Broadway Bargains: Answers to Your TKTS Questions, Part 3

Katie Orlinsky for The New York Times Patrons in line at the TKTS booth in Times Square.

This week Victoria Bailey, the executive director of the Theater Development Fund, the organization that operates the TKTS discount ticket booths, answers readers’ questions about navigating the TKTS system.

In the final installment, she discusses readers’ questions about pricing, safety and design.

Why are so many shows allowed to put tickets up for sale at only 40 percent, 30 percent, 25 percent or even 20 percent off the full price? — Posted by Kris

TKTS has had more than one price point for many years, starting with the addition of a second discount at 25 percent. Currently, there are four discounts, starting at 50 percent and the overwhelming majority of our tickets are sold at 50 percent. When shows have very limited availability, they may choose to send tickets at a smaller discount.

While TDF wants to have as many tickets as possible at a 50 percent discount, the availability of other price points means that shows which otherwise would not come to the booth at all do send tickets to us, albeit at a smaller discount.

Are you charged an additional fee if you use your credit card? — Posted by Damian Carlino

There is no additional fee if you use a credit card.

The opportunity cost — the number of unseen shows, or unsold tickets — because TKTS fails to sell online is unforgivable. — Posted by Dan

TKTS is a day-of-sales venue designed for a customer looking for a walk-up, centralized venue to buy tickets. There are other online sales avenues for the customer looking for tickets online.

When a production creates a marketing plan designed to maximize its revenue, TKTS fills a specific niche. If a show has unsold tickets at curtain, that reflects the effectiveness of its overall marketing plan, not just TKTS.

In fact, TKTS has helped keep a variety of long-running productions open for years and thus has helped not only millions of patrons but also thousands of people who work in the theater.

Be careful if you have one of those conversations on the TKTS line. My dad got his pocket picked at the Times Square TKTS while talking to a very nice woman, who he later realized was an accomplice. — Posted by Howard

I am so sorry your father had such an unpleasant experience. Fortunately this is a rare occurrence. Duffy Square is a New York City Park and along with all of Times Square is extensively patrolled by the New York City Police Department.

Additionally, both TDF and the Times Square Alliance have security personnel at Duffy Square. Unfortunately they can’t spot every illegal activity and a busy public area such as this can attract pickpockets. If a TKTS patron or a visitor to Duffy Square experiences a problem, let a policeman or the Times Square Alliance (TSA) guard know right way.

If you become aware of it later let us know anyway so we can alert the security details.

What inspired you to contract two Australians to design the TKTS building in such an iconic American location such as Broadway? Why not U.S. architects? — Posted by Wayne O’Donnell

As part of the Millennial celebration in New York City, TDF sponsored a competition for designs for a new TKTS booth. Over 630 entries from 31 countries were submitted to the competition, administered by the Van Alen Institute. The winning design was picked by a distinguished jury, and that design was the work of two Australian architects, John Choi and Tai Ropiha. They are the design concept architects.

TDF engaged an American firm, Perkins Eastman, to evaluate the design. They developed several approaches, and the glass structure you see today, with the booth underneath, was selected. They are the architects for the steps and booth.

The plaza was designed by William Fellows Architects. Finally, the structural engineers Dewhurst McFarlane and Partners were English, and the glass was manufactured in Austria.

The project is truly international, which is appropriate as it sits at the Crossroads of the World.