Rushes do and don'ts

[kinkyplaybill]

Posted: 2/17/20 at 11:19pm

Hi!

I'll be arriving in New York for some 25 of pure theatre. My ultimate goal is too see *every* musical that is on (I previously saw replica productions of Phantom, The Lion King and Wicked, but still would like to see them on Broadway).

I'm trying to book the impossible/inexistent rushes ahead, and then save a few "key" shows where getting cheap tickets is much easier, like Chicago and Phantom, for days where I fail to rush something (tickets ran out etc) so I still get to see a show if everything else fails.

So I'm humbly asking the pro's opinion: what shows are super easier to rush and don't tend to sell out when the box office opens, what shows I should be fine if I arrive early and what shows I should just buy a ticket and don't even bother with rushing?

 

The way I see it:

Super easy: Phantom, Chicago

Should be ok: Wicked, Beetlejuice, Book of Mormon, Come From Away,Jagged, Mean Girls, Six, Tina, WSS, 

Don't even bother trying: Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Frozen, Aladdin, The Lion King, Hadestown, Moulin Rouge, 

I know most of what I listed on don't even bother are those that don't have a rush, but maybe there are cheap tickets on some cancellation line I don't know about?

Thanks for any imput!

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 2/18/20 at 12:30am

Definitely enter the lotteries too, some will notify you the day before so you can know whether it's worth hopping into the rush line, and check out TKTS/TodayTix/Broadway Box for discounts (I just picked up a $59 ticket for center mezz for Jagged Little Pill using a discount code that turned out to be a fantastic view).

I feel like it's not as widely known, but Dear Evan Hansen has a $69 rush and a couple of friends stopped by around 1pm last Tuesday and they said they still had tickets left.  Hadestown and Moulin Rouge both have standing room (but possibly only if sold out) and some shows will also have "lottery loser" discounts where they give you a discount code even if you don't win the lottery.  I don't believe Tina has a rush policy (though they do have lottery), same with Book of Mormon (though they have standing room and digital lottery).

I think Wicked only has in-person lottery but they do have student tickets for $69 that you can buy ahead of time with student ID.  Ain't Too Proud has day-of student rush for $29, though they don't always have tickets available 

Also check StubHub day of/an hour or so before the show and sometimes sellers will drop prices below face value, and the Hamilton cancellation line is probably your best bet if you can't win the lottery.

[kinkyplaybill]

Posted: 2/18/20 at 4:45am

Those are really good points (and I definitely did not know about DEH's rush). Thank you very much!

[SGarrett2]

Posted: 2/18/20 at 11:14am

DEH also has standing room for $42 available when the box office first opens. I believe Tina has standing room spots as well once the show sells out. Also important about the standing room for Hadestown is that it goes on sale specifically at 12pm for the matinees and 5pm for the evening performances and there is a limit of 1 per person with only up to 14 tickets being sold as standing room.

[kmissa]

Posted: 2/18/20 at 12:36pm

When are you arriving and for how long? enter the lotteries of all the shows, esp the hard ones, you never know. 

[chuckydisc]

Posted: 2/21/20 at 11:22am

kinkyplaybill said: "I'm trying to book the impossible/inexistent rushes ahead, and then save a few "key" shows where getting cheap tickets is much easier

Super easy: Phantom, Chicago

Should be ok: Wicked, Beetlejuice, Book of Mormon, Come From Away,Jagged, Mean Girls, Six, Tina, WSS"

What's super easy about cheap seats for Phantom?

What cheap seats are you claiming exist last minute for Book of Mormon and Tina?

 

[MNNiceorIce]

Posted: 2/21/20 at 12:06pm

If the show is sold out, Tina has $30 Standing Room and the view is excellent. Did it last week and I think there were three or four other people in SR, lots of open spaces...and this was a night Adrienne was in. The SR for JLP is $40 and also a steal.

[Pashacar]

Posted: 2/21/20 at 12:53pm

chuckydisc said: "kinkyplaybill said: "I'm trying to book the impossible/inexistent rushes ahead, and then save a few "key" shows where getting cheap tickets is much easier

Super easy: Phantom, Chicago

Should be ok: Wicked, Beetlejuice, Book of Mormon, Come From Away,Jagged, Mean Girls, Six, Tina, WSS"

What's super easy about cheap seats for Phantom?

What cheap seats are you claiming exist last minute for Book of Mormon and Tina?"

Why are you phrasing this like an aggressive interrogation instead of trying to help with the question posed? Besides, Phantom has plenty of unsold seats, especially for those Thursday matinees.

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 2/22/20 at 1:04am

If you can, sign up for TDF. (There are certain credentials, like working full-time for a nonprofit or similar.) I saw “Phantom” yesterday from Row L Center Orch for $49 and I was able to buy them weeks in advance. Other Broadway shows also show up on there fairly often. Have an amazing trip!

[chuckydisc]

Posted: 2/22/20 at 11:26am

Pashacar said: "chuckydisc said: "kinkyplaybill said: "I'm trying to book the impossible/inexistent rushes ahead, and then save a few "key" shows where getting cheap tickets is much easier

Super easy: Phantom, Chicago

Should be ok: Wicked, Beetlejuice, Book of Mormon, Come From Away,Jagged, Mean Girls, Six, Tina, WSS"

What's super easy about cheap seats for Phantom?

What cheap seats are you claiming exist last minute for Book of Mormon and Tina?"

Why are you phrasing this like an aggressive interrogation instead of trying to help with the question posed? Besides, Phantom has plenty of unsold seats, especially for those Thursday matinees."

A question is simply a question.

Do I have a choke-hold on the person or a gun to their head?

Stop over-using the term "aggressive".

[chuckydisc]

Posted: 2/22/20 at 11:27am

LuminousBeing said: "If you can, sign up for TDF. (There are certain credentials, like working full-time for a nonprofit or similar.) I saw “Phantom” yesterday from Row L Center Orch for $49 and I was able to buy them weeks in advance. Other Broadway shows also show up on there fairly often. Have an amazing trip!"

Hopefully this amazing location is chosen again by the box office for early March!