Broadway Ticketing Apps for iPhone and Android

In an age where technology has taken over every facet of life, smart phones have basically become an extension of man. They have allowed us to forgo human interaction by granting us access to everything we need at the touch of our fingertips without having to leave the comfort of our homes. People are becoming more and more attached to their iPhones and Androids that in order for something to stay relevant it has to fit in that tiny screen. The Broadway industry has slowly, but surely,started to take note of the mobile technological revolution and people have begun to use Broadway show apps to but tickets. So much so, that there are now many mobile applications focused on Broadway shows, that have been changing the game.

iPhone and Android Mobile Broadway Apps - Discount Tickets

TKTS App

The TKTS booth in Times Square is a tourist favorite for discounts on Broadway shows, now has a mobile application that is available for both iPhone and Android users. The app allows users to see real time updates on what Broadway tickets are available in the Times Square, South Street Seaport and the Downtown Brooklyn booths. The new Lincoln Center location has not been added to the app yet. The app also tells users the opening and closing times of each booth. Unfortunately, users still have to actually go to a booth to be able to purchase tickets, but this app has helped users choose the appropriate booth to go to according to what tickets are available at what discount and price.

The TKTS app came out in March 2011 in response to an unauthorized app called At The Booth, created by Broadway producer and impresario, Ken Davenport. At The Booth had the same model of naming which Broadway shows were available at the Time Square TKTS booth and it also had a useful feature about how long the wait would be. The other advantage that this original app had over the TKTS app, was that it also offered users the option to purchase discounted tickets through their iPhones and Androids on BroadwaySpace.com, a (now defunct) website also created by Ken Davenport, who never ceases to develop new ideas to help the Broadway community.

TodayTix App

Perhaps the most over-hyped Broadway ticketing app on the market today is the TodayTix app. The app has grown in popularity since its launch in 2013 and now it has its own website that caters to shows in nine cities across the United States and in London too. Sadly, TodayTix offers just mediocre discounts and access to some ticket lotteries, but only for a few select Broadway shows and musicals - most often only for the ones that they have contracts with. The rest are full price tickets, so there is some bait and switch here. This Broadway ticketing app only offers tickets one week in advance, making it somewhat useless for planning a trip.

Broadway Lottery App

A third party mobile application that is only available for iPhone users is called The Broadway Lottery App. This app gives a full list of all current digital Broadway and Off-Broadway lotteries available and allows you to save your entry information making entering multiple lotteries easier and faster. This app is great for anyone who is interested in entering all the lotteries available every day. The downside to this app is that it only allows you to save one person’s information per iPhone. The only way to change the user entry information is to delete the app and install it again.

iPhone and Android Mobile Broadway Apps - Official Broadway Ticket Sellers

Ticketmaster App

Ticketmaster is the official ticketing site for shows like Aladdin, Cats, The Lion King and more Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and musicals. The app essentially gives full access to all the features the website already has including; ticket search, ticket purchase and ticket transfer. It also has the option to use Apple or Android Pay, receive notifications about events, artists and venues, app only pre-sale tickets and the option to have an electronic ticket on select venues. Unfortunately that last option is not available for any Broadway tickets yet.

Telecharge App

Telecharge is the leading Broadway and Off-Broadway ticket seller for top shows like The Phantom of the Opera, Matilda The Musical and Chicago. Unlike Ticketmaster, Telecharge focuses solely on selling Broadway tickets and being that it is the largest Broadway theatre landlord, it is reasonable to assume that Telecharge would be up-to date with technology and have a mobile application. But the reality is that no Telecharge app yet exists, forcing users to just use the Telecharge website on their phone, a less-than-stellar experience. Telecharge is the slow adult on the block and has not caught up to the mobile app trend.

iPhone and Android Mobile Broadway Apps - Ticket Brokers

Broadway.com App

Broadway.com is one of the most well-known Broadway websites of the industry. Just like its website, the app is informative; it provides its users with exclusive Broadway news, videos and interviews, theater and show information, in app ticket purchase and much more. Unfortunately the Broadway.com mobile application is a carbon copy of its website and it has no discounts for users. The app is just for convenience, but who really wants an app that has just the same content as their website?

Broadway.org App

Broadway.org is another website turned mobile ticketing app. It is The Broadway League's official website for Broadway information. Just like their website, the app provides users with theater and show information, hotel and dining options in Manhattan, general information on Broadway theatergoing and the option to buy tickets. Unlike other apps, it redirects its users to an internet browser in order to complete their purchase. Broadway.org also does not give discounts on tickets and the app does not provide anything new to its users.

Stubhub App

As a secondary seller, Stubhub gives users the options to sell ticket at their discretion with no restrictions. The app has the same information that can be found on its website and it can also be browsed in English, Spanish or French. The one app only feature it offers is price alert, where users tell Stubhub the price they are willing to pay for an event and if there is a price match it sends them a notification alert. As expected people seem to be having just as much or more trouble with the app than they do with the website.

SeatGeek App

Similar to Stubhub, SeatGeek lets its customers sell tickets at either a lower or higher price than the face value ticket price. Just like StubHub, this app has the option to transfer tickets to friends for free, but SeatGeek also lets users charge their friends for the tickets its like a Venmo for the ticketing world. iPhone users can also use Apple pay and Android users can use Android pay. The SeatGeek app has good reviews and it is easy to use with few glitches, but it does not offer anything new to its consumers that can’t be found on their website
Broadway’s demographic tends to be much older. These people often do have smart phones or knowledge of how to use apps. They also often have poor eyesight, which makes navigating the small screen of an iPhone or Android very difficult. Therefore, Broadway shows and ticket apps are better suited to the younger demographic. Having apps like these available for iPhone and Android users that make attending shows and musicals easier and affordable really appeal to the younger, millennial crowd that Broadway has had difficulty in attracting. Millennials already interested in Broadway are spreading the word about how easy and affordable, especially the ticket lotteries, are to their friends and sparking interested in an otherwise unengaged group. Aside from bringing in a fresh audience, the internet itself has revolutionized Broadway ticket sales. According to The Broadway League, about half of all Broadway tickets are currently being purchased electronically and with the expansion of online ticketing to app ticketing, that number is sure to increase in the upcoming years. Also 40% of Broadway tickets are being purchased within a week of attendance and that is partly due to easier accessibility that the internet, iPhones and Androids provide. Now that there are apps specifically designed for people looking to find last minute discounted or lottery Broadway tickets this trend is likely to continue. Broadway is taking huge steps in the right direction by embracing change and using technology to propel them forward. Next step is to let patrons use electronic ticketing, but the slow adopters on Broadway will take it one step at a time.