Catching a Broadway show may be a quintessential New York experience, but a pair of orchestra tickets can easily cost as much as your hotel room.
If your travel plans are flexible, consider waiting until fall to take advantage of Broadway.com‘s latest promotion, which reduces ticket prices for groups as small as eight people. (Group discounts are typically for 15 or more people). Round up some friends and family, and these discounts could knock 20 percent to 50 percent off the regular price of orchestra and front mezzanine seats.
Here’s a sampling of what you can save with Broadway.com/groups discounts this fall.
La Cage Aux Folles (the 2010 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical Revival, Best Actor, and Best Director)
Price: Orchestra seats normally cost $132.50. With the small-group discount, you could save 40 percent and watch it for a more affordable $79.50. This price is valid for shows from Sept. 7-Oct. 7.
The Addams Family (starring Broadway legends Bebe Neuwirth and Nathan Lane)
Price: $69 mezzanine seats A-K for Tuesday-Thursday performances; $49 student mezzanine seats F-N for Tuesday-Thursday performances. Book by Aug. 27 (or 4 weeks in advance) for performances Sept. 1-Nov. 11
Mary Poppins and The Lion King
Price: Get 20 percent off regularly priced tickets for groups of 8 to 14 people. Earn a free ticket for groups of 15 and more.
But with half-price tickets available at the TKTS booth in Times Square, does booking in advance really save you money?
I checked in with Carl Prince, executive vice president of Broadway.com/Groups, who was candid about how his company’s fall promotion measures up to the competition.
Can you explain how these prices might compare to TKTS deals?
TKTS is a good way to go if you are not with a group, you don’t care what show you see, and you don’t mind giving up an afternoon to wait in line. If you wanted to see a show with a September Special, say Mary Poppins, you should definitely go ahead and buy it in advance because it might sell out prior to the performance and therefore not even be an option at the TKTS booth. Prices could be lower at TKTS, but it’s a complete gamble.
Is your seat availability better than TKTS?
Another gamble. At the TKTS booth, they sell whatever inventory is left. Because of that, simple logic tells me the seats will not be as good at the last minute as when they are bought in advance with a September Special.
Has Broadway.com/Groups offered these specials before?
Not really. As of now, this is a once-a-year opportunity. September Specials are a way to sell tickets in advance for a time period that has tended to be slower in years past.
Details: Visit Broadway.com/groups/septemberspecials to view the discounted group rates.
Tip: Before you book, it’s worth comparing prices with other discount sites, such as Theatermania.com.
[Photo Credit: Amy Chen]