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The Old Globe
Rating Details »
Category: Performing Arts
Neighborhood: Balboa Park1363 Old Globe Way
(at Village Pl)
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 234-5623
Whisper House for $20 under 30
Check out our Whisper House ticket offer -- visit http://www.TheOldGlobe...
Announced 1 week ago- Hours:
Tue-Wed. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thu-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
30 reviews for The Old Globe
Couple tips to make your trip to the Old Globe a happy one:
1. If you're under 30, take advantage of the 20 under 30 program. Fer reals. It's pretty awesome.
2. Don't come hungry, or bring food. The concessions are MAD expensive, and you're not able to take any of it inside the theater with you anyways, so you'll just feel like a jerk chugging a pint sized bottle of water for two-fiddy.
3. If it's a cold night, get there early enough to get a blanket before they're all handed out.
4. If you can help yourself, skip the horrible bathroom lines at intermission. Clench man, clench.
Otherwise, quite an enjoyable time! Saw a couple really great productions this summer and saved a handful of dough getting the 20 under 30 tix and sat wicked close but not close enough to get spit on.
I love the theater.
The Old Globe has an amazing program called 20 under 30 where they offer almost all of their shows for $20/ticket for patrons under 30.
http://www.theoldglobe...
This is an amazing opportunity! I can't emphasize enough how much I appreciate this program and how it has increased my access to the theater. I have probably seen five shows in the last 9 months. And the seats are surprisingly good as well--in the first five rows every single time! (though sometimes too far to the left or right).
The productions are wonderful, and the talent is amazing. We should feel very luck to have such a distinguished institution right in our back yard!
Thank you Old Globe!
Whisper House was a total waste of time and money! The single high spot was that the singers and the band were great...but there was zero connection to any plot (if there was one). For me, plays can have a message or can just be good entertainment. Whisper House misses both entirely.
The Old Globe is a marvelous venue but this play needs to go. Save your money!!
I've gone to see The Grinch Who Stole Christmas about 3 times and another one which I forgot the name of but it was a wonderful show none the less.
I think this is a wonderful place to take anyone I loved it as a kid and I still do now and I am all grown up. :D
Definitely something you should do as a treat for yourself and maybe a love one? :D
I went here to watch the Grinch who Stole Christmas, and it was a great showing. There were some technical difficulties in the play, however. But they improvised out of it well.
Anyways, what I love about this place is that none of the seats are bad. All of them are really good. You always have a good viewing of the stage.
Great theater.
I was able to see Two Gentlemen of Verona here in 2007 and enjoyed the performance immensely. The character of the Lowell Davies stage definitely adds a lot of appeal to the whole experience. Tonight before the showing of Cyrano de Bergerac, I was surprised and delighted to see the newly redesigned plaza and concessions area. The newly integrated area works seamlessly with the theater and has added a lot of seating for theater goers before and during the plays. I love everything about the Old Globe: the architecture, the entry plaza and landscape, atmosphere and the performances. Everything works for me here.
A great theater reminiscent of the Public Theatre in NYC. San Diego and Balboa Park are the prefect setting for an outdoor theater. Every seat has a wide-open view of the stage, the weather is absolutely fantastic for an evening performance (clear, starry skies; warm weather - what more can you ask for?), and the old world feel of the place make for a really great outdoor venue.
I most recently caught the opening performance of Cyrano de Bergerac and it was a magnificent experience. Great idea for a date!
I love the Old Globe theatre!
Most recently I went to see The Grinch over the Christmas holidays with my thoughtful girlriend Emily (she got us the tickets as a birthday present). A tip- for a truly special experience get the "box seats". These don't show up online so you have to call and ask for them. These ones are up in the balcony off to the left/right side. I believe there are four seats in a row for each set, but they are separate from everyone else and I for one felt extremely special sitting in them with my stunning beautiful girlfriend.
One of my favorite parts of this theatre is the intermission (btw, there isn't one for the Grinch). You get to sit outside and have a cup of coffee or wine and enjoy the beauty of Balboa Park. And I guess this intermission goes for the other two theatres there as well, but I haven't been to those ones yet.
Parking- if you aren't going to valet ($10 I think) get there early because parking isn't readily available right nearby...I don't think. I have never not done valet there so I can't be sure. But going to the theatre is a treat and so I feel I am kind of rewarding myself with the valet.
Deals- check out their website, they have special ticket prices for under thirty-somethings (sadly, I can no longer qualify for these:( )
And truly if you haven't watched live theatre you are missing out. I for one am looking forward to the summer and catching some of the performances at the outdoor theatre (Lowell Davies I think).
Finally, one of the best things about this is that you can come early and just walk around Balboa park and explore. I feel like I discover something new everytime I come to Balboa Park.
Old Globe Theatre:
Up top best seats in the house
Intermission wine.
I really love the Old Globe Theater and feel lucky to have it in San Diego.
I usually attend in the summer when they have festival seating outdoors and it's typically a great theater experience.
I have a lot of friends from NY who could be called "theater snobs" (don't worry I still love you) who are impressed with the productions at our little theater.
It's something that surprises a lot of visitors- the fact that San Diego has such great theater- not only the Globe but the Playhouse and the Rep too
Heads up if you haven't visited Balboa Park- the park is beautiful and there is more to do than just the Old Globe (lots of museums) There is also a restaurant with very good food and pleasant outdoor seating called "The Prado" It's fun to either bring your own picnic and eat at the little tables by the theater or make reservations and have dinner at the Prado before the play.
Note: It has just been announced that Darko Tresnjak is stepping down as director of the Shakespeare Festival. I'm really sad because I think Darko is a genius. Hope his replacement is half as talented.
Given the recent heat wave we've been experiencing in San Diego, I've found it difficult to get into the holiday spirit. Thanks to the Old Globe Theatre I have found my Christmas cheer for this year!
Live performance is best in my opinion, I saw "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" at the good ol' Globe. Such a great venue; much better than the civic center in that there are no seats with an obstructed view and it's in beautiful Balboa Park rather than one of the more shady areas of downtown. From the hot chocolate sold at the stand outside (great idea Miss Christina) to the twinkling multicolored lights and elaborate decoration to the little girls donning their frilly holiday dresses...all wonderful reminders that the holidays are just around the corner!
The show itself was spectacular! A classic I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. The stage sets were creative and made it feel as though I was in the storybook. All of the costumes were clever and vibrant. The cast was amazing...of course the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who stole the show! It was an incredibly pleasant and wholesome evening!
So, if you find yourself feeling like Scrooge I say go to this show and your small heart may grow three sizes that day.
The first time i came to The Old Globe was to watch a play "The Women" loved it!! Filled with students and teachers. I was pretty much at the top and can't really see the bottom part. It's not big or too small. It kinda sucked that i could barely hear what was going on, but yet the performers can hear you. Ha.
During December Nights they set it up as "The Grinch" i'm pretty sure because they were having a play about that. But, it was nice and well decorated :D
I've been coming here at least once a year for the past 20 years and have never been disappointed. The only complaint lies with the audience, I did not pay a fat wad of cash to listen to your unrelenting commentary & criticism of the performance which has yet to finish. Please, if this sounds like you or your friends, sterilize yourself...tonight. I will endure your seemingly endless waste of oxygen but, I do not want my children to suffer the same mindless banter of your offspring; stupidity seems to be a prized, recurring theme within your family.
Parking can be a little ridiculous, especially on days or nights when Balboa Park is holding one of its many festivals so arrive really early and grab a drink at the Prado or wear comfortable shoes for your trek.
So, at the very least, try to go here at least once a year. Live performances are awe-inspiring & humbling, there are no do-overs, one mistake is glaring and memorable, but the quality at the Old Globe ensures that they are rare.
I came here last week to see "The First Wives Club" and i was impressed. The theatre was small but it didn't seem like there was anywhere bad to sit at all. The actors were very well prepared and acted and sang their roles well. It was a different kind of musical but it was quite good. I was with a large group of people and some saw Cyrano de Bergerac instead and were equally impressed with that. The Old Globe seems like a very popular San Diego attraction and the view across the bridge going into Balboa Park at night is breathtaking. It's definitely a must if you are visiting to go and see a show there.
I was deviriginized by THE OLD GLOBE with their Christmas tree lighting event which took place 11/15/08. I didn't realize it was a radio promotion so I along with plenty of other folks or passerbys had to stand in line because only persons with radio passes could get it right away.
So after waiting we were finally let in and was presented with a stage full of kids singing Christmas Carols and the Christmans Grinch was the lead singer....Their were a handful of folks there but definitely not that crowded. The Christmas tree was located in front of the Globe Theatre and when lit added to the decor of the place...nothing special but a Christmas Tree is always nice to look at but I have seen better. so this was an A ok in my book. Especially since I've been exposed to the tree lighting event in Union Square, SF. So far nothing tops that. It was an experience but I wouldn't go again.
Not a bad seat in the whole house; and the largest congregration of grey hairs in the entire city! It's sad to say, but I think the theater is a dying art enjoyed mostly by the elderly. What is going to happen to the theater when their generation dies off?
Ahhh... but I digress.
I've been to the Old Globe on 3 occasions and have thoroughly enjoyed myself for each one. Last night was no exception as I watched Hershey Felder's one-man performance of "Monsieur Chopin". Hershey comes around once a year with his trio of performances: Beethoven, Monsieur Chopin, and Gershwin Alone. I've seen two of the three and they're masterpieces, really. Hershey is a musician, historian, actor, and comedian all wrapped into one. Amazing, really.
The entertainment at the Globe is not only on the stage, though.
We had some entertainment in the will-call line as we discovered that the grey-hairs get very excited about their shows. There were two elderly folks actually arguing and pushing each other in line to get their tickets. The argument between the unrelated man and woman about their spot in line was getting louder and louder, so the security guard had to come "break it up". For the record, the old man was being an ass. He totally CUT in front of the old lady. What a jerk!
Anyway, good times at the Globe. If you've never been, then you really must get yourself down there before you yourself turn grey!
People tell people me that this is culture and people should be more cultured. Culture obviously means certain culture in which the word culture is affixed. These are usually arts events in which the price you pay is high. (i.e. Classical music, Opera, Musicals, Plays, Accepted Fine Arts, etc.). This just doesn't feel right to me. It gnaws at my gut. Even when I occasionally write what could be considered poetry by any account, I refused to call it that. Poetry has certain connotations and snottiness infused in the very word.
Culture or cultures shouldn't be limited based on social-economic status and it shouldn't be some art tunnel-vision, where there is most definitely a right and wrong way.
I dislike condescension but am passionate about what I consider culture. This means you can catch me in a piss soaked basement seeing a Japanese Death Metal band one night and at an opera the next. This means that I can appreciate the masters but equally like the living artists making very crude, crass, and down and dirty art or even crafty DIY projects. Ballet to Strip Clubs. Classics to Comic Books. There just aren't these genre-biased lines to me. I hi-lo my culture and really don't care which is which and what is saluted and what is scowled upon.
This said tickets to Shakespeare's All's Well that Ends Well at the Globe were lots of money. True that this goes to production and all the great crew and actors in this play, but I noticed the type of people who were at this play. The money they were wearing and the conversations that I eaves dropped upon and it turned my stomach a bit. I got tickets for free due to Amy H. getting tickets for free due to some blue hair not being able to use her tickets. I believe this is called trickle down economics or cultural dumpster diving.
I dressed up and behaved like a perfect gent as I enjoyed the wonderful production and acting. It was seriously great! I have never read or seen this Billy Shake play prior to this and was impressed by the dark-comedy and the sharp-witted dialouge. I was totally immersed. It also made me feel that more people should be able to and should try to see this as well as all other forms of culture. It is good for the soul.
So negative is money money money and overhearing some gut turning conversations.
Positive is everything else, including not being able to relate to said conversations.
"The soul of this man is in his clothes."
UPDATE, Kinda:
I recently went out on a bike ride with Chris around Balboa at night. We cut down Pershing from Golden Hill and climbed Florida to the zoo. Cut around the zoo and then over to the globe. They had these great blue can lights shining down and it made everything look great so we rode around a bit. There was a fountain followed by 3-steps leading down to a brick corridor with chandeliers overhead. I especially am fond of biking down these deserted corridors at night. It is therapeutic and a zen-like meditation between me and my bike. Well, I rode past the fountain and then down the steps. I pitched over too much and landed on my front wheel and went over my handle bars. Ouch! Well, it was more of a DAMN! than an ouch. I have been accident or fall free for 5 plus years and I bike lots including bike sets of steps without any problem. I felt very Napoleon Dynamite. It was very not sweet.
I love the Old Globe. I love the pretension of constructing a facsimile of Shakespeare's seventeenth century London playhouse, and creating a world-class arena for theatre in San Diego of all places. It's rather like making a radio station tower in the Congo shaped like the Eiffel Tower. :)
The grounds are beautiful, the sculpture garden pretty, and it's a great place to go for a run, on a nice, popular stretch of Balboa Park.
Great place :)
My favorite theater in San Diego. It's small enough so that there isn't a bad seat in the house. Acting, choreography, sets, costumes are always so well done. Most of the cast usually has Broadway and film experience so they are always top notch. LOVE the $20 tickets for those of us under 30. Make sure you go see the Grinch at Christmas-time!
Grew up catching plays w/ my schools & family. The exterior is, well, pretty much awsesome. And the interior - well you can't complain about it cuz there isn't a bad seat in the joint.
It is a classic and prolly an institution. At this point w/ all of the accolades and awards they've won...well you can't dispute what this little theater has accomplished. They've worked hard to build their reputation bringing great plays to town.
And if you have kids and DON'T take them to see "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - I'll report you to CPS.
Amazing theater... blah blah blah
Great acoustics... blah blah blah
They always have top notch plays come through... blah blah blah
But even more important than all that...
I MET UNCLE PHIL THERE THIS WEEKEND!
http://www.halawards.c...
That's right, Uncle Phil of, "In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most of my days. Chillin out max and relaxin' all cool, just shootin some b-ball outside the school..."
Went to see Two Trains Running by August Wilson, and got to meet the whole cast.
5 stars had Aunt Viv been in the cast too.
The Old Globe is one of the finest theatre groups I have been to, they present awesome plays and have very exciting designers come in from New York.
Linda Cho, Fabio, Greg Barnes, Miss Thorpe, and many others
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.
Oh, the Old Globe. Oh, my love. Student rush tickets.. A cozy-sized amphitheater.. Shakespeare Festival.. And combined with San Diego summers..
Love. Just love.
The Old Globe is a nice venue however, every production I've seen here has been terrible - leave-in-the-middle-of-the-performance terrible.
Last night, I went to see Sea of Tranquility - the short version is that it is about a psychiatrist who lost his license (for having a sexual relationship with a patient) and moved to New Mexico with his wife and is working as an MFT. I am a psychologist, and unexpectedly sat next to a psychologist (who was one of my professors in grad school). My professor and his friend left at intermission it was so horrible.
The story line was full of stereotypes including unethical therapists, Scientologists, Latino inmates, hollywood types, Jewish people, and artsy types. Nearly every role was over-acted. Disgustingly so. I'm still so disgusted that I don't even want to type anymore, I could go on and on about the story line but I'd really rather forget the whole affair. I'd much rather see a production at Cygnet Theater where the quality control is much better.
my only objections is that they don't make theatre more accessible to lower income people - students, fellow artists, etc.
It's a great place to see a show before it goes on to b'way, I feel like they are a little more "main stream" than Cygnet, or La Jolla playhouse.
The Shakespeare series is fantastic! other shows I've seen are good but often kitchy.
this is kinda weird seeing that i havent been to many theatres however this one, i ended up getting shafted with the seating. i was up in front but all the way on the left so the stage was all missing. however, this place is alright. it isnt spectacular. maybe i havent seen it during the holiday season but for me personally i see it as a little bit tacky. its like they built it last year to make it look like it was created centuries ago. the Shakespearian theme is quite endearing but the theater itself is not as dynamic as i would have expected. i came to watch Kingdom yesterday and the show it self was quite good. but it didn't titillate my fancy.
i think i would rather pay more to get a more dynamic stage presence from the setting. i don't know it just didnt do it for me. =\
San Diego has one of the richest American theatre communities outside of New York City, and The Old Globe has earned world-wide renown. I have attended multiple productions at all three Old Globe venues, the main stage, the theatre-in-the-round, and the outdoor theatre, and I have taken the backstage tour. As a member of the audience with no formal training in theatre arts, my opinion is plebeian. I don't think I can say that every one of the productions I have attended has been absolutely successful, but I do know that each has been 100 percent first class.
Today I saw Dancing in the Dark with Scott Bakula, Beth Leavel and Patrick Page. Without embarking on an intricate review of this production, and completely ignoring Edward Albee's post-existentialist contention that two hours in a theatre should change your life, I think that if I go to a musical, I should be entertained. Dancing in the Dark scores five stars for entertainment.
Today I also sat right next to Craig Noel by chance. I didn't bother him even though we were touching elbows. He's pretty frail, but from the way he was laughing and clapping, I would say that he enjoyed Dancing in the Dark, too. See Craig's bio here:
http://sdcriticscircle...
Going to the theatre is expensive, true. But the theatre offers you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see something live, vibrant, and fleeting for a moment on stage. If you only know Scott Bakula from Quantum Leap and Enterprise, you might be thrilled to see him tap dance and sing his heart out. I was.
Maybe Albee is right and two hours of theatre can change your view on life. If I walk out of the theatre with a happy glow, humming a show tune, that's good enough for me.
This is an amazing theatre in San Diego. There are actually three theatres but the main theatre has no bad seats at all. Make sure when you buy your ticket, no seats are bad. All have the best views. The stage is perfect size for this theatre. The ushers will lead you right into your seat!!!!!!!! They will not leave you until you are comfortable! Must go see a show because its the best THEATRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love to attend at least one of the Summer Shakespeare Festival productions held each year July through October in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre (the outdoor stage). It's always a fun night watching a play under the stars and the occasional jumbo jet. Bring a jacket because it can get chilly. In the winter take the kids in your life to the Globe's annual production of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." They offer military & student discounts so if you are either you are in luck.
In addition to Anita's comments, the Globe's present day achievements equal its amazing history. Each year, the Globe presents 15 productions from musicals to hard-hitting dramas, and the Globe has taken over 20 productions on to Broadway and even more to other New York theatres and regional theatres across the Country.
The three-theatre complex includes the Old Globe Theatre, a 600-seat house, the 225-seat Cassius Carter Centre Stage (built in 1969 on the site of the old Falstaff Tavern, the theatre's concession area) and finally the 600+ seat outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, built following the arson fire which destroyed the original Old Globe in 1978. All make a great night out, and taking a date to the outdoor festival theatre (under the stars) makes extra points.
