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Ticket resellers offering Hamilton seats for $2K

When Durham Performing Arts Center announced that "Hamilton" would be part of its upcoming Broadway season, fans immediately began the search for tickets.

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Kathy Hanrahan, Out
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DURHAM, N.C. — When Durham Performing Arts Center announced that "Hamilton" would be part of its upcoming Broadway season, fans immediately began the search for tickets. And with any major event, resale websites are offering tickets at high prices.
"Hamilton" tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, an orphan immigrant from the West Indies who became one of America's founding fathers. The show's music is a mix of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and rap and the cast is predominantly African-American and Latino actors. The show will play DPAC Nov. 6 through Dec. 2.

Resale sites, including StubHub and SeatGeek, are offering orchestra seats for $1,400 to $2,800 each.

But how can you guarantee that you are getting real seats and not being scammed?

The Better Business Bureau recommends ticket buyers purchase directly from the venue when possible.

Consumer Reports stresses that if you do opt for a resale site, pick an established one like StubHub, TicketsNow, Razorgator, Vivid Seats and ScoreBig - all of which offer money-back guarantees in case the tickets are fake. The BBB suggests checking out the seller or broker by looking them up through either the BBB or the National Association of Ticket Brokers.

The BBB recommends looking for the lock symbol in the web address to indicate the site has a secure purchasing system. They also advise not clicking through emails or online ads. It is also a common ticket scam to create a web addresses that is very similar to a well-known company. Purchasers should also use a credit card when buying the tickets so you can dispute the charge if the tickets are not delivered.

How to get tickets without breaking the bank

The venue box office and Ticketmaster are the only official ticketing providers for events at DPAC, according to the venue's official website. Officials warn that tickets obtained from other unauthorized sources may be stolen, counterfeit or invalid due to payment issue.

The only way to guarantee a seat to "Hamilton" is to purchase season tickets, but even those aren't easy to score. There were more than 18,000 Season Seat Members last season and they all have the opportunity to renew their tickets for this season. Depending on how many renew, DPAC may not have enough season ticket packages left. The best way to keep track of season ticket availability is through the DPAC's email newsletter.

Season ticket holders are often given the chance to buy additional seats for select shows. It is unclear if that will be the case with "Hamilton." Season ticket holders have been told that "Hamilton" tickets will be mailed separately at a later date than the rest of their tickets.

In other cities, the show has held a random lottery drawing for a limited number of tickets for purchase by the general public for each performance. It is unclear if that will be happening in Durham. Single ticket on sale information for "Hamilton" won't be announced until August, according to DPAC officials.

Tickets for "Hamilton" at DPAC will also be available through the Ticketmaster Verified Fan program, which allows pre-registered fans a chance to get tickets without having to compete against bots and scalpers. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the DPAC box office. More info will be released about the verified fan program and box office tickets in August.

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