Theatre Week

Discounts, special events, talkbacks with the cast, after-parties...

Author

By Jeff Smith

Publish Date

Feb. 14, 2016

What a great idea! If local critics sing the praises of San Diego theater, well, that's just what they (we) do.

D. Candis Paule, president of the San Diego Performing Arts League, and Gary Kramer, executive director, have a better plan: come see for yourself.

From February 22 through February 28, the SDPAL will host “San Diego Theatre Week, 2016.” Thirty-seven participating organizations will offer discounts on tickets (20 percent or more) and concessions, special events, talkbacks with the cast, after-parties, and more.

And not just theater: “We include performances from the world of dance, music, and comedy as part of the week,” says Kramer.

The San Diego Performing Arts League acts as a liaison and advocate for arts organizations and runs the ArtsTix Center at downtown’s Westfield Plaza.

“I don’t know who thought of it first,” says Paule, “but Gary [Kramer] and I talked about it over a year ago and thought if anyone did it in SD it should be the Performing Arts League.”

“We started developing the idea last summer,” says Kramer.

They kicked ideas around and explored what other cities were offering — Chicago and Washington DC have a theater week, and New York has Broadway Week. They called a meeting of the theater companies in San Diego and, says Kramer, “they jumped at the idea.”

“SDPAL doesn’t charge a participation fee,” says Paule. “The organizations involved are getting a tremendous amount of media attention without having to spend anything.

“It is all about exposure to the incredible variety of arts San Diego has to offer. We know how much we have. But the average San Diegan might not. Here’s a chance for them to try something they might not have before, whether it be a venue or a discipline, and discover for themselves.”

Participating organizations

Different Stages, Duck Variations

Balboa Theatre, California Dreamin’