It all started with Rent, which, at the peak of its popularity, sold all seats in the first two rows of orchestra for $20 to whomever would get to the box office in time on the day of the performance. Naturally, students embraced the opportunity and lines formed at dawn. Since then, Broadway has offered rush and SRO tickets to encourage an enthusiastic theatre community.

Rush and SRO tickets are sold on the day of the performance, usually as soon as the box office opens, unless otherwise specified. Many policies are restricted to students and require student IDs. Seat location varies with different shows, from front row to real mezzanine. The wait in line is usually inevitable. For more popular shows, it’s reasonable to anticipate a wait spanning at least a couple of hours. Also, most box offices only accept cash for rush and SRO tickets.

Standing room patrons stand in numbered spaces that are the width of a regular seat. They are usually located at the back of the orchestra. SRO tickets are trickier to get because they are only available if the show is sold out. There’s no definite way to predict in advance whether a performance will sell out, without actually calling the box office a few hours before curtain time. Shows that sell out often include Hairspray, Mamma Mia, The Lion King, and The Producers. Also, it is likely that any show will sell out very early in its run. Unless otherwise specified, one SRO ticket is sold per person.

Here are the rush and SRO policies of different Broadway shows. Also included are shows whose regular tickets are similarly priced.

All Student Rush ticket purchases require a student ID. All Lottery Rush ticket purchases require a photo ID. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Special Conditions: Twenty tickets will be sold through a lottery. Names are collected 2 hours prior to performance, and the winners are drawn 90 minutes prior to performance. Valid photo ID required. A Streetcar Named Desire
Type: General Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: Rear mezzanine
Type: Student Rush
Price: Half price
Time: Half an hour prior to curtain
Amount: 1 ticket per person

After the Night and the Music
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person

All Shook Up
Type: Inexpensive Tickets
Price: $19.55 per ticket
Location: Balcony

Altar Boyz
Type: General Rush
Price: $21 per ticket
Amount: 1 ticket per person
Note: Available 6-7pm for Tues, Wed, Thurs performances only.

Avenue Q
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Special Conditions: You will have to print your name and number of tickets you want on a card, which will be available starting at 5:30pm for 8pm shows; 11:30am for the 2pm Saturday matinees; Noon for the 2pm Sunday matinees; and 5pm for the 7pm shows. Cards will be placed in a container. Daily drawings will be held at 6pm for 8pm shows, 12 Noon for the Saturday matinees; 12:30pm for the Sunday matinees; and at 5:30pm for the 7pm shows. After the names have been drawn, the eligible ticket buyers will line up at the box office window to show proper identification and buy their ticket(s).

Amount: 2 tickets per person
Location: First two rows
Beauty and the Beast
Type: SRO
Price: $25 per ticket

Billy Crystal: 700 Sundays
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25 per ticket

Brooklyn
Type: General Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25 per ticket

Chicago
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Not available for Saturday evening performances.
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 1 ticket per person
Time: Two hours prior to curtain

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Lottery drawing for 21 front row orchestra tickets two hours prior to show time.

Doubt
Type: Student Rush
Price: $21.25 per ticket
Amount 1 ticket per person
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket

Fiddler on the Roof
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person

Glengarry Glen Ross
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25

Hairspray
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Lottery drawing for 25 rear mezzanine tickets three hours prior to show time.
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket

Julius Caesar
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket

La Cage Aux Folles
Type: Inexpensive Tickets
Price: $25 per ticket
Note: Last row of the theater

Lennon
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25 per ticket

Little Women
Type: Student Rush
Price: $30 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person

Mamma Mia!
Type: Student Rush
Price: $30 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Wednesday and Thursday performances only.
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket

Movin’ Out
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket

On Golden Pond
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Time: 3 hours prior to curtain

Primo
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25

Rent
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $20 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Lottery drawing for first two rows of orchestra two hours prior to curtain.
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket

The Glass Menagerie
Type: Student Rush
Price: $31.25
Amount: 2 tickets per person

The Light in the Piazza
Type: Student Rush
Price: $20 per ticket
Amount: 1 ticket per person
Time: 2 hours prior to curtain

The Lion King
Type: SRO
Price: Orchestra $20, Mezzanine $15
Amount: 1 ticket per person (22 tickets available)

The Phantom of the Opera
Type: SRO
Price: $20 per ticket

The Pillowman
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Type: SRO
Price: $26.25 per ticket

The Producers
Type: Student Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday performances only. May be obstructed view.
Type: SRO
Price: Tues-Fri. evenings $26, Wed. matinees $21, Sat. and Sun $31
Time: Two hours prior to curtain
Amount: 2 tickets per person

Spamalot
Type: SRO
Price: $21.25 per ticket

Steel Magnolias
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25 per ticket
Amount: 1 ticket per person

Sweet Charity
Type: Student Rush
Price: $26.25

Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Type: Student Rush
Price: $21.25
Amount: 2 tickets per person

Wicked
Type: Lottery Rush
Price: $25 per ticket
Amount: 2 tickets per person
Note: Lottery drawing for 28 front row tickets two hours prior to curtain