New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-13
A CHEAP WAY TO SEE PLAYS.
TICKETS MAY BE BOUGHT FROM THE BILL
BOARD TICKET ROKERs-LATEsr MARKET
Quotations.

BOARD TICKET.BRoKERs- LATEST MARKET
QUOTATIONS.
New York IS a costly place In which to live II one
h,ys only at broadway and Fifthave. prices. IL.
on the contrary, the purchaser Knows where 10 20
for the desired articles he can get the best OF ever!
thing here at the lowest prices. What Is true OF
merchandise Is also true of amtsemenS. At Si oo
seat and I'm some instances 81, theatreso'ns comes
high In New-York. An expenditure OF 81 or 10
week throughout the season Is necessary 10 secure
rho propr familiarity with all the current dramas
and light operas which must be possessed ana as
plnved bv the successful man about town." IL ne
takes his best girl and possibly the necessary
chaperone NJ box Office prices his expense account Is OF
course increased Accordingly
There is a way, however. known 10 the initiated
by which the best New-York plays may be seen at
prices lower than the price of seat In the baress
theatre I'm the one night" country towns Tins
economical open sesame Is the billboard ucKet'
The theatrical advertising by means OF Autographs I'D
shop windows, posters on private fences etc. u
usually paid for In trade. that Is by tickets OF al
mission to the particular show advertised. Many OF
the persons who get these tickets don't care to use
them Others get more tickets than they can use
The surplus IS bought up for small sum BY brokers
who sell them 10 the public. These brokers nave
Offices down In basement shop somewhere In or
near SNrh-ave J'usually the ucketforokcr 1oins
forces and divides expenses with coooler. BOOT
back or a cigar dealer. Ills patrons mainly consist
Of clerks who have plenty OF leisure time but hus
money.
The tickets are of two classes: coupon admission
tickets and reserved seat tickets OF the regular kind
The coupon tickets good for as many admissions 10
the theatre there COUPONS. ut any time between
the dates specified. except on saturdays. eeVeHi
persons can go IN at the same time on theul OF 'ie
same or different persons may go In at different times
saturday Is excepted because II IS the busiest day OF
A. th., good II detached
tho broker has to sell them the rebate plan. sup
nose a customer wants TO see The Black Crook Tile
bro5er has billboard admission ticket with three
commons lcft OIL IT, Originally the ticket had four
coupons probably, and the shopkeeper In whose WIN
dow n photographic representation of the beauties
of the human form denudcd had been hung In con-
1dcration Of the issuance Of such ticket had used one
common Having decided that the French dancers
were too wicked for his good wife and family u view.
and not caring 10 the spectacle AGAIN mnsen nv
had sold the ticket with IT. three remaining coupons
TO the broker for 30 cents The broker retaib IL 10
his customer at 80 cents II coupon As the coupons
are not rood II detached however. he sells him all
three for 30 cents and gives him rebate ticket
bovin, that he is entitled 90 cents on returning
the two unused and undetached coupons WITHIN Il
spccIhei tine ,,.. ..o, ~. ,,o
For The mon, preentlous advertising such Us the
posting large bnls on fences ana walls rtSsr.sa
centre OF the ho e. about twothirds Of the way paca
and mo ruling quotations arr about sevenyive cents
"A
oi l, broker about ten minutes Hier the ulnv ioI
the curtain Ia 20 up, can Frequently get one ot
these seats for 20 cert less they arr goou Tor
a sent only on 4 certain night ana nave simply tAe
value Of general admission tickets II ler over by
the snmc strategy the customer can get bargains uy ap
plylng AT he ag end Of the runs OF the various cur
r.nt attractions II the broker happens 10 have sur,
u Of tickets on the last day two Of the run ne VIII
scI them for song. In some theatres these coupon
admission tickets good for any part OF the honse
I'm others, they only good for the gallery Usually
There are "A number o free seats which can be occupied
by th"r holders without extra charge. But even In
case all rue seats reserved, As sometimes occurs
with extremely popular plays, 10 cents dropped In
the ready palm OF usher will receive good ac-
Communications after the curtain goes up.
II is always Well for the billboard ticket-hoder
10 visit piece early In It's AT the latter end,
the chance of getting good seat much better than
nj the height Of It's popularity. An Idea OF the value
III tn billboard privileges may BE- gathered from the
fact that the fences maintained around one OF the big
uptown Office buildings while In The course Of con.
srilctOn have been rented for us much a. Sl.lOO
wear cash. When tickets given instead OF cash
The builder and all his SbordinatcS and friends went
often 10 enjoy the play without money ana without
price. The small shOpkecpers are the main source
81 supply for the billboard ticket brokers, however.