Living in New York City has a lot of perks. One of them is being able to get free tickets to live tapings of 'late-night' shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
As a local tour guide, I get asked by my tour guests from time to time about getting tickets.
I've been lucky enough to go to see Colbert twice so I know all about the process of requesting tickets and attending the show if you get tickets.
Before going into detail below, here's an overview.
The show is filmed in front of a live audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater in Times Square.
Tickets are free and can be requested in advance for the following month at the start of the current month. I will explain this more below.
The show runtime is just 40 minutes but you should expect to spend between 4 and 5 hours from arrival to the end of the show.
You can click here to see available dates and request tickets.
Before doing so, you may want to read through this post to find out important details about attending the show.
Want to see other show tapings? Check out our post on getting tickets for 12 other NYC TV show tapings, including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Here's Katie, my fellow tour guide here at Tours by Foot NYC, explaining how most live TV show tapings in NYC work.
- How to Get Tickets
- Day-of-Show Check-in
- Directions to the Studio
- Nearby Attractions
- Other Things to Do in NYC
- Free Tours by Foot
INTRODUCTION
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, taped live in New York City, is a wildly successful late-night TV talk show with a viewership of over 10 million people.
You've watched the show so you have a good idea of what to expect from the format.
Colbert starts with an opening monologue followed by interviews with an eclectic mix of guests like celebrities and popular public figures.
Occasionally there is a musical guest or band that performs.
The show runtime is 40 minutes (the actual taping is longer) and follows the classic late-night talk show format.
There’s an in-house band, The Late Show Band with bandleader Louis Cato, which performs before the show begins taping and again during commercials.
Also before taping, Paul Mecurio, the long-standing Late Show warm-up comedian performs for the audience.
HOW TO GET TICKETS FOR THE LATE SHOW
The Late Show tapes at the NBC Studios at the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown Manhattan.
Tapings occur once a day on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. On Thursdays, two tapings occur. The show does not tape on holidays.
The taping goes from around 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. You have to be at the taping studio by at least 3 p.m.
You will be out of the taping by approximately 7:15 p.m., so plan your day accordingly.
See below for ideas on what to do in the area before and after the taping.
Requesting Tickets
It's pretty easy to request tickets since it's all done online. There are some restrictions though.
1) You can request up to two tickets per person.
2) Both people must be at least 16 years old to attend a taping.
3) You are allowed to request tickets no more than once every 6 months.
Ticket requests can be made for the following month at the start of the current month.
For example, requests for tickets for a taping in May can be submitted in early April.
Keep an eye on the show's Twitter and Facebook feeds as they will announce the release of tickets about a month before tapings.
Click here to see available dates and request free tickets.
When you go to the website, you will see a calendar showing which dates are available to request tickets and which dates are "Sold Out".
If the date you want is open, click on it, and then you will be to "Join Waitlist". Click that button.
Next, you will create an account with the ticket distributor, 1iota. It's easy to do though so don't worry.
TIP: This 1iota account can be used to request tickets for many other shows as well. See our NYC TV Tapings post to see what other shows you can see live.
What Happens After You Request Tickets
Submitting a request puts you on a waitlist to have your request processed.
Ticket requests are processed between 2 weeks up to 24 hours before the show date.
The video below explains the waitlist process more.
If your ticket request is approved, you'll get an email asking to confirm your attendance. Go ahead and confirm.
You will then get a ticket via email. Print it and bring it with you on the day of taping.
Types of Tickets
There are two kinds of tickets: priority and general admission. Both are free.
Priority tickets are given to the first group of people to submit their request. Your email approving your request will say if it is a priority ticket.
If you do not get a priority ticket, don't fret. There is very little difference between the two types of tickets. Priority ticket holders get to check into the show an hour earlier.
If you have any questions, check the Late Show's FAQ page.
CHECK-IN ON THE DAY OF THE SHOW
Even if you have your emailed ticket, you are still not 100% guaranteed a seat! You MUST register at the studio on the day of the show taping.
See below for the location of the taping studio and how to get there.
Registration begins at 3 p.m. for priority tickets and 4 p.m. for general tickets.
You must have a photo ID that matches the name on the email reservation you received approving your ticket request.
All members of your party must be with you to register.
Upon registration, you will be given a paper wristband. Registration ends once all the wristbands have been handed out to ticket holders.
TIP: Be sure to arrive for registration on time, though I highly recommend that you line up at least an hour if you want to get into the taping.
I've heard from one of my tour guests that they did not make it into the show since they arrived very close to 4 p.m., though I think that was a rare circumstance.
Don't end up like them. Go by 3 p.m. latest.
Security at the Studio
Taping begins at 5:30 pm, so at about 4 pm, the show staff will begin ushering people into the building.
You will have to show your wristband to staff to be allowed in.
Also, you must pass through security, including a metal detector, before being permitted into the theater.
After passing through security, expect to stand inside on another line for at least 15 minutes before being allowed into the studio.
Seating
When my friend and I attended a taping, the audience was led into the studio around 4:45 p.m./5:00 p.m.
There are no assigned seats, so when we got to the studio door, the usher asked us how many of us there were and then brough us to two seats.
We ended up about 6 rows back in the far right outer aisle and we could see fine.
The theater is fairly small so I don't think there's a bad seat in the house.
Studio Etiquette and Policy
Read this list carefully. I learned that security and show staff take these seriously.
- Food or drinks are not allowed in the theater.
- You are required to stay for the duration of the taping.
- The show's dress code is "dress to impress" as you may be on camera.
- Photography is only permitted during the seating process from a seated position.
- Any recording device must be in the 'off' position once the show begins.
- You are not allowed to use cell phones.
- Small bags and purses are allowed, but not large backpacks, luggage, or shopping bags.
TIPS
So here’s the deal with etiquette and enforcement. This is my experience and I can't speak for others' experiences.
Dress Code
The first time I went to a taping, I wore a shirt with a logo on it -- I didn't mean to, I just forgot the ‘dress to impress’ policy.
But I also brought along a sweater since I knew it would be cold in the studio. The sweater covered the logo on my shirt so I had nothing to worry about!
Turns out that the audience wasn't filmed much, so don't stress too much about how you look on camera.
Overall, I’d say don’t dress sloppy but don't feel pressure to dress up. And remember -- no logos!
Bags
From what I saw, large tote bags seemed ok as I saw some in the audience.
Backpacks are a no. I saw a woman near me in line who had a pretty small backpack but since the straps weren't removable, the staff said it wasn't allowed in.
Don’t let that happen to you!
Phones and Pictures
You must have your phone off and away during the show.
Once the taping was over, I took pictures of the set, as did other people, and the staff didn't say anything.
Food and Drink
Absolutely not allowed! Eat something in advance, I had a small lunch and by the time taping ended, I was starving!
If you have additional questions, check out the Late Show's FAQ page.
DIRECTIONS TO THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater at 1697 Broadway between West 53rd and West 54th Streets in Manhattan.
You can use this Google Maps link to get exact directions to the theater from your point of departure.
To get there by subway, you can take either the B, D, or E train to the "7th Avenue" station or the N, Q, or R train to the "57th/7th Avenue" station.
TIP: If you are new to the subway system, see our post on navigating the NYC Subway and also about which MetroCard to Buy.
THINGS TO DO NEARBY
You'll be in Midtown Manhattan and there are plenty of things to do in the area.
As long as you adhere to the show times (including the time to get in line), you should be able to squeeze in one of these activities.
Stroll Around Central Park
Just six blocks north of the taping studio in Central Park. This is a smart way to spend time before the show.
Since you don't have to check in for the taping until 3 p.m., you will have plenty of time in the morning to explore the park.
The park is pretty big and I recommend that you consider using some sort of guide, like our post on things to do in Central Park.
We also have a GPS-enabled audio tour for you to explore at your own pace.
Plus, we offer several pay-what-you-wish Central Park tours held at different times of the day.
If our tour times work with your schedule, consider joining us!
Visit Rockefeller Center
The taping studio is just a few streets away from this famous complex of buildings.
There are both paid and free tours of Rockefeller Center. Find out more here.
If you were thinking of visiting one of NYC's skyscraper observatories, go to Top of The Rock for incredible views.
Top of The Rock is open 7 days a week from 8 am and 12:30 am which means you can go before or after the taping.
If you are at a show taping in the winter months, you can go ice skating or see Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.
See Times Square
The taping studio is just a few streets north of Times Square. You should definitely take some time before or after the show taping to visit.
There are so many things to do in Times Square, from people-watching to going to attractions like Madame Tussauds.
Our post on things to do in Times Square can tell you what else you can see and do there.
Go to a Broadway Show
Since you are in the vicinity, you may want to consider seeing a show after you leave the Colbert taping.
If you plan to do this, go to an 8 pm show, nothing earlier. I found myself rushing to a 7 pm Broadway show since Colbert let out just before 7 pm!
If you are the spontaneous type, you can try to get a last-minute ticket to a Broadway show, often at lower than normal prices.
Read about getting tickets at the TKTS concession booth in Times Square.
Grab Food at Rupert Jee's Hello Deli
One of the most beloved personalities from the David Letterman years of the Late Show is Rupert Jee.
Jee is the owner of Hello Deli, which is located just around the corner from the marquee entrance to the Ed Sullivan Theater.
Stephen seemed to signal that he hasn't forgotten about Rupert when he staged a tirade over the lack of tomato in a BLT he had ordered for lunch.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that this isn't the last time that Colbert includes Hello Deli.
You can take a look inside Hello Deli with Google Street View.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE LATE SHOW
- The show originally debuted as Late Night with David Letterman on NBC on February 1, 1982. It moved to CBS and the Ed Sullivan Theater in August 1993.
- The Late Show with David Letterman finished up on CBS on May 20, 2015, after 33 years and 6,028 episodes, making Letterman the longest-serving late-night talk show host in American television history.
- Letterman is also a television and film producer with his company, Worldwide Pants, which has produced several prime-time comedies including Everybody Loves Raymond.
- The Late Show airs in most places in the US at 11.35 pm, and in some zones at 10.35 pm, well after a lot of people’s bedtimes.
- Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson from 1962 to 1992 and believed that Letterman was his natural successor. Carson even sent Letterman monologue jokes throughout the remainder of his life.
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert debuted on September 8, 2015, and also stars house band Stay Human, led by bandleader Jon Batiste.
- Stephen Colbert previously hosted the satirical news show The Colbert Report which won six Emmy Awards, on Comedy Central from October 2005 to December 2014.
- Stephen Colbert’s hosting desk does not feature his name and instead says “The Late Show With”.
- The new set retains some touches from the old “Colbert Report” set, including Captain America’s shield.
- Stephen Colbert also actively supports many charities, using social media to promote causes, and regularly giving away thousands of his own money.
