Do you ever wish it was easier to access the magic of live theater?
No matter the show or the stage, live theater is a special kind of entertainment experience unrivaled by anything else. Maybe you're interested in seeing a dramatic play that's taken New York City by storm. Maybe you want to bring the family on an outing to a musical on ice.
Thanks to modern technology, it's easier than ever before to find live theater experiences near you. Ticketing and event sites can get you admission, but some have better setups than others. We've taken a look.
Top 5: Theater Ticket Sites Review
Product Image & Rating (Out Of 10) | Product Name | Contact |
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TicketNetwork is by far the best theater ticket site due to the sheer variety of tickets available. You can find professional theater productions at different stages all over the United States.
When you arrive on the website, you'll immediately see the theater category as an option to search through. The highest performing shows tend to have quick links on the main page. If you click on the actual theater portion, you're directed to a page that allows you to browse all theater shows.
There are four quick browsing categories, each of which will show you the most popular current shows with a "View All" button to see more:
Below, you'll see some quick shortlists with the top current theater categories, top current shows, what's playing on Broadway, what's playing in Las Vegas, what classical and opera tours are going on, and what Cirque du Soleil shows are playing.
Shows are constantly changing and updating as new theater groups and experiences embark on tour.
If you click on a theater event, the site will first display upcoming shows close to you, followed by shows in all locations. You'll click on your ideal show, select the number of tickets you want, and then see a list of ticket options sorted by section, row, number of available tickets from the seller, and price.
Most purchases are delivered through a mobile ticketing system. This means you have to have your smartphone with you to enter the venue.
Pros
Cons
While StubHub's main bread and butter isn't theater, this event ticketing site does have a large selection of theater options. It's easy to find specific shows by searching the title. All you have to do is select the theater area you prefer, and you'll be shown tickets that match the experience.
Many of this service's listings come with a photograph of the theater from the seat. That way, you know exactly what you'll be seeing, so you can decide whether the experience is worth it. Upon making a purchase, most tickets will be made immediately available for download or sent to your email inbox.
When browsing available shows, the Theater and Comedy section of this company's website isn't the most streamlined or intuitive. Rather than having shows broken down into easy categories, all the popular ticket options are listed alongside broader categories like "Broadway" and "Comedy."
That said, the service does have tickets to some shows that others don't. They may provide tickets to touring theater groups that will only be playing a few shows in certain theaters. They may also offer theater tickets for unusual performance events like those held in ballrooms and ice rinks.
Stand-up comedy is rolled into the theater category. Many stand-up comedians have tours with tickets available through the platform.
Pros
Cons
Select A Ticket is a ticket reselling service with a variety of event tickets available for different prices. Whether those prices are higher or lower than the market value varies depending on the show.
This company is mainly focused around live theater experiences. As such, it has access to more live show tickets than pretty much any competitor on the market. Browsing on the page is a dream come true, too, since the main theater section is separated into three parts.
The first is a list of theater categories, which allows you to browse shows of certain types. The second is a list of the most popular current theater events, which is constantly changing. The third is customized based on your location and includes all the local theater events in your area.
As far as local events go, this service is unbeatable. When looking at the list, we found dozens more local events than we'd seen on any of the other websites.
If you do sort by ticket category, your options are:
When you browse by an event category, the default search will pull up shows in your area first.
Pros
Cons
ScoreBig is an event ticketing website with an easy-to-use interface. On the homepage, you can search by specific venues or show names. The webpage automatically displays upcoming events in your area, and you can adjust the data for other places and dates.
As for specific theater shows, the browsing options are rather limited. You can pick from one of three categories:
Some of the local events on the homepage might be theater-based, but there's no easy way to browse specific local theater opportunities.
When you do find the event you want, you'll be shown a list of dates and locations. Upon picking the one you want tickets for, you'll be taken to a list of available tickets. You can sort these by price or venue section. You can also filter by ticket quantity, price range, and ticket delivery method.
It's best to use this website if you already know what show you want to see. You may be able to find tickets at a discounted price. But since the company is a reseller marketplace, it's up to you to do your research and make sure that you're getting a worthwhile value for your dollar.
Pros
Cons
TickPick is a popular event ticketing website due to their transparent pricing and many available events. Any fees are factored into the ticket's base purchase price, so there aren't additional costs imposed at checkout. Their homepage also has an easily-navigated interface that lets you search by event name or venue.
Also on the homepage is where you'll find constantly updating information about what events, promotions, and artists are trending.
Theater isn't one of the site's main focuses. That means that to get to the theater browsing category, you have to first pick "Other" from the drop-down menu and then pick "Theater" from a list of miscellaneous events and sports.
Once you do that, you'll be shown a list of the most popular ticketed theater events currently on the platform. They're helpfully sorted into categories including:
One nice thing about the platform is that the theater pages have guides for how to find the best prices and seats when you're shopping for tickets. This can be really helpful if, say, you're shopping for Broadway tickets but haven't ever seen a Broadway show before.
Pros
Cons
Top Pick
All event ticketing websites have their benefits and drawbacks. When it comes to live theater ticketing, TicketNetwork is completely ahead of the competition.
The company constantly updates the theater homepage with new information about touring groups, trending shows, and ticketing options. It's very easy to select the show you want to see, find a date and time, and filter your ticket search parameters to compare your options.
The ease of browsing makes it wonderful for both people looking for specific events and theater enthusiasts who want to know what's around. As soon as you pick a show, the system lets you know what performances are closest to your geographical area.
It should be noted, though, that if you want to browse local theater events, you won't find any information more comprehensive than Select A Ticket. This company provides information about dozens of small community events happening anywhere in the country, which makes it much easier to plan a casual night out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Broadway Shows Ever Tour?
Some professional theater groups do national tours to bring Broadway shows to other parts of the country. But they'll usually be billed as a touring group. When you're looking for tickets, generally everything in the "Broadway" category is actually in New York City.
How Do I Know My Theater Ticket Isn't a Ripoff?
Some services have a Deal Guarantee feature that will calculate the market value of your purchase. You can weigh it against the actual price and see whether or not it's a bargain.
If there's not one of these systems, though, your best bet is to compare ticket prices across multiple platforms and different dates to get an idea of the current resale price range.
