Updated July 2005
Carnegie Hall Partial-View Seats
How do you go to a concert at Carnegie for next to nothing? A limited number of $10 partial-view tickets are available for performances in Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium (excluding Carnegie Hall Family Concerts and galas). Same-day tickets go on sale at the box office beginning at noon, with a limit of two per person. Student/senior rush tickets, also priced at $10, are sold starting at noon on the performance day, until 1 hour before show time. Rush tickets for Weill Recital Hall performances are sold at the box office one hour before the concert. Present valid ID. Cash only.
• 57th St. and 7th Ave.; 212-247-7800; carnegiehall.org Carnegie Hall/Citigroup Neighborhood Concert Series
For more than twenty-five years Carnegie Hall has ventured out to the five boroughs, providing free concerts in libraries, shelters, community, cultural, and religious centers. Performances cover a variety of musical styles such as classical, jazz, popular, and folk.
• locations throughout NYC; 212-903-9670; carnegiehall.org The Juilliard School
Juilliard’s exemplary Music, Drama, Opera, and Dance divisions all put on student performances at little or no cost to the public. Music: All performances free, except for some of those at Avery Fisher Hall and Carnegie Hall. Drama: Most productions are free. Opera: $20 general admission; $10 students and seniors. Dance: $20 for select productions; $10 students and seniors. All other performances are free. Tickets are required for all performances and can be obtained at the box office beginning two weeks before the show. A standby line forms outside the theater an hour prior to showtime. You may request to be placed on the mailing list for information on a division and its performances.
• 60 Lincoln Center Plaza; 212-769-7406; juilliard.edu
Lincoln Center
Students can sometimes purchase up to two $20 tickets for the following Lincoln Center programs: Great Performers, Mostly Mozart, American Songbook and certain Lincoln Center Festival events. Call ahead for availability. $10-20 student rush tickets, available for select performances, are sold at the box office daily at 11 a.m. Present valid ID.
• 65th St. and Broadway; 212-875-5050 or lincolncenter.org BAM Student/Senior Rush Tickets
The Brooklyn Academy of Music offers $10 tickets to students (full- and part-time under 25 years old) and seniors with valid ID. Tickets for unsold seats may be purchased at the box office 90 minutes prior to showtime. There is a two ticket per person limit. No checks.
• For shows at Harvey Theater, visit the box office at 651 Fulton St.; for shows at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, visit 30 Lafayette Ave.; for ticket availability, call 718-636-4100, ext. 1; bam.org New York Philharmonic
Students, senior citizens (62 and over), and disabled persons are eligible to purchase $10 tickets on the day of select performances. Two tickets per person; sold at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office. Call ahead for availability; tickets are not available for Friday matinees or Saturday evening performances.
• 65th St. and Broadway; 212-875-5656 or newyorkphilharmonic.org Trinity Church - Concerts at One
Sponsors a free, year-round concert series with performances on Mondays at St. Paul’s Chapel at 1 p.m. and Thursdays at Trinity Church at 1 pm (During the summer, concerts are held only on Thursdays). Trinity Church alone is worth a visit —it qualifies as a National Historic Landmark.
• Trinity Church, 74 Trinity Place (Broadway at Wall St.); St. Paul’s Chapel, 209 Broadway (Broadway at Fulton); 212-602-0747; trinitywallstreet.org
Dance
Joyce Theater
The Joyce Theater hosts performances by a variety of dance companies such as Tap City, Ballet NY, and Hubbard St. Dance. Full-time college students and seniors with current ID can purchase $15 rush tickets at the box office one hour before showtime. Limit of one ticket per person. Cash only.
• 175 Eighth Ave., at 19th St.; 212-242-0800; joyce.org New York City Ballet
Full-time students under 30 with valid ID are eligible for $12 Student Rush Tickets to select same-day performances. One ticket per person; purchase tickets online or at the New York State Theater box office.
• 63rd St. and Columbus; 212-870-7766; nycballet.com
Opera
Metropolitan Opera
Standing room tickets for the following week’s performances go on sale Saturday mornings at 10am. To vie with in-the-know standing room regulars, line up outside the Metropolitan Opera Box Office at least an hour in advance. Orchestra standing room tickets sell for $20 and Family Circle for $15, with a limit of one ticket per person for each performance. Extra tickets are sold at the box office until show time. Cash only. Students (29 and under) may purchase discounted tickets to select Metropolitan Opera performances. Weekday shows are priced at $25 while Friday and Saturday shows go for $35. Tickets must be purchased at the box office with a current student ID and there is a two ticket per student limit.
• 64th St. and Columbus Ave.; 212-362-6000 or metopera.org New York City Opera
Students can purchase half-price tickets up to a week in advance at the New York State Theater Box Office, through CenterCharge (212-721-6500), or online at nycopera.com. Last-minute Student Rush tickets are also available for same-day performances at $16 with a two icket per student limit. Call the hotline for availability.
• 63rd St. and Columbus Ave.; 212-870-5630 Student Rush hotline; nycopera.com
Theater
New Dramatists
Committed to developing playwrights, New Dramatists holds readings and workshops of new plays, musicals, and screenplays. Performances often feature top New York actors and directors. Readings are free and the majority are open to the public. Call for a schedule of events and make a reservation to secure your spot.
• 424 W. 44th St., betweeen 9th and 10th Aves.; 212-757-6960; newdramatists.org Shakespeare in Central Park
Each summer The Public Theater presents a free production of a Shakespeare play at the outdoor Delacorte Theater, attracting big-name actors and a diverse crowd. Tickets are handed out daily at 1pm at The Delacorte in Central Park, from 1pm to 3pm at the Public Theater, and from 1pm to 3pm on select dates at locations in all five boroughs (call for details). Bring a blanket, book, and friend as lines begin forming early in the morning. Despite the long wait, the atmosphere tends to be lively and the people-watching fabulous. Limit of two tickets per person.
• Delacorte Theater, midpark at 80th St.; Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St.; 212-539-8750; publictheater.org HERE Performance Space
HERE strives to support emerging artists in a variety of disciplines, playing host to often edgy performances in theater, dance, music and the visual arts. Tickets usually cost no more than $15 and some shows are free. Check their online calendar for a weekly schedule. Students and seniors receive a 25 percent discount for select shows. Purchase tickets online, at the box office, or through SmartTix by calling 12-868-4444.
• HERE Performance Art CafÈ, 145 Sixth Ave.; 212-647-0202; here.org TKTS
The famous red-and-white booth sells tickets to select Broadway and Off-Broadway shows for 25, 35, or 50 percent off the original price, with a $3 service charge per ticket. The same tickets are sold at both TKTS locations, so no need to hit both. Show up in the early evening ó lines are shorter, and additional tickets often go on sale just prior to curtain time. Cash or traveler’s checks only.
• 47th St. at Broadway: Mon-Sat, 3pm-8pm for evening tickets; Wed, Sat, 10am-2pm for matinee tickets; Sun, 11am-3pm for matinees, 3pm-close for evening tickets.
• South Street Seaport, corner of Front and John Sts., the rear of the Resnick/Prudential Building at 199 Water St.: Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm; Sat, 11am-7pm; Sun, 11am-4pm. At this location, matinee tickets must be bought the day before.
• tdf.org/programs/tkts for additional information. Theater Development Fund
TDF vouchers offer steep discounts to Off-Off-Broadway productions as well as other events sponsored by small, independent production companies. To qualify for their mailing list, you must be a student, teacher, staff member of a not-for-profit organization, performing arts professional, senior citizen (62 and over), union or armed forces member, or clergyman.
• 212-221-0885; tdf.org. High Five Tickets to the Arts
Kids between 13 and 18 years old (or anyone in middle or high school) can buy tickets to participating arts events for $5 per ticket for weekends or $5 for two tickets for Monday through Thursday events. For museum events, pay $5 for two tickets any day of the week. Tickets can be bought through Ticketmaster and through the High Five website.
• 212-HI5-TKTS; high5tix.org (Web site includes event calendar).
Student Rush Tickets
Many Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters reserve their front orchestra rows for student rush tickets. Tickets for same-day performances must be purchased at the theater box office and generally go on sale at 10am, with lines often forming in the wee hours. Typical prices are $20 or $30, but check with Tele-charge or TicketMaster as policies vary depending on the show. Cash only.
• Tele-charge, 212-239-6200; TicketMaster, 212-307-4100.
Discount Club Memberships
Audience Extras
Offers subscribers free tickets when theaters need to fill an audience, particuarly when a show is in previews or expecting a reviewer or celebrity to attend. Expect tickets for Off and Off-Off Broadway shows, movie previews, comedy clubs, cabarets, dance, concerts, and an occasional Broadway show. Yearly membership will cost you $85, and a $30 “Personal Reserve Fund” from which a $3 per ticket service charge is taken. Check the Web for event listings.
• 61 Lexington Ave., Suite A; 212-686-1966; audienceextras.com Play by Play
Provides the same service as Audience Extras, but with a slightly greater number of tickets to Broadway shows. Yearly membership is $99 with an additional $3 per ticket service charge. Participating events are listed online and members can reserve up to two tickets per event.
• 270 W. 36th St., 3rd fl.; 212-868-7052; play-by-play.com TheaterMania
Sign up for a free membership with this online club and save up to 50 percent on occasional tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Discounts are available for a small selection of Off-Off Broadway shows as well. The site’s free newsletter, TMInsider, offers the latest information on shows, discounts and ticket sales.
• 212-352-0255; theatermania.com The Playbill Club
Playbill offers its online members discounts of up to 50 percent on Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Subscribers also get restaurant discounts and an occasional hotel or opera deal. Membership is free, and you may request mailings about new discounts and exclusive theater-related merchandise.
• playbill.com NY Theatre
New York Theatre Experience offers online coupons for a very limited number of off-Broadway shows. Bring a printout of the virtual coupon to the box office or mention the coupon code when calling Tele-charge. Savings range from a mere $2 off the ticket price to a 50 percent discount. No membership necessary.
• nytheatre.com
Standing Room
Many Broadway theaters sell tickets for standing room, located directly behind the orchestra seating. The catch: tickets are only available on the day of the performance and the show must be completely sold out. Tickets usually cost between $15 and $30. Check with specific box offices for details. Volunteer Ushering
A handful of Broadway theaters and most Off-Broadway theaters rely on volunteer ushers to work during performances and it’s easy to lend a hand in exchange for a chance to see the show. Make a reservation in advance and then arrive about an hour and a half before the performance for a debriefing from the house manager. After you show paying theatergoers to their seats, settle down to enjoy the performance for free. You might be asked to stick around for a bit afterwards to scan for stray playbills or lost-and-found items. Call the box office as procedures (and dress codes!) vary.
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