Live theater is back, and this is the perfect time for you to get in on the act.
From March 4 to 13, the 7th annual San Diego Theatre Week, presented by the nonprofit San Diego Performing Arts League, will make discount tickets available for some 20+ shows around the county.
“Theatre Week is how I first got involved in the Performing Arts League,” said Jay Henslee, who now serves as Board President of the wide-ranging arts-promotion organization.
In his day job, Henslee works for US Bank, which is a big supporter of LEAD San Diego, the nonpartisan leadership development arm of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, which creates, trains and mobilizes a network of local leaders.
In 2017, Henslee was chosen to be part of the LEAD Impact program, and he was assigned to the the Performing Arts League.
“My group, working specifically on Theatre Week, decided to establish price points like the ones used for Restaurant Week,” said Henslee.
So, the organizations that are members of the League are given three price options — $15, $30 or $45 — at which they offer discount tickets for current or upcoming shows, primarily running in March or April.
Last year, thanks to the pandemic, the program was almost completely virtual, which was frustrating for many, but did have the benefit of attracting a worldwide viewing audience.
This year, it’s all about live performances, and tickets are available through a designated website — sandiegotheatreweek.com.
The seats, said Henslee “are typically some of the best in the house.”
Participating theaters this year include, among many others: The Old Globe (“Trouble in Mind”), La Jolla Playhouse (“Bhanging’ It: A Bangin’ New Musical”), San Diego Repertory Theatre (”The Great Khan”), North Coast Repertory Theatre (“The Homecoming”), New Village Arts (“Desert Rock Garden”), San Diego Musical Theatre (“Catch Me If You Can”), OnStage Playhouse (“The Other Place”), Backyard Renaissance Theatre Co. (“Abigail’s Party”), and for the first time, Broadway San Diego (“The Band’s Visit”).
“No matter where you live in San Diego County,” said Henslee, “you’re not far away from an amazing performing arts venue. From hit Broadway musicals to ground-breaking new works, the goal of Theatre Week is to get you into a seat and provide the opportunity to see two or three shows for the price normally paid for one ticket.”
If you’re not a regular theatergoer, Theatre Week offers access to our topnotch arts and culture scene, Henslee added. “We’re always trying to get people to realize what a world-class theater city San Diego is.
“Theatre Week helps local residents gain access to local theater. It provides an introduction to theater for young people, or adults working a part-time job,” he said. “It also helps theaters advertise, and helps bring out-of-town visitors here for theater.”
“It’s been fun to see the Theatre Week idea catching on around the country,” said Henslee. “Chicago started it, then New York, and then San Diego. Now, there’s a Theatre Week in San Francisco and many other cities, modeled after ours.”
The tickets are affordable, he added, “so everyone can participate in this 10-day celebration of the magic of live theater.”
- San Diego Theatre Week 2022 runs from March 4 to March 13
- Discount tickets ($15, $30 or $45) are available for March and April performances from sandiegotheatreweek.com. Use the PROMO CODE SDTW22.
- COVID PROTOCOLS: For the safety of performers and audiences, most local theaters, in solidarity with Broadway and Actors Equity, are continuing to require Proof of Vaccination and masks worn at all times indoors.
Pat Launer, a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, is a long-time San Diego arts writer and an Emmy Award-winning theater critic. An archive of her previews and reviews can be found at patlauner.com.