Before you leave for your trip to New York, be sure to check out a few sites that sell Broadway tickets. Theatermania.com and Playbill.com have been known to have reliable information and up-to-date theater news, for instance. Circumstances vary from show to show, but tickets can usually be bought from a week to three months in advance for up to 50 percent off (plus fees from the ticket agency, such as Ticketmaster or Telecharge). Don't expect the hottest shows to be discounted, but plenty of big-name productions may be available at less-than-full price with a bit of searching.

Locals and tourists score discounts of 25 to 50 percent by lining up for same-day tickets at the two TKTS kiosks in Manhattan (tdf.org), in Times Square at 47th Street and Broadway. The big downside is that you typically must wait in line for quite a bit of time. The most popular shows are unlikely to be available, and you may not get your first choice. Most days, people start queuing up several hours before TKTS opens. The Times Square location is open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and starting at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and 11 a.m. on Sundays (hours are slightly different downtown). They take only cash and traveler's checks. Most people choose to book far in advance. Show up at the theater two and a half hours before the performance (5:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. curtain) and sign up for the lottery. (Bring a photo ID.) Check tdf.org or telecharge.com for each show's policy.

If you arrive at a theater's box office and the show is sold out, don't give up. Many big hits offer standing-room only (SRO) tickets for about $25, but not until all regular tickets have been purchased. To find out if a specific show releases SRO tickets, go to telecharge.com, find the show, and click on "Getting Tickets." Standing for two hours isn't ideal, but most theaters at least give you a wall to lean against.

The terms Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway have little to do with theater locations and more with theater size, production values, and ticket price. Off-Broadway shows usually top off at $60. Off-Off-Broadway shows rarely exceed $25. There's plenty worth seeing Off-Broadway. As a matter of fact, several successful Off-Broadway shows have switched over to Broadway.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before incorporating a Broadway show into your tour schedule.