Buyer beware: While tickets to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s historical musical “Hamilton” are among the hottest in town, buying tickets from resellers over the internet might be a costly decision.
The New York Times reports that more and more theatergoers are falling prey to ticket forgers, who are selling fake “Hamilton” tickets on popular sites like Craigslist.org.
One man profiled in the Times’ story, named Jason, purchased two tickets for $600 from a seller on Craigslist. Jason met the seller, who said he had already seen the show and had received the tickets after as a Christmas gift, outside the 14th Street Urban Outfitters. The ticket ad appeared genuine and the asking price, reasonable.
Jason only found out the tickets were fake when he and his wife showed up at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Jan. 2.
Another woman profiled in the piece, named Christina, found herself in a similar bind, after buying two tickets from a woman on an Upper East Side corner earlier that day.
Fred Santore Jr., the box office treasurer at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, told the Times that since the show opened in August, he’s seen counterfeit tickets “about five times a week.”
“Hamilton” isn’t the first Broadway show to fall victim to counterfeiters. Theatergoers buying tickets to “The Book of Mormon” and “The Producers” have also been targeted in the past.
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Those waiting for “Hamilton” tickets can get a little closer to the hit musical, however, on PBS. The Public Broadcasting Service will air a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the musical this fall, as part of its acclaimed Great Performances lineup.
