Musical
Buena Vista Social Club
Inspired by the Grammy-winning album and group of the same name, this Broadway musical celebrates the golden age Cuban musicians who became international sensations.
Teen Culture Takeover
Enter to win FREE tickets to Broadway shows (2,400 available!) and access culture all over NYC
NYC high school students can enter to win a pair of tickets to the Broadway shows Buena Vista Social Club, In the Heights, School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, The Great Gatsby, The Lost Boys, and Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).
In addition, every student who enters the lottery will automatically receive a FREE 2-month TDF Membership, allowing access to free and deeply discounted tickets to Broadway, off-Broadway, music, and dance performances, as well as have free access to museums and more!
Sign ups open Thursday, August 13 at 10:00 AM and close Monday, August 17 at 10:00 AM.
2,400 free Broadway tickets
You could win a pair
2 Months
Free 2-month TDF Membership
> 200 live productions
Discounted tickets to hundreds of live performances
About the Program
For New York, For the Culture
New York City and TDF (Theatre Development Fund) are partnering to offer thousands of free and low-cost tickets to Broadway, Off-Broadway shows, museums and more through the end of summer and the start of fall.
Any New York City student in grades 9 through 12 (as of Fall 2026) is eligible for the free 2-month TDF Membership and Broadway ticket giveaway. Register by August 17 to be eligible for the giveaway.
How it works
1
Fill out the registration form by Monday, August 17 to enter the lottery. Your free 2-month TDF Membership arrives by email within about 30 minutes. Download your free digital membership card.
2
Browse the member site via your special link and book events around the city.
3
Winners of the Broadway lottery will be announced by September 1 via email.
Available shows
Pick your three
Rank your top three. If your name comes up, you get two free tickets to one of them.
Musical
In the Heights
The smash musical that introduced audiences to Lin-Manuel Miranda is revived at New York City Center featuring a blend of Latin rhythms, hip-hop and traditional Broadway.
Play
School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play
Arriving on Broadway, this biting comedy reunites the powerhouse team behind Jaja’s African Hair Braiding: playwright Jocelyn Bioh and director Whitney White.
Play
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
A stage prequel to the blockbuster Netflix series, this special effects-filled Broadway show explains how all the strangeness began.
Musical
The Great Gatsby
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's landmark novel, this Broadway musical is a tale of extravagance, longing and income inequality.
Musical
The Lost Boys
Based on the movie of the same name, this new Broadway musical is about a rebellious teenager who gets mixed up with rock-'n'-roll-playing vampires.
Musical
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
This Broadway musical rom-com centers on a cheery Brit and a jaded New Yorker who are thrown together because of a family wedding.
More cultural events
Other events available for free or low cost. Log in with your TDF Membership to see them.
Questions
Frequently asked
Who can sign up?
Any student in grades 9 through 12 at a New York City high school, public or private. You will be asked for your OSIS number, or your school email address if you do not know it.
What do I actually get?
A free 2-month TDF Membership, which unlocks free and reduced price tickets to hundreds of productions across the city. You are also entered into a lottery for two free tickets to one of the participating Broadway shows.
When do I find out about the lottery?
Winners will be announced by September 1. Everyone who entered gets an email, whether they won tickets or not. Your membership is not affected either way.
How do I use my tickets if I win?
Your tickets come by email. Each show sets its own redemption dates between late August and early October, and we will remind you before yours closes.