- Address: 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla (on the UCSD campus)
- La Jolla Playhouse season runs from April through early December.
- La Jolla Playhouse website
- Admission is charged and reservations are recommended. See below for more details
La Jolla Playhouse performs on three stages, located on the edge of the university campus. See more information below under Seating.
Performances tend to sell out, but theatres are roomy and there's plenty of space around to absorb all the people, so it doesn't feel crowded.
- There's a small parking on the campus during the week. Note your space number and pay at the kiosk near the theatre using cash ($1 and $5 bills) or a credit card.
- Wolfgang Puck's Jai restaurant is next door. The food is well worth the somewhat-expensive prices.
We rate the La Jolla Playhouse 5 out of 5 for its long tradition of excellent work and the quality of the performance we saw. My only regret is that I live too far away to go more often.
You'll find driving directions at the La Jolla Playhouse website.
- Mandell Weiss Theatre: 492 seats, proscenium arch stage. See a seating chart
- Mandell Weiss Forum: Designed by award-winning architect Antoine Predock, 400 seats, thrust stage. See a seating chart
- Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre: A black box, flexible theatre seats up to 450. See a seating chart
Tickets cost $25 to $60, depending on the show and performance date. Previews and weekday nights are least expensive. Seniors (over age 62) and college students can buy discounted tickets one hour before selected performances, if space is avaiable. For one Saturday matinee of each play, it's PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN, with 100 tickets on sale at 11:00 a.m. for $1 minimum and lines forming hours ahead of time. Pay in cash only and two tickets max per person.
Buy early online, by phone at 858-550-1010, or at the box office.
In the past 20 years, no less than nine plays (including Jersey Boys, I Am My Own Wife and The Who's Tommy) have launched their way to Broadway from La Jolla Playhouse stages, with six of them winning Tony Awards and one garnering a Pulitzer Prize. In 1993, the Playhouse won its own Tony, for regional theatre.
To all that acclaim, I add a hearty standing ovation for one of the best performances this regular theatre-goer has seen in a long time. I saw Memphis there in September, 2008 and now, when it makes it to Broadway, I can brag that I saw it first.
As is common in the travel industry, I received complimentary tickets for the purpose of this review. It has not influenced the outcome. However, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see the ethics policy.
