Photo Credit: LJ Playhouse
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Major Performing Arts Venues in San Diego
Over the years, San Diego has been building up its cultural repertoire and these cultural institutions are the primary reasons for that success. San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre (79 Horton Plaza, Downtown) - "The Rep," led by Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse, has established itself as a hybrid between a classic revival theatre and as a company that produces brand new innovative and thought-provoking works. Now in its 30th year, the San Diego Repertory Theatre has achieved national renown. The Rep also bills itself as the "Cultural Town Hall" for San Diego because it offers the people of San Diego the opportunity to come together and reflect on the place we call home.
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Directions
San Diego Opera at the Civic Theatre (intersection of Third Avenue and B Street, Downtown) - Despite what people may think about San Diego's lack of culture, Opera is alive and well thanks to the San Diego Opera Company. Under the direction of Ian Campbell, the San Diego Opera has thrived with the enthusiastic support of both season ticket holders and individual performance patrons. Did you know that San Diego Opera has been ranked by OPERA AMERICA as one of the top 10 opera companies in the United States?
Photo Credit: SD Opera
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That is a long way from its beginnings in 1950 when none other than the San Francisco Opera Company used it to stage its productions in San Diego. It did not become its own producing company until 1965 with its first staging of "La Bohème" in the, then new, Civic Theatre.
Of all the performing arts, opera is perhaps best known for its total audience experience. Due to the nature of opera, the San Diego Opera has drafted its own Opera Courtesies to make everyone's experience well worth the price of admission or season tickets.
Tickets & Operas
Directions & Parking
San Diego Symphony at Copley Symphony Hall (1245 7th Avenue, Downtown)- Under the continued musical direction of Jahja Ling, the San Diego Symphony has been able to expand both its reach in terms of live performances and classical musical education. It offers outdoors Pops Concerts as well as numerous family-friendly music festivals. Classic music is here to stay in San Diego thanks to the San Diego Symphony.
Photo Credit: SD Symphony
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The San Diego Symphony is one of San Diego's oldest performing arts organizations. San Diego's original Symphony Hall opened at the Fox Theatre in 1929. You can still see some of the original Fox Theatre architectural detail in the new modern building that was built in the mid-1980s.
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Directions & Parking
TIP: The San Diego Symphony offers FREE tours of Symphony Hall to the public once a month. The one-hour tour of the Hall starts at Noon from the front of the Symphony Box Office in Symphony Towers (NE corner of 7th and B, enter building from B Street). This behind-the-scenes look at Symphony Hall includes a rare opportunity to listen to several minutes of a San Diego Symphony rehearsal. Best of all, no reservations are required. Please note that as much as they would like to include little children, the tour is recommended for ages 12 and up only. For more information, please call (619) 615-3955.
Here are some upcoming tour dates: October 8th, 2008, November 5th, 2008, December 10th, 2008, January 7th, 2009, February 25th, 2009, March 11th, 2009, April 1st, 2009, May 13th, 2009.
The Old Globe in Balboa Park - The internationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the most renowned regional theatres in the country. The Old Globe has brought Shakespeare and other fine dramatic writers' works to San Diego audiences for 72 years. Under the direction of Noel Coward and Jack O'Brien, numerous Broadway-bound premieres and revivals, such as "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels", "The Full Monty" and "Damn Yankees" were developed at The Old Globe.
Photo Credit: Old Globe
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The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 15 productions and nearly 600 performances on its three Balboa Park stages: the 580-seat Old Globe Theatre, the 250-seat Arena Stage the San Diego Museum of Art's James S. Copley Auditorium (the interim second stage during construction of the new Conrad Prebys Theatre Center) and the 612-seat outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
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Directions & Parking
La Jolla Playhouse (2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla) - Did you know that one of San Diego's most famous drama companies is located on the campus of the University of California, San Diego? Did you also know that legendary actors Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer founded the La Jolla Playhouse?
Since 1947, the nationally acclaimed, Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse has been known for its tradition of presenting exciting and adventurous new work in regional theatre. Led by Artistic Director, Christopher Ashley, the La Jolla Playhouse now considered one of the most well respected not-for-profit theatres in Southern California.
During the tenure of Director Emeritus, Des McAnuff, numerous Playhouse productions were so well-received that they went to Broadway. These productions included: "The Farnsworth Invention", "Big River", "The Who's Tommy", "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", "A Walk in the Woods", "Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays", and the boffo "Jersey Boys".
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Directions & Parking
DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR MAJOR PERFORMING ARTS VENUES
Discount tickets are available for sale on the day of selected shows as a way to entice the public to attend major performances without breaking the bank. It is also a great way for performing arts producers to fill the seats when needed!
Tickets can be purchased at the ARTS TIX Booth located in Front of Horton Plaza, Downtown and online.
Photo Credit: ArtsTix
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Because the selection of shows changes daily, we encourage you to either check the site or call their hotline at (619) 497-5000.
If you live in San Diego or are planning to take in a play, a symphony or an opera, you can sign up to receive ARTS TIX' FREE daily e-mails that list all the half-price shows. Please note that shows do sell out throughout the day so use the email list as an alert only.
The ARTS TIX Booth is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11am to 6pm; Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
ARTS TIX Online hours are from 6pm the day before the show, until approximately an hour before the show or when they close the day of the show, whichever comes first. Tuesday shows go on sale Sunday at 5pm. Monday shows go on sale Saturday at 6pm and are taken off sale Sunday at 5pm. Got that?
A Special Note on Matinees: Events taking place before 5pm go on sale the day before to allow for purchasing time.
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