Theater Ticket Bureaus in New York City (theater, Concerts, Opera, Sports and Cultural Events)

The most convenient way to buy tickets to most events, music shows and theater (and the way of most New Yorkers) is to order them through the large electronic ticket services called "Ticketron" or "Telecharge" for which you pay a small fee.
If they are sold out at these places, you will be forced either to go through boutique "ticket brokers" or to check for last min tickets at the box office (see below).

TYPHint:Most theaters are closed on Monday. Be sure to check.

For last minute tickets try the following:

Call the box office of theater, single seats at regular rate often available.

Check theater box office at about 6 p.m. when tickets for "house seats" that have not been claimed are sold at regular price. (All of the theaters located at Lincoln Center sell unclaimed "house seats" as they become available.

Sometimes subscribers "return" tickets to theaters to be resold. These again are last minute but are often excellent seats and can be a way to get tickets for "sold out" events.

The easiest months to get tickets to popular shows are January and February. Also some of the most popular shows do play on Mondays when other theaters are closed. So Monday might be a good choice for one of the headliners that are open. The locals traditionally don't go to theaters on Mondays.

An expensive way to get tickets is through Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS 212 840-0770. They sell tickets at twice the face value and donate half the amount to people with AIDS. Call two days in advance.

A less expensive way for seniors or students to get tickets, is to present their ID at the box office for a discount on the day of the performance.

The Theatre Development Fund runs the TKTS booth at Duffy Square (47^th & Broadway). Tickets are discounted 25% to 50%. Sold only on day of performance from 3 - 8 p.m. for evenings, 10 am to 2 p.m. for Wednesday and Saturday matinees and 11 am to 3:30 p.m. for both Sunday performances. If you happen to be downtown go to the mezzanine of Two World Trade Center to the TKTS outlet for the same discount, open Monday - Friday 11 am to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Matinees are sold the day before the show.

TYPHint: Don't buy tickets from "touts" (scalpers) selling last minute tickets outside the theater. You run the risk of buying tickets for a different date, fake or stolen tickets. If you are desperate enough to take the risk be sure to look at the tickets carefully, then only when you have the tickets in your hand, hand over the money.

Buying tickets through a ticket broker can take much of the worry out of buying a ticket. But beware. New York State law states that the premium on the ticket price can only be $5 or 10%, which ever is less. However, the law of supply and demand states that the ticket price will be the price which people are willing to pay. Thus, some brokers get around $5/10% law in New York by having their main offices in New Jersey where the law does not apply.

Major Ticket Agencies for Shows, Concerts, Sports, etc.
Tele-Charge & TicketMaster are two separate companies that sell tickets to B&quotway & off-B&quotway shows via the Internet. Betw them, they handle virtually all B&quotway shows & most of the more prominent Off-B&quotway attractions. They do not handle the same shows; if you want tickets to a particular show, you will need to find out whether it is handled by Tele-Charge or TicketMaster & call the appropriate company. There are no shows handled by both agencies. Tele-Charge primarily sells tickets at most B&quotway theaters & several off-B&quotway theaters. TicketMaster sells tickets for shows at several B&quotway theaters & many off-B&quotway theaters as well as concerts & sporting events. You can find out which agency is selling the show you are interested the number listed for a specific theater. We have specified if sold by TicketMaster or Tele-Charge for your convenience.