They Say the Neon Lights are Bright ...

Feel the need for a New York theatre weekend this fall?

The JetBlue Fall Fare Sale started today, and you can book round trip flights between Richmond and New York JFK for $49 one way, exclusive of taxes and fees. You can fly up on a Thursday morning and fly back on a Monday morning, and the total round trip airfare, including all taxes and fees, is $118.80. Or, you can fly up on a Friday morning and fly back on Sunday evening, and the total round trip fare, including all taxes and fees, is $178.80.

Either way, it’s a great deal.

The sale is valid for travel between September 5 and November 14, with a few exceptions. Mid-week fares are the cheapest; Friday and Sunday fares are the most expensive. To take advantage of the sale price, you must book by August 8.
Go to JetBlue to make your reservations on line. For detailed information about the best way to travel between JFK Airport and midtown Manhattan, click on “NYC on a Budget” in the labels listed at the bottom of this post, then scroll down to my March blog post about economy tips for NYC theatre trips.

Shows run on and Off Broadway on Thursday nights, Friday nights, Saturday matinees, Saturday nights, Sunday matinees and Sunday nights. Check schedules to see which shows run in which slots.

Phil and Donna Whiteway and their two teenage sons recently stayed at the Howard Johnson Penn Station (AKA Regency Inn and Suites) on 34th Street between 7th and 8th. It is an economy hotel - nothing fancy at all, but it's an easy and safe walk from the theatre district. It's in a safe neighborhood, has clean rooms, and is usually available. Best of all, they booked on SideStep.com and paid only $190 per night, a great rate for NYC.

Several Broadway shows now offer a limited number of "day of show" rush tickets at really good prices, usually $25 or less. Sometimes the rush tickets are limited to students with IDs (or a student and "companion" - in my case "parent"), but often they're not. Also, when shows are selling out, you can frequently get standing room tickets (SR or SRO) for similar prices. I stood in London for Guys and Dolls just a few months ago, and my 56-year old body had no problem with it. There's usually a place to lean.

You can get lots more info on all aspects of what's up on Broadway at http://www.talkinbroadway.com/ . On the home page of this great site, click On the Boards / Rush and SRO, for a PARTIAL list of what's playing. You'll find most of the hit titles. At the end of each listing, they'll tell you what your options are for rush and/or standing room tickets.

Finally, if you are going up with kids, I've saved a link to an article by Liz Pulliam Weston. It's probably 6 months old, but it includes more budget tips for families. Visit it here.

I hope some or all of this helps.

And if you make it to Broadway, remember that the late great Martha Newell asked all her Richmond theatre friends to shout out her name each time we make it up to the Great White Way.

--Bruce Miller