Help me see God of Carnage!

September 10, 2009 7:47 PM

How do I get a good deal on a big Broadway show?

I hope that by getting a jump on this, I can secure the best price/seats as possible. I will be in New York at the end of October, and would love to see God of Carnage, which is currently playing at the Berrnard B. Jacobs Theater on Broadway. At broadway.com, they charge some hefty processing fees. I know that there are discount sites, but I am unsure which ones are reliable. Does anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks.

posted by msali to society & culture (13 comments total)

Check out the recommendations at Talkin' Broadway.
posted by thomas j wise at 7:54 PM on September 10

TKTS, but that is so unreliable.
posted by caddis at 8:03 PM on September 10

God of Carnage is an incredibly popular show. There will not be any available discounts for October. If you want to see it, you will have to pay full price.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:23 PM on September 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

I use broadwaybox.com often. They're current deal on GoC expires Oct 1st, but chances are they'll post another one in the future.

I've also gotten weird deals through Audience Rewards, which is like frequent flier miles for B'way. You redeem points for tickets, or points + cash for tickets. You can also buy the points. I managed to get Jersey Boys tickets this way for $60 a piece after I purchased the points.

You might even find a kind New Yorker who would go to the box office for you to buy tickets and mail them to you so you can avoid telecharge fees. MeFiMail me if you're looking for one of those. I work right by the theater.
posted by mrsshotglass at 8:25 PM on September 10

I would bet you'll be fine with TKTS. Most people want tickets to musicals and not straight plays so that gives you an edge.

Go to the TKTS office down by the South Street Seaport, the lines are far less crowded. And if you're willing to see a matinee then you can buy tickets a day ahead at the South Street Seaport office.
posted by brookeb at 8:29 PM on September 10

I don't mind paying full price, I just don't want to pay the heavy, Live Nation/Ticketmaster type fees.
posted by msali at 8:38 PM on September 10

I would NOT bank on TKTS. It's incredibly hit or miss. If you're dead set on seeing this particular show, don't count on TKTS. If you don't really care what show you see, then you can hit up TKTS.

[sigh] I lived in New York during the days of student tickets. Then came the lottery, and everything went to shit. The cheapest tickets you can probably get are around $60 (guess), which will put you in the way back.

The real answer to this question is - there are no cheap B'way tickets really anymore. If you want to see the show, mail Mrs. Shot Glass (what a freakin' good username, btw) and have her grab you some tickets. Otherwise, consider venturing off-broadway or off-off broadway. There's lots of good (and affordable) theatre in new york that isn't in mid-town.
posted by Lutoslawski at 8:40 PM on September 10

Just coming here to say: it may be expensive, but good seats at a drama, as opposed to a musical or even a non-musical comedy, are really worth it -- especially if cast is mainly film and television actors, as is the case with God of Carnage. Not that you need to see every pore in James Gandolfini's face -- more that every great Tony Soprano moment was played to a camera less than ten feet away with the chance to loop the dialog in post. Carrying the performance to the rear mezzanine hasn't been the focus of his professional development.
posted by MattD at 8:58 PM on September 10

Sorry if I haven't made myself clear, I expect to pay over US$100 per ticket, I want this to be a special event. What I do want is to insure that I purchase my tickets ahead of time, and I do not want to pay usurious 'processing fees'.
posted by msali at 9:07 PM on September 10

Short of actually physically coming here and getting the tickets at the box office window, I'm not sure you can afford the fees.

The different producers have different deals with Ticket Master and Live Nation precisely so they can sell tickets in advance, online, and nationwide. And part of that deal is: processing fees.

If you want the tickets without the fees, the only way is to physically come to New York for them.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:00 PM on September 10

oops -- in that first sentence "I'm not sure you can afford the fees" should read "I'm not sure you can AVOID the fees."

Okay: Cortex, I forgot to ask when you were here -- but wasn't there something about how we would be able to edit our comments for three minutes after we posted? Whatever happened to that?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:01 PM on September 10

Tkts has only been giving a 20 percent discount plus you have to be waiting online for an hour and a half before the tkts starts selling tickets to get the show.

I bet you will find a better deal online.
posted by majortom1981 at 4:22 AM on September 11

telecharge fees are only $9.50 per ticket for GoC. if you wait to see if Broadway box has something for your time frame, it will offset the fees.

My offer still stands though, and is open to whomever wants to take advantage of the incredibly high rent my company pays to be on Broadway.
posted by mrsshotglass at 5:20 AM on September 11