Getting Back To Broadway – An Insider Tells Us What To Know

We’ve shopped in stores. We’ve dined indoors. We’ve bootcamped, cycled and lifted ourselves back to the gym. And now, we celebrate the return of one of the most undeniable signs that NYC is back to business – the return of live theatre.

As with every other phase of our re-entry to “normal” life, what were once standard operating procedures on Broadway are not exactly as they were before, including how and where to find legit tickets. That’s why one of our company co-founders and Chief Creative Officer tapped into longtime friend and colleague, Charles Flateman, Chairman of the Board for NYC&Co and Executive Vice President of The Shubert Organization, owners of Telecharge.com, the most trusted resource for tickets.

What shows are opening and when?

As we’ve discovered, not everything reopens at the same time. That’s why our concierge team put together this helpful list of what’s reopening in the next few months, organized by date. Contact us if you are looking to secure great seats.

What is the most official site to go to for information on Broadway?

Flatement encourages making your first online visit to thisisbroadway.org for two reasons. First, this site is operated by The Broadway League, the official national trade organization for theatre owners and producers. It doesn’t get more legit than that! Second, the landing page of this site contains a quick video that will surely reignite that muscle memory of what it feels like to settle into those velvet chairs to see a live performance (be sure to unmute). We can’t stop watching this.

What about discounts and promotions?

Flateman suggests that this year, producers could likely become more “price aggressive” than usual (meaning to drop prices) if sales volumes appear softer than projected for a particular performance date. This could be especially apparent if you are searching for January performance dates as January is historically one of the few slow months for ticket sales. Flateman also reminded us that the “Broadway Week” promotion will return for 2022. Be on the lookout for announcements. Most of all, don’t forget that TKTS is still alive and well, and it remains the perfect place to score same-day tickets at up to half price. You can see what shows are being offered that day by clicking on the TKTS LIVE link on the page. 

How does supply and demand drive ticket price?

Until every show is back, there are fewer shows to choose from, and according to Flateman, the demand is being largely driven by locals who are voraciously driven to get back to the theatre, at any cost. Flateman also adds that things will normalize as the supply of shows grows and more mass consumers re-enter the market. 

Should one buy online or go to the box office?

LIVunLtd is always here to assist with your ticket purchases, but for those who prefer to DIY, Flateman explains that the online inventory is the same as the inventory as what the Box Office clerk has access to. The secret here is that the inventory is rarely static. Show stakeholders often shuffle and release inventory strategically based on sales algorithms. In other words, if you don’t find what you want at the first visit, keep checking back, over and over again. Things do change.

Does face value still exist?

The secondary ticket market, once referred to as “scalpers”, has become so mainstream that it is becoming nearly impossible to decipher the original price of a show ticket. Unlike shows selling exclusively on Telecharge.com,  the official ticket sites for many shows mix reseller’s tickets inventory with the official available box office inventory. Thanks to Flateman, we now know that reseller inventory can be filtered out of your search on Ticketmaster and on SeatGeek. You will find these filters after you search for a particular performance. On SeatGeek, look to the upper left section where seat selections are presented and toggle to “Official Box Office”. On Ticketmaster, click on “filters” on the top right section where seat selections are presented and click “Standard Ticket”.

For broadway tickets or pre- or post-show reservations, send us your request through the LIV app, our web portal, or by emailing or calling us directly.