San Diego Theater Reviews

BWW Review: COME FROM AWAY brings an exhilarating and heartfelt show to the San Diego Civic Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - May 19, 2022

COME FROM AWAY tour brings a wonderful cast and the heartwarming show back to San Diego.  Playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre through Broadway San Diego this show offers irresistible Celtic-inspired music, a strong ensemble playing multiple roles, and a reminder that even in the darkest of moment...

BWW Review: San Diego Opera's Production of AGING MAGICIAN at The Balboa Theatre Shows Off Magical Mystery
by Ron Bierman - May 20, 2022

'What the hell was that?' an opera fan asked her friend as we shuffled into a parking-garage elevator. Not an easily answered question after a viewing of AGING MAGICIAN. Ambiguity abounds and reality is mixed with fantasy. The reality side is clear, mostly. Harold is a middle-aged watch repairman...

BWW Review: BOY: A NEW MUSICAL Premieres at SDMT Stage with A Concert Fundraiser
by E.H. Reiter - May 18, 2022

“boy: a new musical” made it's stage debut in a concert fundraiser at SDMT stage on Monday, May 16th. “boy: a new musical” is still in the development stage, and the concert was a fundraiser to help them continue to work on the show and present it to industry professionals in New York. ...

BWW Review: MALA Makes the Ordinary Extraordinary at The Old Globe
by E.H. Reiter - May 13, 2022

MALA written and performed by Melinda Lopez is a beautiful and personal memory play about her journey as her parent's caretaker and brings beauty, empathy, and humor to an intensely difficult period.  MALA is playing through June 12th....

BWW Review: Parenting is an act of faith in MOTHER OF THE MAID at MOXIE Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - May 12, 2022

MOTHER OF THE MAID, now playing at MOXIE Theatre offers powerful performances on parenting, faith, and how to help your child live their life on their terms.  Even if those terms challenge your ability to keep them safe, and could potentially be deadly. MOTHER OF THE MAID is playing through May 22nd...

BWW Review: ONCE at CCAE Theatricalsis beautiful and bittersweet
by E.H. Reiter - May 02, 2022

CCAE Theatricals invites you to come to see ONCE, and experience some great music and storytelling.  Set in and around a pub, this show features a very talented cast who sing, dance, and play multiple instruments to bring this story to life. ONCE is playing through May 7th at the California Center ...

BWW Review: BOB FOSSE'S DANCIN' at The Old Globe is a can't miss experience
by E.H. Reiter - May 01, 2022

BOB FOSSE’S DANCIN’ originally came to the New York stage in 1978 and now you can see the world premiere revival at The Old Globe through May 29th.  This dance show is full of stunning dancers, and the work they bring to life is gorgeous, engaging, athletic, and sexy. Run, walk, or dance your way to...

BWW Review: BLUE/ORANGE at Fenix Theatre Collaborative
by E.H. Reiter - April 16, 2022

Fenix Theatre Collaborative makes its theatrical debut with BLUE/ORANGE at the Tenth Avenue Arts Center. The intense dramatic comedy may have been written in 2000, but this compelling production shows just how relevant the issues it tackles still are today. BLUE/ORANGE is playing through Saturday, A...

BWW Review: TOOTSIE THE MUSICAL at San Diego Civic Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - April 14, 2022

TOOTSIE  the musical brings an old-fashioned musical to life based on the movie of the same name from 1982.  The show offers up a talented cast, physical comedy, and some updates to the story, but can’t fully disguise a problematic premise under comedy, costumes, and choreography.  TOOTSIE is playin...

BWW Review: San Diego Opera's Creative and Effective ROMEO AND JULIET
by Ron Bierman - April 02, 2022

Gounod’s overture introduces ROMEO AND JULIET with a prophetic mix of lyrical romance and tragedy. Yves Abel, the Principal Conductor of the San Diego Opera, is an expert in French opera and made sure that resonant brass and lush strings produced the mood a Parisian composer of the time would have f...

BWW Review: THE LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY PRESENTS JOSHUA BELL AND THE ACADEMY OF SAINT MARTIN IN THE FIELDS at San Diego Civic Center
by Ron Bierman - March 18, 2022

When he was four-years old Joshua Bell's parents found him making music by plucking rubber bands stretched to different lengths on dresser drawers. Clearly, he needed a real instrument. Fortunately, they bought a violin rather than a guitar. Ten years later he was the youngest ever to solo with the ...

BWW Review: THE HOMECOMING at North Coast Repertory Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - March 18, 2022

THE HOMECOMING now playing through March 27th at North Coast Repertory Theatre explores family relationships, politics, and power in an impactful presentation.  This play features a top-notch ensemble that makes the twists and turns the family drama takes to feel as if they were fated all along....

BWW Review: THE BAND'S VISIT Brings an Intimate Story and Gorgeous Music to Broadway San Diego
by E.H. Reiter - March 03, 2022

THE BAND’S VISIT is a musical that delivers an impactful musical with gorgeous music and finds humor and enchantment in the ennui of a small desert town. THE BAND’S VISIT is playing through March 6th at Broadway San Diego....

BWW Review: Backyard Renaissance Invites You to ABIGAIL'S PARTY
by E.H. Reiter - March 02, 2022

ABIGAIL’S PARTY now playing at 10th Avenue Theatre by Backyard Renaissance through March 19th offers you a chance to have some drinks and nibbles in a blast from the past play from across the pond....

BWW Review: La Jolla Music Society Presents THE DOVER AND ESCHER QUARTETS at Baker-Baum Hall At The Conrad
by Ron Bierman - March 01, 2022

The La Jolla Music Society has been bringing some of the world’s best string quartets into the Baker-Baum Concert Hall at The Conrad. With a little over 500 seats and acoustics that allow you to hear off-stage whispers, it’ a setting that could only be improved upon if the performing quartet visited...

BWW Review: EL BORRACHO brings laughter, love, and some tears at The Old Globe
by E.H. Reiter - March 01, 2022

Dealing with family can be unpredictable; tears, laughter, and love are all mixed together to create something specific to those you call your own.  EL BORRACHO the play making its world premiere at The Old Globe through March 20th brings the story of a family to stage with warmth, laughter, love an...

BWW Review: LIFE SUCKS at Cygnet Theatre is Uncle Vanya with a comedic twist
by E.H. Reiter - February 18, 2022

LIFE SUCKS now playing at Cygnet Theatre through Feb 27th is a new take on a theatre classic; it's Uncle Vanya with a modern comedic twist....

BWW Review: San Diego Opera's MOZART'S COSI FAN TUTTE at San Diego Civic Center
by Ron Bierman - February 17, 2022

I admire the plucky inventiveness of the San Diego Opera. On an annual budget of roughly three percent of New York’s Metropolitan Opera, it has managed to mount a consistently appealing and entertaining variety of productions, traditional and contemporary, in both good times and plague times. The la...

BWW Review: The Con Is On At San Diego Musical Theatre with CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
by E.H. Reiter - February 15, 2022

San Diego Musical Theatre’s CATCH ME IF YOU CAN is an incredibly fun caper musical comedy that fulfills the process to “take you on a ride” in “live in living color” and should not be missed. Catch this musical while you can at the brand new San Diego Musical Theatre stage through March 13th....

BWW Review: SAPIENCE Proves Communication Is Key in The New Play Co-Produced Between TuYou Theatre and MOXIE Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - February 15, 2022

SAPIENCE, the new play co-produced between TuYou Theatre and MOXIE Theatre playing through February 20th looks at the insights that occur when your way of communicating and experiencing the world expands....

BWW Review: TROUBLE IN MIND at The Old Globe Brings Laughter and Some Hard Truths to the Stage
by E.H. Reiter - February 12, 2022

The Old Globe's TROUBLE IN MIND is a very funny look at some serious topics. With an excellent cast, and a beautiful set this backstage comedy-drama is sure to have you laughing and leave you thinking after you exit the theatre. TROUBLE IN MIND is playing at The Old Globe through March 13th....

BWW Review: The high cost of college ADMISSIONS at OnStage Playhouse
by E.H. Reiter - February 06, 2022

ADMISSIONS, now playing at OnStage Playhouse through Feb 27th looks at the hype and hypocrisy of the American education system and the smug, well-meaning, and wealthy liberals that promote diversity but not at a personal cost.  This deliberately provocative play is performed by a strong cast and is ...

BWW Review: DESPERATE MEASURES is a 'Madcap Musical Melodrama' at North Coast Repertory Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - January 18, 2022

DESPERATE MEASURES turns one of Shakespeare's “problem play’s” MEASURE OF MEASURE, into a madcap musical melodrama that will leave you laughing.  Gunslingers to Governors, Sheriff’s to Saloon Girls, and Priests to Postulants, this musical has a variety of characters up to zany hijinks for you to enj...

BWW Review: CELEBRATING SOME STANDOUT SHOWS FROM 2021
by E.H. Reiter - December 29, 2021

As we head towards the end of the year and look forward to a new one, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the great theatre that was made by San Diego theatres and artists.  From virtual to in-person, theatre proved that art finds a way, and even a pandemic can’t keep them down....

BWW Review: AZUL at Diversionary Theatre
by E.H. Reiter - December 18, 2021

Family history, identity, culture, and love are all wrapped up in AZUL the play at Diversionary Theatre playing through December 19th. When some members of the family leave Cuba for New York, and some members stay, the show follows two love stories on each island,  and how to stay true to your herit...