Broadway Rush and Standing Room Only Policies
By Ilya Khodosh
05 May 2003
To make tickets more affordable to students and other theatergoers on a budget, many Broadway shows have implemented rush and standing room only (SRO) policies. Anyone willing to get up and get to the box office early, spend some time in a line, or stand during the show, can get greatly discounted tickets to most shows on Broadway.
It all started with Rent, which, at the peak of its popularity, sold all seats in the first two rows of orchestra for $20 to whomever would get to the box office in time on the day of the performance. Naturally, students embraced the opportunity and lines formed at dawn. Since then, Broadway has offered rush and SRO tickets to encourage an enthusiastic theatre community.
Rush and SRO tickets are sold on the day of the performance, usually as soon as the box office opens, unless otherwise specified. Many policies are restricted to students and require student IDs. Seat location varies with different shows, from front row to real mezzanine. The wait in line is usually inevitable. For more popular shows, it’s reasonable to anticipate a wait spanning at least a couple of hours. Also, most box offices only accept cash for rush and SRO tickets.
Standing room patrons stand in numbered spaces that are the width of a regular seat. They are usually located at the back of the orchestra. SRO tickets are trickier to get because they are only available if the show is sold out. There’s no definite way to predict in advance whether a performance will sell out, without actually calling the box office a few hours before curtain time. Shows that sell out often include Hairspray, Mamma Mia, The Lion King, and The Producers. Also, it is likely that any show will sell out very early in its run. Unless otherwise specified, one SRO ticket is sold per person.
Here are the rush and SRO policies of different Broadway shows. Also included are shows whose regular tickets are similarly priced.
[Note: This article is updated roughly once a month.]
42nd Street
Type: Student Rush
Price: $21.50 per ticket
Time: 8pm evening shows are sold 4:30-5:30pm
2pm Wed. and Sat matinees are sold 11am-12
3pm Sun. matinees are sold 12-1pm
Amount: 1 ticket per person (22 tickets available)
Location: First row
ID: Full-time student ID and other government-issued picture ID (i.e. driver’s license)
A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
Type: General Rush
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Time: Half hour prior to curtain
ID: Student ID
A Year with Frog and Toad
Type: Inexpensive Tickets
Price: $26.25 for balcony seats (available in advance), $16.25 for box seats (available in advance only at box office)
Aida
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: Usually first and second rows
ID: Student ID
Type: SRO
Price: Mezzanine $15, Balcony $10
Beauty and the Beast
Type: SRO
Price: $25 per ticket
Bill Maher's Victory Begins at Home
Type: General Rush
Price: $21 per ticket
Type: SRO
Price: $21 per ticket
Cabaret
Type: Student Rush
Price: Half-price
Location: Varies due to availability
ID: Student ID
Chicago
Type: General Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: First few rows of orchestra
Note: Not available for Sat. evening performances
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Def Poetry Jam
Type: Student Rush
Price: $16.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
ID: Student ID
Type: Inexpensive Tickets
Price: $25 for balcony seats (available in advance)
Enchanted April
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Gypsy
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Time: 10am-2pm
Amount: 1 ticket per person
ID: Student ID
Note: Available only for Mon-Thurs performances, excluding Wed. matinees.
View may be partially obstructed.
Type: SRO
Price: $25 per ticket, $20 for Wed. matinees
Hairspray
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Special Conditions: Lottery takes place daily, and begins at 5pm for evening performances, 11am for Wed. and Sat. matinees, and 12 for Sun. matinees. There is no need to arrive early. Each person may enter only one name into the lottery. The individual whose name has been entered must be present to purchase tickets. There are 25 tickets available.
Location: Rear mezzanine
ID: Photo ID
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
La Boheme
Type: General Rush
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Time: Two hours prior to curtain.
Amount: 2 tickets per person (24 tickets available)
Location: First two rows of orchestra
ID: Photo ID
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
ID: Student ID
Mamma Mia
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket
Time: 2 hours prior to curtain
Amount: 2 tickets per person (25 tickets available)
Man of La Mancha
Type: SRO
Price: $25 per ticket
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Master Harold…and the boys
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25
Movin’ Out
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket
Nine
Type: Student Rush
Price: Half Price
Time: Half hour prior to curtain
Amount: 1 ticket per person
ID: Student ID
Type: SRO
Price: Information at box office
Rent
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $20 per ticket
Time: Two hours prior to curtain
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: First two rows of orchestra
Special Conditions: Lottery drawing held at the theater.
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket
Salome: The Reading
Type: Senior/Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Time: Two hours prior to curtain.
ID: Proper student or senior ID
Note: Not available on April 30
Take Me Out
Type: Student Rush
Price: $20 per ticket
Time: Hour prior to curtain
Amount: 1 ticket per person
ID: Student ID
Note: Not available for Sat. evening performances
Type: Inexpensive Tickets
Price: $25 for balcony seats (available in advance)
Type: SRO
Price: Information at Box Office
The Lion King
Type: SRO
Price: Orchestra $20, Mezzanine $15
Amount: 1 ticket per person (22 tickets available)
The Look of Love
Type: Student Rush
Price: Half price
Time: Hour prior to curtain
Amount: 1 ticket per person
ID: Student ID
The Phantom of the Opera
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket (28 tickets available)
The Play What I Wrote
Type: Student Rush
Price: $10 per ticket
Amount: 4 tickets per person
Location: Balcony or mezzanine
ID: Student ID
Note: Not available for Sat. evening performances.
The Producers
Type: SRO
Price: Tues-Fri. evenings $26, Wed. matinees $21, Sat. and Sun $31
Time: Two hours prior to curtain
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Time: 10am-3pm
Amount: 1 ticket per person
Location: Last two rows of mezzanine
ID: Student ID
Note: Tues, Wed, Thurs. performances only
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket
Urban Cowboy
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
ID: Student ID
Type: SRO
Price: $25 per ticket
Urinetown The Musical
Type: General Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Time: Three hours prior to curtain
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: Last row of orchestra
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