Soon, discounted tickets won't be the only valuable items available at New York City's TKTS Booths.

Beginning Oct. 1, theatregoers waiting in line at the Times Square booth will receive copies of "Playbill In Line," a new informational publication.

The free service contains a wide variety of information, including Broadway, Off Broadway, opera and dance listings, brief synopses of shows, performance schedules and running times of shows.

"For the past 114 years, Playbill has been in the theatre information business," said Playbill President and Publisher Philip Birsh, "and we feel this is a terrific extension of our dedicated services."

"The initial response has been really positive," said Jack Goldstein, Executive Director of TDF, which runs the TKTS booths. Goldstein said that, in a survey of TKTS patrons conducted over two days, 99 percent of those interviewed found Playbill In-Line to be useful, while fully 78 percent read the publication's articles. He termed the results a "very good reaction." "I think it will result in a more efficient operation," Goldstein said of Playbill In-Line's impact on the TKTS booths. "It will also give patrons something to read while in line."

Bruce Stapleton is the editor of Playbill On-Line and will supervise monthly changes in the publication's editorial sections and weekly alterations of show listings.

Playbill In-Line will be available at the TKTS booths at Times Square, at the intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 47th Street (hours: Mon.-Sat., 3-8 PM for evening shows; Wed. & Sat., 10 AM-2 PM for matinee shows).

-- By Robert Simonson