Off-Broadway Rush, Standing Room and Inexpensive Ticket Policies

By Jennifer Brown
March 19, 2013

To make tickets more affordable to students and other theatregoers on a budget, many Off-Broadway shows have implemented rush, lottery and standing-room-only (SRO) policies.

Anyone willing to wake 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 the majority of shows Off-Broadway.

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 valid student IDs. Seat location varies with different shows, from front row to rear mezzanine. A wait in line is usually inevitable. For more popular shows, it's reasonable to anticipate a wait spanning a couple of hours. Also note that many box offices only accept cash for rush and SRO tickets.

Standing-room patrons must 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 generally only available if the show is sold out. There's no definite way to predict in advance whether a performance will sell out. Unless otherwise specified, one SRO ticket is sold per person.

Here are the rush and SRO policies of various Off-Broadway theatre companies and individual open-ended productions. Also included are shows offering low-priced regular tickets.

All Student Rush ticket purchases require a valid and current student ID. All Lottery Rush ticket purchases require a photo ID.

Note: Policies are subject to change without notice. Please email jbrown@playbill.com regarding any information that is no longer accurate, or if you wish to have your show listed.

THEATRE COMPANIES:

59E59 Theaters
Student Rush: $10 - $15 - When available, tickets are offered in-person at the box office on the day of the show only. Present your student ID at the box office. All student rush tickets are subject to availability and may not be offered for all performances.

UP to 29: $15 tickets or less to 59E59 shows, $20 tickets to Primary Stages shows sold in advance to patrons aged 29 and under. Visit www.59e59.org/membership for more information.

Atlantic Theater Company
Student Rush: $20 - Tickets are sold at the box office one hour prior to curtain. One ticket per valid student ID.

Barrow Street Theatre
Student Rush: $20 - Tickets are sold at the box office at 1pm on the day of the performance. One ticket per valid student ID, cash only, subject to availability.

Classic Stage Company
Student Rush: $20 - Available one hour prior to a show's start time subject to availability. One ticket per valid student ID, cash only. If a performance is sold out we will start a waiting list one hour before show-time for cancellations.

Irish Repertory Theatre
Student Rush: $20 - Tickets must be purchased in person at the box office. One ticket per valid student ID.

Greenseats: $20 - Limited availability for theatregoers between the ages of 18 and 35. Members receive one ticket per production. To become a member, visit IrishRep.org.

Lincoln Center Theater
LincTix: $30 - Tickets sold in advance to patrons aged 21-35. Visit LincTix to sign up for free.

Tickets to LCT3 productions are always $20.

Student Rush: $30 - Tickets must be purchased in person at the box office. One ticket per valid student ID. Subject to availability.

Manhattan Theatre Club
30 Under 30 Program: $30 - Tickets sold in advance to patrons under age 30. Available dates are sent to members via email. Cash or credit card accepted. Click here to sign up for free.

MCC Theater
Student Rush: $20 - Available to students with current student ID, 20 minutes prior to curtain. One ticket per valid ID, cash only, subject to availability.

Under 30: $25 - Available to patrons under 30 years old. One ticket per valid ID, subject to availability. Can be purchased either online or two hours prior to curtain at the box office. Visit MCC Theater for more information.

Front Row Rush: Available for select productions and performances only. $20 for students, or $25 for anyone under 30, at the box office beginning two hours prior to curtain. One ticket per valid ID, cash only, subject to availability.

Mint Theater Company
Cheap Tix: $27.50 - A limited number of these tickets will be available to all theatregoers for each performance and can be purchased in advance at the Mint box office or at minttheater.org. The theatre warns that these seats can be anywhere in the house, and that if you'd like to know where you'll be sitting, this policy may not be right for you.

New York Theatre Workshop
Student Rush: $25 - Full-time students with valid ID may purchase in person at the box office. Limit one ticket per valid student ID.

CheapTix Sundays: $20 - A limited number of seats are held for all Sunday evening performances at 7pm. Tickets are available in advance but must be purchased at the box office. Limit four per order, cash only.

Senior Tickets: $32 - Senior citizens, 65 or older. Limit one ticket per valid ID. Subject to availability, not available for Sunday evening performances.

Pearl Theatre Company
Student Rush: $20 - Tickets can be purchased on the day of the performance only, two hours prior to curtain, subject to availability. Limit one ticket per valid student ID at the box office. Cash only.

Thursday General Rush: $20 - Tickets are available to anyone for Thursday evening performances on the day of performance only, two hours prior to curtain, subject to availability. One ticket per person. Cash only.

Senior Discount: $35 - Tickets can be purchased in advance of each performance by people 65 and older. Tickets can be purchased over the phone or at the box office. Two tickets per valid ID. Subject to availability.

Please note: Rush options are not available for preview performances.

Playwrights Horizons
HOTTIX: $25 - We offer a limited number of $25 tickets, subject to availability, starting one hour before showtime beginning at the second performance of each production and continuing through the end of the run. To purchase HOTTIX, proof of age is required. One ticket, per person, per purchase.

Primary Stages
PSTUD: $20 - Advance tickets are available through Ticket Central using code PSTUD. One ticket per valid student ID. Maximum two tickets per order. All tickets are subject to availability.

PS35: $20 - Ticket program for theatregoers ages 35 and under. Advance tickets available through TicketCentral using code PS35. Maximum two tickets per order. Failure to present a valid ID will result in an additional $40 fee. All tickets are subject to availability.

Pay What You Can Peformances - Please visit Primary Stages for more information.

Public Theater
Rush Standby: $20 - Tickets are sold beginning at 12pm for matinees and 6pm for evening performances at the Public Theater box office. Limit two tickets per person. Cash only. Subject to availability.

Student Tickets: $25 - Tickets can be purchased in advance at the box office for every Public Theater performance on sale to the general public. Must have a valid student ID at the time of purchase. Limit one ticket per ID. Cash only. Subject to availability.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Student/Under 30 - For shows with $55 tickets at regular price, we offer students $10 tickets and people under 30 $15 tickets. For shows with $75-85 regular-priced tickets, we offer $20 student tickets and $25 tickets to people under 30.

Roundabout Theatre Company
Hiptix: $20 - Roundabout's Hiptix program allows registered patrons between ages 18 and 35 to purchase one pair of tickets per production at this price. Free registration is required. Ticket may be purchased in advance as availability dictates. Info at: hiptix.com

Second Stage Theatre
Student Rush: $23 - The wait list for Rush tickets begins three hours prior to curtain at the Box Office. Students will be given a waitlist number to hold their place. Any available tickets will be sold one hour prior to curtain in order of the waitlist numbers. (One rush ticket per valid student ID.)

30 Under 30: For patrons 30 years old and under. $30 under 30 tickets are available in rows M-O only, for performances April 23 - 26 and April 29 - May 12. Valid ID required, based on availability.

Signature Theatre Company
Student Rush: $30 - Available at the box office on the day of the performance. Cash only, limit two tickets per valid college/university ID. Student rush tickets may not be available for every performance.

Signature Ticket Initiative: $25 - Every seat at every performance during the initial run of Signature productions.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre
Student & Artist Rush: $20 tickets available at the Box Office beginning one hour prior to curtain
for anyone with a Student or Performing Arts Union ID.
For more information, please visit tactnyc.org. 

Vineyard Theatre Company
General Rush: $20 - Available at the box office two hours prior to performance (if the show isn't sold out). Cash only, limit 2 per person.

York Theatre Company
Student Rush: $20 - Tickets can be purchased at the box office during regular box office hours. One per vaild ID, cash or credit. Subject to availability.

Senior Rush: $20 - Can be purchased at box office up to one hour before the scheduled performance. One per person. Cash only. Subject to availability.

SHOWS:

Avenue Q
General Rush: $26.50 - Available at the box office on the day of the performance. Cash only. Limit two per person. Subject to availability.

Blue Man Group
Student Rush: $32 - One ticket per valid high school or college student ID. Tickets must be bought in person at the box office one hour before show time. Available for all shows except the Friday and Saturday 8pm performances. Cash only. Subject to availability. Blackout days may apply.

The Fantasticks
Student Rush: $36.50 - Limited number available on the day of the performance at the box office with valid student ID.

Forbidden Broadway
Student Rush: $25 - Tickets are offered 30 minutes before curtain with a valid student ID. Limit 2 per person. Cash only.

Fuerza Bruta: Look Up
Rush Tickets: $30 - 30 tickets are offered at this price each night two hours prior to the performance. Cash only.

Honky
Rush Tickets: $15 - A limited number of tickets available 15 minutes prior to the performance. Two tickets per valid student ID. Cash or credit. Subject to availability.

Mama and Her Boys
Student Rush: $12 - Tickets are subject to availability. One ticket per valid student ID. Tickets will be available for purchase beginning 30 minutes prior to performance.

My Name Is Asher Lev
Student Rush: $29 - One ticket per valid student ID available on the day of the performance at the box office (opens daily at noon). Cash only. Subject to availability.

Old Jews Telling Jokes
General Rush: $30 - Available at box office one hour before curtain, subject to availability/BO discretion. Cash only.

Perfect Crime
Student Rush: $31.50 - Limited number available on the day of the performance at the box office with valid student ID.

Peter and the Starcatcher
General Rush: $26.50 - Available at the box office on the day of the performance. Cash only. Limit two per person. Subject to availability.

Sistas: The Musical
Student Rush: $29.50 - Any available seat, day of performance. Tickets can be purchased two hours before the performance at the box office with a valid student ID.