the New York Times Critic’s Picks- these are usually hidden gems or Off-Broadway shows whose marketing may not otherwise reach you. If you’re not a NYTimes subscriber try to regularly check the Critic’s Pick page- depending on the size of the venue/production, shows that are critic’s picks can sometimes sell out after being chosen by the publication. (This method was how I found out about Jack’s production of James Ijames’ TJ Loves Sally 4 Ever, allowing me to find both a new artistic venue and a new playwright to follow!)

Follow “theatre people” on Twitter- In addition to those professionals publishing reviews, try to follow their twitters for more off-the-cuff opinions and recommendations. Additionally, follow theatre makers and influencers on Twitter as well- Casey Mink, Diep Tran, Heath Saunders, and Louis Peitzman discuss theatre a lot and following them has helped me snag tickets to shows before they become popular. Podcast host Lindsey Weber also has a Substack called Not Broadway that has some great recs too! I’m not on TikTok or Instagram, but if you happen to find people regularly posting on those, follow them too!

Regularly check venue websites- this is where I confess that a mailed flyer worked on me ONCE- I received a flyer for the Two River Theater production of Alice Childress’ Wine in the Wilderness. I had previously never heard of this New Jersey theater, and was extremely interested in seeing an Alice Childress play, given her many recent revivals. THAT SAID, I do not think emails or mailing lists are very effective as marketing tools- there’s simply so many that it’s impossible to sort through them. However, I now regularly check the seasonal schedule for Two River Theater, to see if there are any upcoming shows I want to see. This method works best for smaller, Off-Broadway or regional theaters, that have shorter runs and changing production schedules. If you do find a new theater you really love, try to make a habit of checking their seasonal schedule when you’re looking for a show!

Ultimately, be curious and keep looking! If you see a show you love, try to find productions of the creator’s other work, or keep tabs on their ongoing career. Actively keep up with venues that program niche or otherwise overlooked material. Starting with smaller venues and works can be a more affordable alternative to just buying tickets to the most recent Best Musical. At the end of the day, the only way to get into theatre is to get into theatre!

[playbillionaire]

Down in the Cheap Seats

How to get more affordable theatre tickets in New York City. Here’s the same post on my Substack!

I’m not a professional, but I have been lucky enough to be attending theatre in the tri-state area my whole life, so here’s everything I know to help anyone who wants to get into seeing theatre without spending too much.

The trick of seeing great theatre without skipping a meal is to look beyond Broadway. Theatre tends to be more fluid than its marketing- almost all of the winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in the 21st century have premiered in smaller (more accessible) venues. Staying informed and being willingly to go outside of the usual Broadway houses is the best way to see theatre at affordable prices, and possibly catch new shows before they head to Broadway.

Here’s a couple of link that are good to know:

Playbill Weekly Schedule of Broadway Shows- A current schedule of the showtimes of every show currently running on Broadway. Shows are typically dark on Monday, but since the pandemic, schedules have changed and matinees have been added during the weekends, so it’s good to check which matinees are 2pm and which are 3pm, in case you want to try multiple lottos each day.

Playbill Broadway Rush, Lottery, and Standing Room Only Policies- Alphabetical list of all the discount ticket options for Broadway shows

Playbill Off-Broadway Rush and Inexpensive Ticket Policies- Alphabetical list of all the discount ticket options for off-Broadway shows.

Lotteries

When it comes to theatre, I feel that scheduling flexibility saves money. If you can go any time or day, you can snag cheaper tickets. I recommend entering as many lotteries as possible, as frequently as possible. When I was working at my desk job, I tried to make a habit of entering the lotteries every morning after checking my emails. Here’s all of the links to the digital lotteries- they usually email winners around 2, and give them an hour to purchase the tickets, so keep an eye on your email! (I’m not exactly sure why these shows are split up across these lotteries, rather than in one place, but it’s best to just go through all 3). As much as I love in-person rush, anyone with a full time job and commute is probably going to have a tough time getting to the box office when it opens at 10 or hanging around the theatre district hoping to snag a cheap ticket.

Broadway Direct Lottery

Telecharge Lottery and Rush- This requires signing into a social media account (very annoying), but also let’s you submit a lottery for more than one performance at a time

Lucky Seat- This one offers lotteries in several different cities, so make sure you are submitting for the New York performances

Today Tix- Need the app to get tickets, but some really great lotteries if you submit every day, especially for hot ticket Off-Broadway shows.

Discount Ticket Programs

A lot are mentioned in the Playbill article, but to keep everything together, below are my favorite ones that I’ve personally used. When a recent show I had tickets to was cancelled, I was able to check with these programs to get a last minute cheap ticket, so making/maintaining an account ahead of time is a good idea.

LincTix- Lincoln Center Theatre’s program for discount tickets for people between the ages of 21 and 35. With fees, tickets are $35.50 for any show at the 3 Broadway theatres at Lincoln Center. You can also purchase tickets for anyone else with a LincTix account in the same order. Don’t delete the email with your account number in it, you will need it to sign in every time you purchase tickets. Also, seats purchased with LincTix are always great, these are not partial view seats.

Playwrights Horizons Young Membership Discount Tickets- $20 tickets for any show for anyone under 35. You can also purchase $35 tickets for a guest to accompany you. There is also a $10 alternative for full-time students, at the same link. To sign up, you need to create an account and “purchase” a free membership, which will allow you to purchase the discounted tickets from your account. Remember to renew this every season, as it does expire.

2nd Stage Theater 30 Under 30 Discount Tickets- $30 tickets for any show for anyone under 30. When looking at performance dates, enter “30UNDER30” in the promo code window, and eligible seats will show up on the seating chart.

Manhattan Theatre Club 30 Under 35 Discount Tickets- $30 tickets for any show. Registering online allows anyone under 35 to buy 2 tickets per show. The best part is that you can bring a guest of any age- just make sure whoever purchased the ticket picks up the ticket at the box office.

Roundabout Theatre Company HipTix Program- $30 tickets for any show for anyone between the ages of 18 and 40. This program also allows you to purchase 2 tickets for any show, and your guest can be of any age. You’ll receive a promo code in an email that will let you purchase the tickets, and whoever purchased the tickets must pick them up at the box office.

Theatre For a New Audience New Deal Tickets- $20 tickets for any show for anyone under 30, or any full-time student. Enter the promo code NEWDEAL when purchasing tickets and the discount will be applied. Ticket must be picked up at the box office, so bring proof of ID.

Ultimately, it is possible to see theatre in New York City for less than a nice dinner! Having a flexible schedule, entering lotteries, and looking outside Broadway is the best way to do it (also, be under 30 I guess??). Good luck!