Iconic TKTS booth in Times Square celebrates 50 years of Broadway ticket discounts

By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The TKTS booth in Times Square, which has become part of the city’s visual and financial DNA and a key part in keeping Broadway going, is celebrating its 50th birthday this week. It’s a discount ticket booth where Broadway and off-Broadway shows can be more affordable for those who balk at prices pushing past $300 a seat for some musicals. About 30% of the people who line up are first-time Broadway theatergoers. Thousands of tickets are sold at the booth every day. Some 68.6 million tickets have been sold from the booth during its 50 years, with more than $2.6 billion going back to the shows.