Theater Ticket Sales

New York City is not the only place theater lovers can enjoy a live production. Regional theater can be extremely entertaining and many amateur performers are highly professional. Local theater provides ticket seekers the advantage of purchasing premium tickets to see critically acclaimed plays and musicals.

Take Advantage of the Local Theater Scene

The best seat for any performance is closest to the stage. Theaters are generally separated into sections with the "orchestra" section being the best seating area. Second and third balcony level box seats are also considered premium because they offer you a private viewing area close to the stage. Balconies at some theaters extend over the ground level seating offering a sight advantage compared to the first level seats at the back of the theater. If you don't mind sitting above the stage, you can get an excellent view from the first few rows of a balcony.

Premium theater tickets can be purchased in advance and on the day of the show. Theatergoers who prefer having a guaranteed seat should purchase tickets in advance. Advanced tickets are sold online, over the phone and in person at the box office. Tickets purchased online and by phone are subject to service fees of up to $10 per ticket. Tickets purchased in person at the box office do not have service fees, but some theaters do charge a nominal venue fee (generally two dollars or less) that is applied to the maintenance of the theater.

Another great option for securing a premium seat is to take advantage of last minute sales. Rush tickets are seats that are sold right before the performance. These tickets become available when high profile donors and sponsors fail to claim tickets that are held for their use. This means that rush tickets are some of the best seats in the house.

A rush ticket can usually be acquired by waiting in a standby line prior to the show. Tickets are distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last, usually 10-15 minutes before show time. Do not expect the theater to accept credit cards or checks for rush ticket payments. When purchasing rush seats, be prepared to pay the price for front row seats in cash.