Seeing a Broadway show in New York City is one of those experiences everyone should have at least once. The only problem? Your bank account may prefer that you spend the evening watching Netflix. Luckily, cheap Broadway tickets are very real—you just need to know where to look.
For a classic blockbuster, Wicked remains one of Broadway’s safest bets, combining enormous production numbers, recognizable songs and enough green makeup to make Halloween jealous. The show currently offers a limited number of $30 tickets through an in-person lottery, as well as a digital lottery with tickets starting at $64.
For something with a little more attitude, SIX: The Musical turns the six wives of Henry VIII into a pop concert—and somehow makes Tudor history feel like a night at Madison Square Garden. Rush tickets are currently available for $40, while its digital lottery offers tickets for as little as $35.
The Outsiders is another excellent choice, particularly if you like your Broadway with plenty of drama, choreography and teenage angst. The production offers $45 rush tickets and a digital lottery with tickets starting at $49.
And then there’s The Lion King, the Broadway equivalent of ordering the biggest thing on the menu just because you can. Its digital lottery offers a limited number of tickets for $35.
How to Get Cheap Broadway Tickets
Your first stop should be TKTS Times Square, the famous discount ticket booth underneath the red steps. TKTS offers discounted same-day Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets, with discounts advertised at up to 50% off.
Another smart strategy is rush tickets. Many shows release a limited number of discounted seats on the day of the performance, either at the theater box office or through an official digital platform. The catch: you may have to wake up early, stand in line or accept whatever seat the Broadway gods decide to give you.
Digital lotteries are even easier. Enter online, cross your fingers and hope your name gets picked. Popular shows can have stiff competition, but spending two minutes entering a lottery is considerably cheaper than spending $200 on a ticket.
The golden rule? Be flexible. Weekday performances, less desirable showtimes and sitting slightly farther from the stage can dramatically lower the price.
Because Broadway doesn’t have to cost Broadway money. Sometimes all it takes is a little patience, a little luck—and absolutely no fear of the lottery.
