Holidays are not Holidays without taking in a play and visiting balboa park. There's no place better for play goers than the old globe. It can seem a little pricey and parking's tough but it's just about the best entertainment around. read more

Amazing setting for world-class theater. Their productions never disappoint- worth every penny! Kudos!!!! PS - I have a role in an upcoming production which does not influence my review. It has been a goal for a while. read more

We saw A Midsummer Night's Dream recently. I have not been to the Old Globe for many years. Our seats were three rows back from the stage which was perfect. I don't think there is a bad seat in the Lowell Davies theater. The play itself was absolutely incredible. The costumes were delicious, the colors so brilliant. Will definitely be back for more! read more

Neat old theater that's like the Shakespeare Globe in London. In fact; this is its twin! They had hand sanitizers and even some stations to charge your iPhones. All around pretty theater, friendly folks. Rebel review: 5 read more

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We saw Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story and it was not what I was expecting at all. We bought tickets on a whim, so perhaps others knew that it was a solo play. However, on the display and playbill it featured many people dressed in festive clothes, so we figured it was a normal rendition of Christmas Carol with multiple actors, costumes, set changes, props, etc. It was one man, in a suit, with no props, for 85 minutes acting out all of these characters. He is a great actor! But it just was not at all what I was expecting, especially based on past reviews. I realize now that the past reviews were based on another edition of Christmas Carol I guess? I was really hoping for a more festive play. I wish we had asked more but based on the marketing, Old Globe made the play seem like something it was not. Will probably not return to this theatre. read more

Every play that I saw there was amazing! The staff is very friendly and the location is very convenient... read more

The play, Leonardo DaVinci Notebook was WONDERFUL! The setting was lovely. However, buying a ticket even on the main floor does not guarantee visibility. I ended up sitting behind a man with a VERY large head. Luckily, there were some empty seats to my right so I took the opportunity to move to these seats, with the hope that I wouldn't have to move. I didn't and enjoyed the show. My question is--what can be done about this common occurance? My other question is regarding providing augmentation for those of us who are hard of hearing. I wish there had been a way of viewing the words on a device to enhance our viewing of the play. There was no accommodation for this as far as I could tell. read more

Always a class act. Have enjoyed every play or musical we have seen (maybe 12 so far). Most recently, Hair was a fantastic production. Great, great, great that they protect their staff and customers by currently requiring a vaccination or a negative covid test to enter (began late august and currently into Sept). Our hats off to you for making hard decisions for the benefit of the community- thank you. We also have done valet several times- it is pricey ($12 or $17) but it is convenient and nice to not fight for parking in the summer. Highly recommend Old Globe read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

This past Saturday, wife & I saw a powerful, epic play. "Jitney" (link below) plays at the Old Globe through February 23rd. https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/19-20-season/august-wilsons-jitney/#?startDate=2020-02-01&%3FendDate=2020-02-29 What drew us to the play was LA Times review, link below: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2019-11-25/august-wilson-jitney-mark-taper-forum-review Wife & I were able to get good seats in second row from the stage for $39 each. This low price surprised me when I purchased tickets online. Then when we got to the theater, we noticed some empty seats. This seemed strange considering stature of this play. Side note, I always attend 2pm matinee showings as I don't like 8pm start times. Normally when we attend matinees, we seem to be youngsters among the 80-year-old audience. Not true at Jitney, this was a younger and more diverse audience. Jitney is written by playwright, August Wilson (link below). Noteworthy is August won two Pulitzer Prizes! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Wilson Honestly, this is one of the more memorable plays I've ever seen. Wife and I were seated to far left facing the stage and in second row. We loved these seats as we could see raw emotion up close. The play orientation seemed to flow to these seats. Given choice of sitting further back to view entire set, I'd choose up front to see and feel the emotions. Most tickets are in the $80 to $110 range. Yet there are still a few of the cheaper seats still available. I looked at 2pm shows weekend of 15th-16th and saw a few cheaper seats up front on the side, rows A and P4. Or you can choose better seats more centered. Please see Jitney before it ends, you will love the play! read more

The Old Globe - Jitney! - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Great venue for a show. There are lots of food and drink options available during the show. Everyone is friendly and accommodating. Every seat has a great view. The production and actors were amazing. read more

I went to the Lowell Davies Festival Theater for the first time this weekend to see A Midsummer Night's Dream. The show was incredible! Full house at 8p on a Sunday night. It's a shame reading some prior reviews where 2 out of 600 audience members felt they could not have their minds expanded at an art and cultural event - ironic. The venue is excellent - all seats are close to the stage with great visibility and sound. This show was funny and vibrant and I had so much fun watching. It was truly entertaining. The set was beautifully designed and the colorful costumes added to the fun. My favorite part was the prologue of the play within the play - the music was perfect and watching each cast member watch was hilarious. Yes, one of the four couples in the play is represented by two females and why not?! This play is over 400 hundred years old; life has changed, this story can change too. I definitely recommend this play and venue for all ages. read more

Attended a showing of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and can't recommend it enough, the whole cast was wonderful. It was my first time at the Old Globe and wasn't expecting two different stages. One is a standard indoor stage and the other (Lowell Davies) is outdoors. I was unaware and didn't dress accordingly. They normally have blankets to rent but due to odd weather, they got wet. Luckily I had a blanket in the car (which you are allowed to bring your own) otherwise it would have been a little rough. That being said, the stage is beautiful! It's amazing to watch a performance and admire the trees and sky above you. Their intermission is a standard time of 15 mins, I would recommend running to the bathroom first then grabbing a drink if you plan to. The line for the restroom got pretty long and the concession had no line. Parking was rough since there was graduations happening on top of construction so plan accordingly. We had an hour to kill to have pre show drinks, take pictures and look at Balboa's famous architecture. They let us in the theater roughly 15 mins before showtime. I would definitely come back for many more shows, just truly beautiful. We're very lucky to have a place like the Old Globe. read more

The Old Globe - Lowell Davies theater, outdoors and truly beautiful ! - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Trouble in mind was not good. Too artificial and too political. I go for entertainment. Left at intermission. Sorry. Robert read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Love this theater. The productions are fantastic and there really isn't a bad seat in the house! I've seen several shows in their three theaters over the years, and each theater is charming in its own way. I love the intimacy of the Sheryl & Harvey White theater-in-the-round. There are just 5 rows around the theater, and the view is amazing from all seats. I also love the Donald and Darlene Shiley stage. The seats are comfortable and they have plenty of booster seats available so kids can get a better view. The orchestra seating goes to row M, and the view is great even at row M. The outdoor theater is nice, too, though the seats are narrow. Today my family went to see The Grinch on the Shiley stage and it was fabulous! Such a great production! I see us going back again in the years to come! Parking can be an issue depending on day and time. I've always found free parking near the Spreckel's amphitheatre, but if there's another event happening, PLAN for it. You can also do valet at The Prado or book valet through the Old Globe when purchasing or upto 48 hours prior to the show. Also the traffic getting there from North County for a 7pm show can be (and was today) a nightmare. So plan for that, too! Enjoy the show! read more

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We just enjoyed Cabaret at The Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park. It was the best production of this play I've ever seen. I had seen many variations and the role of the Emcee is so critical to the play. Joel Grey won an Oscar! He was good but the gentleman who played the Emcee for this production was beyond GREAT! Best ever! The cast was wonderful! It was the fastest 2 1/2 hours ever. The voices were great and the set was perfect. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a production so much! If you can, GO! Sally Bowles was perfect! I could only say "Liza who?". Great voice! The best part is it's at The Globe, the most intimate theater in San Diego with top of the art productions. Better than anything I have seen at the Civic where you have to pay Third Party prices for less than professional productions. You will love this? read more

Phenomenal venue that harkens back to the Olde Globe in London. We were blown away by the wonderful version of The Taming of the Shrew. read more

The Old Globe - Ticket to Taming of the Shrew. - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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My time here was fantastic. Came on a Sunday to see the matinee for How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the staff/ manager were so accommodating to the children and elders of their needs that it really warmed my soul. The building is beautiful and the seats are pretty comfortable. They put on shows every year and are all family friendly. The seating is limited because it's a smaller venue but makes it all so much more intimate. Also, ticket prices are pretty reasonable for San Diego. Lorax is coming in the spring so be prepared and keep a look out for tickets! I will definitely be back for another show for the holidays. read more

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Wifey and I bought some tickets for us and her grandma to come watch How the Grinch stole Christmas. We bought our tickets ahead of time, so we had no issues. Parking in Balboa on a weekend is always a challenge, so come early and just hang out in their little courtyard before doors open. Once inside, they kept things pretty organized and bathrooms were fairly easy to access. It was our first time here so my first impression was that it was a fairly small theater, but it wasn't too bad since sometimes too many crying children can spoil a show. The show itself was super cute, and the actors were great. Definitely worth the money. Only thing I would advise would be to bring a jacket... the A/C in this place is top notch and I was freezing towards the end! read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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Nestled in the iconic Balboa part this famous theater is home to the best of the latest cutting edge productions while grounded in the traditional musings of "The Bard" himself. Come experience the transforming experience of live theater in the heart of San Diego. read more

My cousin wanted to see a play here since she'd never been before. Musicals are one of my all-time favorite pastimes, so it was a no-brainer to go with her. We saw "Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!". This show apparently is an annual show, or so it seems to be, according to our Lyft driver who had grown up in SD, and saw the same play when he was younger... which come to think of it makes me question how old he really was haha. Anyway, the actor that played the Grinch was amazing, he was super Jim Carrey-esque and was enjoyable the entire time. The cast of kiddos were amazing too. It really made me miss stage acting and theatre. There are not a lot of seats in the place, so come ON TIME, otherwise, you won't get to sit at the seats you paid for. It's a small theatre so wherever you sit, you get a good view in my opinion. Sound in the theatre is good, no complaints there. Bathrooms are outside. Parking, I think is free. We took a ride-share. There are snack vendors outside, and all the amenities of Balboa Park if you come early or want to hang out after the show. The runtime for the play was about 1.5 hours, not too long. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and just in time for the holidays! read more

Saw twelfth night recently and it was amazing. The venue is open air so bring a blanket to keep warm. Would love to see another performance here read more

We read an incorrect start time from the Reader. Showed up early but we were actually late 15 min . The manager Katie made no effort to help us attend the play as it was a special occasion for my son and myself. Sorry I can't help you was all Katie could say as I explained this was a very special occasion. They you for making no effort whatsoever to help us. Maybe you need to be a wealthy patron of the arts to receive the care and consideration all theater goers deserve. The globe will ask us for a donation to support them but don't expect much from them if you're just a nobody. read more

I've seen a musical and a Shakespeare play here. Their programs are varied, as well as their venues. They have an indoor theater and the "festival" theatre which is outdoors. The have concessions outside, which do serve beer and wine (that won me over). Staff is friendly and helpful. Pretty much any seat you get, is great. You can kill time before or after with a walk through Balboa park too. Also, if you're under the age of 30, they have a great program called "20 under 30," where you can get tickets to shows (they have specific times and days) for $20! read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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I don't give out that 5th star lightly but this venue is pretty exceptional. First, being set in the heart of Balboa Park doesn't hurt. Now some might say parking can be an issue, but personally I would rather hunt for parking here than downtown. Plus, we got lucky and got a spot right behind the Prado restaurant which was not far from the theater. I love the outdoor setting and the snack/bar area with plenty of tables to grab a drink and enjoy the San Diego sun or sunset. We recently walked by here and I thought why have I never come to a show here? Just walking around the outside of the theater is an evolution in itself. As for the theater I really can't see that any seat is a bad seat. I hate the balcony seats at the civic theater because you really need binoculars to see anything. Not so here. Now that I know the seats are all good I would probably go for the cheapest ticket next time. We saw Rain and while the play got mixed reviews among our group I personally loved it and especially the set. This is the most unique set I have seen in my life and it enthralled at every moment. The story line is certainly not an uplifting one, but still seems current and relevant almost a century after Somerset Maugham wrote it. The play is on the long side so if you are not a night owl I recommend seeing Rain in the afternoon. read more

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When walking around the Balboa Park, The Old Globe grabbed my attention right away. Couldn't help it to keep walking that direction to check out the beautiful building! It turns out it is a theater. It is not a big venue, small but intimate. What a beautiful architecture!! read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

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Originally built as an attraction at the California Pacific International Exposition at Balboa Park on April 28,1935, it was constructed in 32 days to a design by Thomas Wood Stevens and costing $20K. On May 29 that same year, it was officially opened for repertoires of 50 minute versions of Shakespearean plays. In 1965 construction began to add administrative and production sections with restrooms also added. Today, The Old Globe is an internationally acclaimed Tony Award winning regional theaters in the country. read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Recently came here to watch the play American Mariachi. This was my first time here too! I really like the layout of the theater and I also like that it's smaller making it a little bit more intimate. Our seats were on the second floor in the balcony area and we had a great view, the seats were not as comfortable, but they were not terrible either. There is a small cafe outside and they sell snacks, drinks, and couple of small items such as soups, salads. Me and my friend got there pretty early, so I ended up getting a hot chocolate and she got a soup with a salad and a cider. I didn't get to try the food, but my friend did say she really liked it. The play was great, the actors did a really good job. I really enjoyed it because I was able to relate to the music. I grew up listening to mariachi bands at all the main family gatherings so it was nice to get a little taste of mariachi out here. I love that the theater is located in Balboa Park because you can always plan on walking at the park before or after any show or even grabbing a bite at one of the nearby restaurants. Looking forward to watching more shows at the Old Globe. read more

The Old Globe - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Wonderful service especially if you are willing to make the drive and buy your tickets at the window. Very friendly staff!

I've been a volunteer usher at the Old Globe for several years now, and I just can't rage on about how wonderful this place is enough. Located in the heart of Balboa Park with 3 theaters to choose from, I have seen a wide array of fantastic live productions. Their Summer Festival of Shakespeare is a must-see, Avenue Q was an unforgettable event, and I can't wait for the 2011-2012 season which includes Much Ado About Nothing, Amadeus, and Rocky Horror Picture Show! There is ample parking located all over the park, however the closest parking fills quickly so be prepared to walk from the Organ Pavillion parking. The theater(s) do not allow food or drinks inside, only bottled water and NO photography is allowed once you go through the theater doors, even if the lens isn't pointed at the stage. (Stage sets are copyrighted works!) For those who frequent the Old Globe theater itself, don't forget there are additional bathrooms outside by the Festival theater as that line inside the Globe can get really long at intermission. Also, you can rent a blanket on those chilly Summer nights inside the Festival theater. read more

I came here to see DDLJ the American version (Come fall in Love) of the Indian movie which is absolutely one of my favorites. It was by word of mouth as I am not so familiar with theaters around San Diego, this was my first show. It was absolutely wonderful. The acoustics and the stage was set up perfectly I had pretty good seats for the cost. The ushers were great, kind and very helpful. The atmosphere outside the globe was like a midsummers dream, I can't describe it but something about going to the theater at the Old Globe. I've been to the Pantages multiple times but this was enlightening, the atmosphere I mean. I decided on valet because I couldn't walk the distance but if you can it's better to walk than paying the $20 parking fee. They were very kind as well as they parked right in the front so I could leave immediately. This was a great evening and I hope there is another play I would be intereste to see. read more

We saw the Grinch and were very impressed. The acting was great, the sets were awesome, and you can't beat the allure of being at the Old Globe. It's definitely a San Diego classic worth visiting! read more

Tried subscribing, wasn't happy with assigned tickets, but not to worry: Ed called and fixed things immediately. Understandable, as they get back to normal. The Old Globe is a fantastic theater and everything here is top quality. Highly recommended! Seen so many great productions here, Almost Famous (and met Cameron Crowe there!), Allegiance, Kiss Me Kate (3 times!), etc. The Lorax was amazing two years ago. Please bring it back! Thanks again to Ed and the great Old Globe staff. read more

The Old Globe is a lovely venue within Balboa Park. The theatre is small, but the tight space makes for a more intimate and engaging viewing experience for performances. Tickets are at reasonable prices. They have a $30 ticket program for select shows to those under 30 years of age, which is a nice draw for younger crowds interested in theatre. I've managed to get the cheaper obstructed view seating, which still isn't a bad area to sit in because of how close you are to the stage! There really isn't a bad seat in the house in my opinion. I've been to a couple of productions and sincerely enjoyed them. Entry is a breeze and the ushers will get you to your seats in no time. As for preparation, be sure to get there early/on time, as they will not seat latecomers until intermission, if there even is an intermission (sometimes there isn't). Parking is free around the park, but there is nothing directly beside it so you'll have to walk a bit. If you know your way around the park, it's near the Museum of Man. They have a bar and food stand on a patio just outside the theatre. Tons of people will be hanging out there before as well as after the show, when all the buzz of the night occurs. read more

My husband and I went to watch "Midsummer nights dream" and we had to leave during the half time. Since when they started using female actress for a male role for intimate scenes? A heavily mixed-up roles made an old classic change its taste, which made us, theater-loving people, very disappointed read more

Went to see A Midsummers night dream, last evening . What a disappointment, and a waste of money, We left at intermission. The preformance was a political statement for the in-vogue, woke movement. We get enough of this indoctrination, from kindegarden through high school, and even in college. We go to the theater for entertainment, education and some thought provoking, This preformance was none of these. Wish I could get my money back, and BTW make that 3 out of 600 , try to improve on the Bard, is almost a joke. no matter how expasive our minds. t read more

Came here on Sunday, 04/15/18, to watch the evening show of American Mariachi. The show was amazing. The actors were great. We had seats near the front and to the side, but had no issues with it. In my opinion, there are no bad seats. The way that the theater is built around the stage makes the atmosphere intimate. I was really drawn in to the story. Hubby and I are definitely looking forward to seeing more plays at the Old Globe. Everyone should experience a live performance once in their life. Absolutely amazing. Fyi: Ticket purchasing/receiving was hasslefree, and they offer discounts for military. read more

I went to see the Grinch with my family, it was a pretty cool experience. The place is beautiful and the production was very well executed. The actors all did an amazing job! I was very surprised to see the kids because they were young but very talented and remebered their lines so wellits a bit pricey but def a good experience. Also plan ahead arrive early because it was pretty busy at Balboa park and we had to find parking and walk a bit. read more

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I want to love the Old Globe. It is an amazing venue.... Unfortunately , I have tried 3 plays this year at The Old Globe San Diego and I have not enjoyed them. I'll try back in a couple of years. read more

Back to see Almost Famous... Everyone thinks it's going to Broadway... It was really good. Really long, 3 hours ... I saw lots of people drinking wine in cute cups... but we had wine and dinner at the Prado... that was a great dinner and date night ! Overall wonderful time! read more

The Old Globe - Almost Famous - Performing Arts Near Me - San Diego, California

Almost Famous was great! It's a must-see before it goes to Broadway. The Globe is a great institution, even if not every show is as good.