The Broadway grosses for Christmas week 2014 just came out, and the numbers are fairly typical of a holiday week. A whopping 19 shows grossed over a million dollars for the week beginning 12/22/2014 and ending 12/28/2014. Twelve shows played at or above capacity (thanks to standing-room only policies) with an additional 14 shows playing to over 90% capacity. 

Why am I throwing all these statistics at you?


Well, the week between Christmas and New Year's is always one of the busiest times for Broadway shows, along with Thanksgiving weekend. If you're interested in seeing a Broadway show with a vibrant crowd, amid the festive excitement of New York City during the holiday rush, then these might be the best times for you to go. 

On the other hand, if you're looking for Broadway bargains, these are really the worst times to attend a show. Last week, some 16 shows had an average paid ticket price of $120.00 or above, and only eight shows had an average ticket below $100. While this is great for the financial coffers of the shows themselves, it's a bit of a hardship for anyone looking to see a Broadway show on a budget. 

So, when are the best times to see a show, at least as far as ticket price is concerned? Generally, when the weather is the worst. The months of January and February are usually the most sparsely attended times for Broadway shows, which is why a lot of shows close after New Year's rather than trying to make it through the financially lean winter months.

This winter, some 14 shows will be shuttering in either January or February, although admittedly a good number of these shows were limited runs to begin with. 

For the shows that remain, there are ways of getting inexpensive tickets during these fallow times, even beyond the discount promotions that exist throughout the year. The Broadway League runs an annual Kids' Night on Broadway, which despite the name actually takes place over the course of a week. During this time, children between the ages of 6 and 18 can attend a Broadway show free when accompanied by an adult paying full price. The promotion runs January 9th through the 15th in 2015, and includes such popular family shows as The Lion King, Aladdin, Matilda, and Wicked, and other Broadway favorites, including On the Town and You Can't Take It With You.  

For Off-Broadway shows, there's 20 at 20, a promotion that allows patrons to see Off-Broadway shows for only $20. Patrons can simply walk up to the box office 20 minutes before the show starts and purchase their $20 tickets. This season, the program runs January 20th through February 8th, 2015 (which is, appropriately enough, 20 days), with participating shows including the long-running Avenue Q, Stomp, The Fantasticks, and Fuerza Bruta, as well as the new Off-Broadway one-man musical The Lion. 

Another time of the year when Broadway attendance tends to plummet is right after Labor Day. Most of the vacationing families have returned home to send the kids off to school, or to help older students move into their dorm rooms. So, there tends to be a lull in Broadway attendance. So, hey, if you're an empty-nester, or if kids are only a part of your distant future, this might also be a good time to plan your Broadway binge. 

So, to review: 

Best Times: January, February, and early September 

Worst Times: Thanksgiving weekend and Christmas week