Seeing a Broadway show can definitely be an expensive outing, but it doesn’t have to be. That is great news for me and so many others who love musicals and plays.
Because I work in the theater industry, I try to see as many shows as possible, preferably without spending all my disposable income!
There are several ways to save money on tickets to a Broadway show, such as lottery tickets and Rush tickets.
This post is about Rush tickets, one of the cheapest deals out there!
We go over what they are, how to get them and which shows offer them.
We also give tips to improve your odds of getting Rush tickets.
- What are Rush Tickets
- 10 Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Participating Shows
- Other Broadway Deals
- Best Current Broadway Shows
- Things to Do in NYC
WHAT ARE RUSH TICKETS?
Rush tickets are same-day tickets and cost anywhere from $25-40, depending on the show.
Rush tickets are my favorite way of getting cheap tickets.
Even though it involves standing in line the morning of the show, you can meet some interesting people and the price can’t be beat!
Rush tickets are sold when the theater box offices open (typically at 10 am), so arrive early and be prepared to wait.
If waiting in line for Rush tickets isn’t your thing or if you don't have the time, some shows have an option to try for Rush tickets online so you don't have to go in person. Read below.
Also, there are great Broadway lottery programs you can enter for great ticket deals.
Types of Rush tickets
There are different types of Rush tickets, which I will briefly explain below:
4 Types of Rush
- General Rush - open to anyone and everyone
- Student Rush - requires a student ID (and yes, they will check!)
- Senior Rush - open to seniors over either 62 or 65, depending on the show
- Under 35 - Rush tickets open to theatergoers 35 and under
The most common are general and student Rush tickets.
Some shows also offer Under 35 Rush (ages 35 and under) and Senior Rush (usually over 62 or 65).
How Rush tickets work
A limited number of Rush tickets are allotted for each performance.
They are sold on a first-come, first-served basis when the box office opens.
The most important thing to know about these tickets is that there is no guarantee that you will get them.
Rush tickets can be a mixed bag as far as what seats are made available.
I once saw Helen Mirren playing Queen Elizabeth II (The Audience) in the first row, center section with a Rush ticket. I paid around $30.
I was so close I could practically reach out to pet the corgis onstage (and believe me, I wanted to!)
However, there were times when I got partial view seats and seats on the farthest side of the orchestra section. Less than ideal seats.
Still, no matter where my seat was, I have never regretted getting a great deal on a ticket price.
Many box offices will allow one person to buy two Rush tickets, but some only allow one per person, so be sure to check with the box office of your preferred show.
You must have a valid photo ID to purchase tickets. You may need a credit card as well, but some theaters may take cash. Check with the box office in advance.
Read our tips below to improve your chances.
Digital RUSH Tickets
Instead of standing in line at the box office, you enter a lottery for Rush tickets online.
TodayTix is a great place to find out which shows offer digital Rush tickets.
Other websites include Playbill, NYTIX, Broadway on a Budget and Broadway for Broke People,
Every show has its own lottery start and stop times. Shows also may have certain policies as well, such as available seat locations, so be sure to read through all the details.
Note that to use the digital Rush system, you must have a credit card to complete your purchase.
Digital Rush is great in a lot of ways -- the most obvious being that you can enter from wherever you are, and you don’t spend time waiting in line.
The downside? It’s easier for everyone, so you have a lot more people vying for a small number of tickets, as compared to in-person Rush.
On the plus side, you can enter digital Rush lotteries for multiple shows at once!
10 TIPS FOR GETTING BROADWAY RUSH TICKETS
1. Even though most box offices open at 10 am, people will start lining up as early as 6 or 7 am for very popular shows.
There are only a limited number of in-person Rush tickets available as they are first-come, first-serve.
Unless it is a hugely popular show, I usually get in line somewhere between 8 am and 9 am.
2. If you are visiting in the winter (January and February) this can be a great time to try Rush tickets. The lines are often shorter and you don’t have to get there as early.
One February I got a Rush ticket for The Band’s Visit at 10:30 am during a snowstorm. Just dress for the weather!
3. Bring something to do since you might be in line for a while. I always bring my Kindle and usually grab a cup of coffee to drink while I wait.
4. Count how many people are in line when you arrive and remember that each one of them can likely request two tickets!
If you show up and there are already a hundred people in line, you are probably not getting a Rush ticket that day. Go ahead and spend your morning doing something else.
5. If there are two of you, go to the box offices of two shows. This doubles your chances of getting tickets for a show that night.
Before doing this, check with both box offices that one person can purchase two tickets.
If you do this on a Wednesday and both of you luck out, one of you can get matinee tickets and the other can get evening tickets!
This way, you can see two Broadway shows in one day for less than $100 per person!
6. When it is your turn at the window ask if they still have Rush tickets available. If they say yes, tell them how many you would like, and you are all set!
If they are out, they may offer you another option, like Standing Room Only, where you are assigned an area in the theater where you can stand.
Decide in advance if you would go with this option or not so that you don’t hold up the line. The box office staff and the other people in line will really appreciate it!
7. You can improve your chances by trying for a weeknight performance (Tuesdays through Thursdays). Weekend performances (Friday and Saturday) are the busiest nights at the theater.
8. If your schedule would allow you to do either a matinee or evening performance, try getting Rush tickets that day. The theater will have twice as many available between the two performances.
9. DO NOT GET OUT OF LINE!! One time I was the first and only person in line. Foolishly, I thought this meant I had some time to go grab a coffee and come back.
By the time I got back, 30 people had lined up and I did not get a ticket.
10. Waiting in line for Rush tickets can be a great place to make new friends. You already have something in common: you want to see the same show!
I have had some very interesting conversations in Rush lines.
BROADWAY SHOWS THAT OFFER RUSH TICKETS
Here’s a sampling of which shows are offering General Rush, Digital Rush, and Student Rush tickets as of Jan 2025.
You can read descriptions of some of these shows in our post, Best Broadway Shows and Musicals.
Since we update this post every 6 months, some shows listed here may not be offering Rush tickets when you are in town, so confirm with the box office or show website before heading to the box office.
Tip: You can click on any shows that are in bold blue text to get more information on getting cheaper tickets to those shows.
Back To The Future
Digital Rush with rush.telecharge.com
- Price: $45, limit 2 tickets per customer
- The Rush digital lottery will open at midnight on the day before the performance closing at 3 pm the day before the performance. Winners are drawn at 10 am and again at 3 pm.
- Winners will be notified by email shortly after each drawing and have six hours to claim and purchase tickets online. Tickets will be emailed.
- Payment method: Credit card
- ID: Credit card used for purchase
- Seats may be located in any section of the theater. The box office will try to seat pairs together with a full view of the stage, but there is a chance that pairs may be split up and that your seat may have a partial view of the stage.
General Rush at the Winter Garden Theatre box office
- Price: $40, limit 2 tickets per customer
- Available on the day of the performance starting at 10 am Monday-Saturday, and 12 pm Sunday
- Payment Method: Cash or credit card
- Seat Locations are determined at the discretion of the box office.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
General Rush at the Lyric Theatre box office
- Price: $49, limit 2 tickets per customer
- Available on the day of the performance starting at 10 am Monday-Sunday
- Payment Method: Cash or credit card
- Tickets Per Person: Limit 2
- Seat Locations: Determined at the discretion of the box office
- Number of Tickets Available: Subject to daily availability.
& Juliet
Digital Rush with the TodayTix app. Download from todaytix.com
- Price: $47, limit 2 tickets per customer
- Tickets for that day's performance will be available on the TodayTix app at 9 am each day
- Payment Method: Credit card
- ID: Valid photo ID
- Seat Locations: Determined at the discretion of the box office.
Chicago
General Rush at the Ambassador Theatre.
- Price: $49, limit 2 tickets per customer
- On sale when the box office opens, 10 am Monday–Saturday and noon Sunday
- Payment Method: Cash and credit card
- Seat Locations: Determined at the discretion of the box office
- Number of Tickets Available: 25
- Special Policies: Subject to availability
The Book of Mormon
Digital Rush with the TodayTix app. Download from todaytix.com
- Price: $53, limit 2 tickets per customer
- On sale: 9 am
- Payment Method: Credit card
- ID: Valid photo ID
- Seat Locations: Determined at the discretion of the box office
- Number of Tickets Available: Subject to availability
Other shows offering Digital and/or General Rush tickets
| The Wiz | General Rush |
| Moulin Rouge! The Musical | Digital Rush |
| Appropriate | General Rush |
| Ben Platt: Live at the Palace | General Rush |
| The Great Gatsby | General Rush & Student Rush |
| The Heart of Rock and Roll | General Rush |
| Home | Digital Rush |
| Illinoise | Digital Rush & General Rush |
| Hell's Kitchen | General Rush |
| Mary Jane | Digital Rush |
| Mother Play | Digital Rush |
| The Notebook | General Rush |
| The Outsiders | General Rush |
| Patriots | General Rush |
| Stereophonic | Digital Rush & General Rush |
| Suffs | General Rush |
| Water for Elephants | General Rush |
Find out other ways you can enjoy New York City on a budget.
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