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Theatre Development Fund (TDF), the not-for profit service organization for the performing arts, has updated its popular TKTS App to simplify the process of purchasing the least expensive same-day tickets to Broadway and Off Broadway shows at its internationally renowned TKTS Discount Booths (Times Square, South Street Seaport and Downtown Brooklyn). The TKTS App has been updated for iPhone, iPad and Android. You may download the Official TKTS App free of charge at the iTunes app store, android store or at www.tdf.org/tktsapp.

The updated app will boast a more user friendly look and design that will include some new features to make the experience of getting 50% off same-day tickets easier than ever. The new features include push notifications that let users know when shows from a list they have created become available for sale. There will also be a listing of approximate waiting times for tickets in the main Times Square TKTS Booth (there are generally lines during the first hour after the booth opens, afterwards waits are generally less than 15 minutes).

The Official TKTS App was launched in December of 2010 and since then over 1.1 million theatre goers have downloaded the app which shows in real-time what Broadway and Off Broadway shows are available for sale at all 3 TKTS Discount Booths.  

“In this time of rapidly rising ticket prices to Broadway and Off Broadway shows, TDF is continually seeking ways to make access to the most affordable tickets easier for those who can only afford half price,” said Victoria Bailey, TDF’s Executive Director. “In addition to providing updated functionality and design, the new feature of the TKTS App are a further step in our continuing goal of bringing as many New Yorkers and visitors to the theatre as possible.”

The updated app’s new features include:

1- Push notifications – TKTS users can create a list of shows they’d like to see and receive a push notification when that show is available

2- Wait Times – the app will show approximate “wait times” for the Times Square Booth, where lines are always longest when it first opens, but within 60-90 minutes the wait time becomes 5 minutes or less

3- New filters system allows theatregoers to find shows they might like based on their favorite genres (musical, drama, play, children, etc.)

4 – Directions to the nearest TKTS Booth and theatres from your current location

5 - TKTS tips available in 9 languages (Play Only Window, 7-Day Fast Pass, etc.)

6- Ability to enter special TKTS contests and giveaways

SPECIAL NOTE: tickets purchased at TKTS help build audiences for the future:

Most avid theatre goers know that purchasing tickets at TKTS is the best way to get the most affordable tickets to Broadway and Off Broadway shows. TKTS first opened in Times Square over 42 years ago, offering the widest selection of discount tickets. When you purchase tickets at TKTS, you know your seat locations and know exactly what you are paying for.

Since TKTS is part of a larger entity, Theatre Development Fund (TDF), a not-for-profit organization, the $4.50 per ticket service fee (significantly lower than all online sales outlets) doesn’t just cover the costs of operating TKTS. It supports a host of programs that bring theatre to many people, many who would not be able to attend without TDF’s help.

Whether you’re a high school or middle school student who has never attended live theatre, or you have a physical disability — such as mobility issues, severe hearing or vision loss — or someone in your family is on the autism spectrum, TDF has programs and services to break the barriers to attending the theatre!

So theatre goers know that when they purchase tickets at TKTS they may not only be on their way to a show, the memory of which may stay with them for the rest of their lives, but they are also helping someone else have that experience.

THEATRE DEVELOPMENT FUND (TDF) was created in the conviction that the live theatrical arts afford a unique expression of the human condition that must be sustained and nurtured. It is dedicated to developing diverse audiences for live theatre and dance, and strengthening the performing arts community in New York City. Since 1968, TDF’s programs have provided over 90 million people with access to performances at affordable prices and have returned over $2.5 billion to thousands of productions. Best known for its TKTS Discount Booths, TDF’s membership, outreach, access (including its internationally renowned Autism Theatre Initiative) and award-winning education programs — as well as its Costume Collection — have introduced thousands of people to the theatre and helped make the unique experience of theatre available to everyone, including students and people with disabilities. Recent TDF honors include a 2011 Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture, a 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence for its Open Doors Arts Education Program, a 2012 New York Innovative Theatre Award for its support of the off-Off Broadway community, and a 2013 Lortel Award “Outstanding Body of Work Award.” For more information about TDF go to: www.tdf.org.