When the San Diego Performing Arts League launched what is now San Diego Theatre Month in 2016, it was just one week. Several years ago, it expanded to a full month, lasting March 1-31, with discount tickets available for dozens of performances.
"We looked at this robust theater scene that San Diego has and thought, OK, how can we get more people to discover what's in their backyard," said Jay Henslee, board president for the San Diego Performing Arts League. "It really is a way to highlight that, and also to create accessibility, because we don't want the price of theater to be a hindrance for people to experience that magic of live performance."
Henslee said that the last four years have been rough for the performing arts, and the biggest "elephant in the room" is getting audiences back into performance halls and event spaces.
"Whether you're going to see ballet, you're going to see a stand-up comedian or you're going to the theater, you can't replicate that experience of being there live," Henslee said.
Ticket levels are $15, $30 and $45. Some shows are free, including all Friday, March 1 shows at Mockingbird Improv and Coronado Theatre's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
How to get discount show tickets
- Check the list of shows on the San Diego Theatre Month 2024 website.
- Select your tickets from the theater venue's website or online ticket platform.
- Enter the code "SDTM24" at checkout.
Available shows include ballet, comedy, theater, musicals and concerts, ranging from small theater companies to big Broadway touring productions. Browse the list of participating shows, or check out our picks here:
Moxie Theatre: 'Clyde's'
Last chance! Playwright Lynn Nottage's 2021 comedy is about a truck stop sandwich shop that employs formerly incarcerated workers. The production is directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, who is no stranger to Moxie — she was one of the theater company's founders and was artistic director for 12 years. This show is produced in partnership with Center for Employment Opportunities San Diego. Fun fact: "Clyde's" was the most produced play in America in 2022, according to data compiled each year from American Theatre Magazine.
Details: Event link. On stage through March 10. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Rolando. $30 (with "SDTM24" code).
City Ballet: 'An American in Paris'
San Diego City Ballet's production of "An American in Paris" features a new ballet work about the American fashion designer Claire McCardell, who set off alone to make a name for herself in Paris. It's set to the music of George Gershwin's "An American in Paris," and choreographed by City Ballet's Geoffrey Gonzalez.
This production also includes co-founder Elizabeth Wistrich's new choreography set to the mesmerizing music of Ravel's "Bolero," and the company's premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's 2002 work "Morphoses."
Details: Event link. 8 p.m. March 16 and 2 p.m. March 17 at Balboa Theatre, 868 4th Ave, downtown. 7:30 p.m. March 27 at California Center for the Arts Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. $45 (with "SDTM24" code).
Roustabouts Theatre Co.: 'Hand to God'
Playwright Robert Askin's R-rated comedy debuted on Broadway in 2015 and saw a string of Tony Award nominations. It follows a Sunday School hand puppet that comes to life, leaving foul-mouthed, devilish chaos in its wake. This production, from Roustabouts Theatre Company, is directed by Phil Johnson and stars Adam Daniel as both a mild mannered teen and the evil puppet, with Rebecca Crigler, Sam Ginn and more.
Details: Event link. On stage March 7-31. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m Sunday. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights. $30 (with "SDTM24" code).
Oceanside Theatre Company: 'Chicken and Biscuits'
This Southern California premiere of Douglas Lyons' play "Chicken and Biscuits" happens to be one of the best prices on the SDTM discount list at 2-for-$30. It's directed by Kevin "Blax" Burroughs, the new artistic director at Oceanside Theatre Company. The story follows two adult sisters whose relationship is put to the test when they have to bury their father. There's sibling rivalry, religious drama and family secrets.
Details: Event link. On stage March 8-24 (no discount on opening night). Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday. Sunshine Brooks Theater, 217 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside. Two tickets for $30 (with "SDTM24" code).
Honorable Mentions
Got kids? Broadway San Diego presents the Broadway musical "Disney's Aladdin" April 3-4.
Looking for laughs? Check out National Comedy Theatre's improv-style sketch nights, March 1-31.
Need more time to plan? "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" opens at Cygnet Theatre April 10 but still honors the San Diego Theatre Month discount code.
CCAE Theatricals: 'Motown: The Groove That Changed America'
This Motown concert features hits from Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, the Jackson 5 and many more. The D. Ben-Jamin' Band will be joined by a live string section and multiple talented singers for a full evening of music.
Details: Event link. 7:30 p.m. March 29-30. California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. $30-$45 (with "SDTM24" code).
