Backstage Pass

Balboa Theatre and San Diego Civic Theatre will play host to a wide variety of performing arts experiences over the next few months. If you haven't visited in a while, some of the upcoming shows will surprise you! Keep reading to learn more about what's coming soon, and then grab your tickets for an unforgettable trip to the theatre.

Standup Comedy

Comedy shows have been selling out our houses night after night, which isn't a surprise. After the first years of the 2020s, people want to laugh. Not to mention, many up-and-coming comedians secured specials on networks like Netflix and Comedy Central during the pandemic, and their new fans are eager to see what's next!

At our venues, they can grab a drink, sink into their seat, and forget about their crazy day for a while. Or, maybe laugh about it!

Culture Clash's 40th Anniversary Desmadre - Sunday, November 3

Famed Chicano performance troupe Culture Clash, featuring Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza, proudly returns to San Diego for a one-night-only performance celebrating the group’s 40th Anniversary.

During the 1990’s and early 2000’s, Culture Clash performed frequently at the San Diego Repertory Theater and La Jolla Playhouse, becoming a favorite for many San Diego theatre and comedy fans. The trio and its unique brand of satire have not appeared in San Diego since 2010, and this new show in November 2024 marks their first time performing at the historic Balboa Theatre.

“Culture Clash’s 40th Anniversary Desmadre” honors 40 years of comedy, serving up an explosive cocktail of humor and satirical outrage.

Also coming soon...

• Omid Djalili - Friday, October 4

  • The "Persian Comedy Powerhouse" will perform his critically acclaimed new show Namaste at Balboa Theatre. No government gets a green card. No tyrant avoids a take down. No audience member leaves the theatre with an ounce of laughter left in them.

• Atsuko Okatsuka - Friday, October 18

  • Atsuko tackles making friends as an adult and the façade of marriage now that she's completely matured and needs no improvement. Her unique upbringing - Taiwan-born, Japan-raised by her grandma's side - brings an artfully-offbeat resilient persona to her comedy.

• Laura Ramoso - Saturday, October 19

  • Character comedian Laura Ramoso invites you over for dinner with her German Mom, Italian Dad, and more in this fast-paced, laugh-out-loud, tour de force. Just remember to keep your elbows off the table.

• La India Yuridia - Thursday, November 14

  • La India Yuridia has achieved viral fame as a defender of women, jokingly tormenting her beloved husband Rigoberto and sharing funny experiences of their everyday life.

• Sarah Silverman - Friday, November 15

  • The two-time Emmy Award winner and SNL alum will bring her new show Postmortem to San Diego Civic Theatre.

Film Screenings

In the age of streaming, leaving the house to see a movie must be a special and elevated experience. Live musical accompaniment has become a great way to infuse new life into a beloved film, creating that special experience the audience craves. All these upcoming screenings include live music, whether it's an orchestra, a DJ turntable, or a 100-year-old pipe organ!

Silent Movie Mondays - The Phantom of the Opera (1925) - Monday, October 28

Step back in time and experience the magic of the 1920s at the historic Balboa Theatre with Silent Movie Mondays, featuring live organ music from the theatre’s historic Wonder Morton Organ. The series honors the theatre's legacy as a vaudeville and silent movie house, offering a rare opportunity to experience films in the same way audiences did a century ago.

The perfect event for spooky season, The Phantom of the Opera marked the first adaptation of the 1910 horror novel by French author Gaston Leroux. Lon Chaney plays the titular character, a talented but deformed virtuoso who haunts the halls of the Paris Opera House as he attempts to make his protégé and love interest, Christine, into a star. In 2004, renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 4 out of 4 stars, saying "The Phantom is invested by the intense and inventive Lon Chaney with a horror and poignancy that is almost entirely created with body language." On the popular review forum Rotten Tomatoes, the site reads, "Decades later, it still retains its ability to scare – and Lon Chaney's performance remains one of the benchmarks of the horror genre." The film was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1998.

Upon entering the theater, VIP ticket-holders will be treated to an exclusive prelude with in-house organist Russ Peck who will share the history of the theater’s organ and his unique approach to crafting a silent film score that echoes the era in which the films were created. Attendees of all ages are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and participate in a parade to showcase San Diego’s “Best Dressed.” Children will receive a Balboa Theatre-branded coloring book, while three lucky adults will win raffle prizes from San Diego Theatres Dining and Hospitality Partners.

Also coming soon...

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show 49th Spectacular Tour featuring Patricia Quinn - Friday, October 11

  • Join the original 'Magenta' - Patricia Quinn - for a screening of the original unedited movie with a live shadow cast and audience participation, plus a costume contest, and more! Actors from the Happy to be Here Club will take to the stage as the shadow cast.

• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse Live in Concert - October 22-24

  • This event will feature the movie complemented by a diverse ensemble of musicians and instrumentalists performing the iconic score and soundtrack live, including a full orchestra, a skilled scratch DJ on turntables, and more.

• Encanto Sing-Along Film in Concert - Sunday, November 17

  • This special event will include all the music of the Academy Award®-winning film, including iconic hits like "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and "Surface Pressure" performed live.

Podcasts and Speakers

There's nothing like the energy that radiates from a room full of smiling, motivated, and inspired individuals. Live podcasts and speakers bring a creator's audience, typically experiencing their work separately in their headphones and cars, together under one roof to form a unique connection.

Comfort: An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi - Wednesday, October 9

Spend a delicious evening with Yotam Ottolenghi as he talks about his new book, COMFORT, in this fun and participatory event. Live on stage, Yotam will take the audience through COMFORT, (from eggs, to noodles, to roast chicken, to a wide array of cultural and culinary themes) in conversation with his local host, and will invite the audience to participate in a second half as he prepares one of his dishes. Just as food brings people together, this event combines the culinary innovation of Ottolenghi with suggestions and questions from the audience to create a one-of-a-kind live experience. Yotam will undoubtedly share some childhood stories, his passion for layered dishes with bold flavors and colorful ingredients, and his influences from across the world.

Also coming soon...

• An Evening with Malcolm Gladwell - Monday, October 7

  • Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand-new volume that reframes the lessons of the book in a startling and revealing light.

• Alex Cooper - Sunday, October 6

  • Alex Cooper is recognized as the most listened-to female podcaster in the world. Her thought-provoking conversations are meticulously designed to explore a range of topics including life experiences, culture, health and relationships, all through her lens of comedy and extreme candor.

• Daniel Habif - Thursday, October 31

  • With more than 30 million followers on his social networks and more than a billion views of his content, Daniel Habif has become one of the most influential Spanish-speaking voice in the world. He has shared the stage with presidents, governors, Nobel Prize winners and international leaders, including Barack Obama, Richard Branson, Oscar Arias and Ken Segall, among others.

Spanish-Language Music

The Balboa Theatre has been home to Spanish-language programming since 1930, and both San Diego Theatres venues host dozens of Spanish-speaking singers, bands, and comedians on their stages every year. San Diego's status as a binational region, which is reflected in its nomenclature, food, people, architecture, and more, led to its co-designation with Tijuana as the first cross-border World Design Capital. It's easy to see Mexico's influence on everything San Diego is, and it's always a joy to welcome Spanish-speaking musicians to our stage.

Aida Cuevas - Sunday, October 13

Aida Cuevas has created one of the most important careers in traditional Mexican music. With a 46-year career and 41 album releases to her credit, Cuevas, dubbed "The Queen of Mariachi," is an esteemed figure in Mexico, beloved for her unswerving devotion to traditional mariachi music and her mastery of its demanding vocal forms. Cuevas celebrates a long-lasting career with a GRAMMY® award, a Latin GRAMMY® award and eleven GRAMMY® nominations in the "Best Mariachi/Ranchero Album" category.

Also coming soon...

• El Flaco & El Mimoso - Friday, October 4

  • For the first time together at the San Diego Civic Theatre for one night only: Luis Angel "El Flaco" & Luis Antonio "El Mimoso" come together for one night of their greatest hits on October 4!

• Grupo Duelo - Saturday, November 2

  • Mexican norteño band, Grupo Duelo, which emerged as a prominent musical group in the early 2000s and continues to ascend, will come to San Diego on Saturday, November 2. The band represents the best of both worlds in norteño music — songs that make you want to pull a partner into a dance, and belt along at the top of your lungs.

• Marca MP - Wednesday, November 27

  • Marca MP returns to San Diego with their new tour "Simplemente Marca" Tour 2024. See them live for one night only as they embark on their new tour through the United States and Mexico with all their hits and newest music from their latest album "Lealtad."

Broadway, Opera, and Ballet

Last, but certainly not least — this fall will include exciting new presentations from City Ballet of San Diego and Broadway San Diego, along with renewed excitement for returning favorites from BSD and San Diego Opera. Broadway San Diego celebrates their 47th season this year, while San Diego Opera honors six decades of performances at San Diego Civic Theatre. City Ballet of San Diego will bring a unique blend of classical and contemporary works by esteemed choreographers to the Balboa Theatre stage.

Dracula - Saturday, November 9 & Sunday, November 10

City Ballet of San Diego has curated a diverse collection of ballets by three different choreographers, where each ballet conveys a spirit and emotion in the choreographer’s signature style.

• “Dracula”
  Choreography: Geoffry Gonzalez (2024)
  Music: Various pieces by Franz Liszt (1811-1886
• “Emeralds”
  Choreography: George Balanchine (1967)
  Music: “Pelléas et Mélisande” (1898) and “Shylock” (1889) by Gabriel Fauré
• “Ecliptic”
  Choreography: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (2019)
  Music: Ludovico Einaudi

There will be a pre-show lecture by San Diego Artistic Director Steven Wistrich, offering insights and perspectives into the program.

Also coming soon...

• Kimberly Akimbo - October 8-13

  • A new musical about growing up and growing old (in no particular order), Kimberly Akimbo is the winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Musical. In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush … and possible felony charges!

• La Boheme - November 1-3

  • The first opera San Diego Opera produced, this beloved masterwork follows the lives of a group of struggling artists, including the poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimì, as they navigate love, friendship, and hardship in 19th-century Paris.

• Hadestown - November 8-10

  • Hadestown intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back.

• The Snow Queen - Tuesday, November 19

  • The Snow Queen is a classic fairytale transformed into an exquisite ballet about love and friendship, brought to life by the Grand Kyiv Ballet, an incredibly talented group of Ukranian dancers touring the world spreading awareness of the imperiled country's cultural identity.