Don’t throw away your shot at scoring Hamilton tickets

Unless you were one of the lucky ones guaranteed “Hamilton” tickets by buying a 2018-2019 season pass over a year ago, it’s been an ongoing battle to see Philadelphia’s show, coming to the Forrest Theater from Aug. 27 through Nov. 17: In July, people lined Walnut Street for the chance to buy tickets for the uber-popular Broadway show at the box office.

But have no fear, there are still tickets left for the upcoming season. The Kimmel Center, which is co-presenting the show, released even more tickets on Monday, and more are still available via third party sellers.

Her Philly founder Emily Tharp got her tickets in the round released this week through Telecharge. She said that although the site was a little slow and difficult to search, it ultimately was a relatively painless process and she recommends subscribing to the Kimmel Center newsletter for constant ticket updates.

This morning I had "Farmer Refuted" from @HamiltonMusical stuck in my head and this afternoon I have secured Hamilton tickets for next month.

I. Am. SCREAMING. @lin_manuel ily

— Her Philly (@HerPhilly) August 5, 2019

Also, “know which of your friends wants to go and how much they’re willing to pay so you can just pull the trigger when it comes,” Tharp said.

To be 100% safe, Kimmel Center is suggesting only buying from their site or in-person at the box office. But for those who need a certain day that’s been sold out, or are hoping for a slightly cheaper non-orchestra seat (which seems to be most of what’s left), the cultural organization has these tips for safe-buying:

• Check the scene — Asses the website properly, and be aware that scams exist. See if the site has any other reviews or social media pages that seem legit, and be on the hunt for bogus Facebook event pages.
• Avoid the unofficial — Don’t get fooled by sites with ticket links that imply affiliation with the Kimmel Center. Some will try to use photos, images or info about the upcoming show to try and prove their connection, but the Forrest Theater exclusively partners with Telecharge to sell online tickets. Anything else is a separate resell.
• Do a little digging — Make sure the dates and times being offered are actual showtimes. You can see all showtimes and dates on the center’s event calendar. It also recommends checking if seating location actually exist on the official seating map for each date.
• Be an expert — If you’re worried you’re paying too much, check a few other sites around to see what everyone else is asking. And if it’s saying a show is sold out, double check on Telecharge to see if that’s actually the case. Sellers may just be saying that to add to the price.
• Don’t overshare — If you do end up getting tickets online, share your excited face selfie, not the ticket itself. It’s possible to copy a photo of a ticket to resell, and the fake ticket might get to the venue first.
• Ticket miracles don’t exist — While it might seem obvious, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

And in the case you do get scammed, report it: While the Kimmel Center can’t always fix the issue, it can use your info to try to prevent future scams. Representatives ask that you call the Forrest Theatre box office at 215-923-1515 or visit in person at 1114 Walnut St. if you realize something is amiss.

#OnThisDay in 2015, the one and only @HamiltonMusical opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre! It went on to win 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and is one of only nine musicals to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. pic.twitter.com/j9bZZlVFfJ

— Kimmel Cultural Campus (@KimmelCC) August 6, 2019