Best San Diego Musicals Running in 2025

Wicked, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

Running February 5 – March 2, 2025, at the San Diego Civic Theatre. 

In this golden age blockbuster hit, a meddlesome matchmaker arrives in Yonkers set on finding a match for the miserly Horace Vandergelder. Bursting with humor, romance, high-energy dancing and some of the greatest songs in musical theatre history, this show is boisterous and charming from start to finish. Winning ten Tony Awards and with four Broadway revivals, Hello, Dolly! remains one of the most enduring musical theatre hits.

Running February 7 – March 9, 2025 at SDMT Stage.

3 Summers of Lincoln, with book by Joe DiPietro, lyrics by Daniel J. Watts and Joe DiPietro, music by Crystal Monee Hall, and direction by Christopher Ashley, has its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse. Change the conversation. Change the world. Summer, 1862. The bloody conflict that was supposed to last only 90 days has now been raging for more than a year. President Abraham Lincoln must find a way to end the Civil War. Enter powerful abolitionist Frederick Douglass. If he can meet Lincoln face to face, he can help the president cement a vision of the future that ends slavery along with the war — all while preserving the union. Just three meetings took place between the two men — pivotal conversations between two fierce and equally brilliant leaders that shaped the course of history. This gripping new musical marks the sixth Playhouse collaboration between Joe DiPietro and Christopher Ashley (including the hit shows Babbitt, Diana, and Memphis) and they’re thrilled to be joined by composer Crystal Monee Hall and lyricist Daniel J. Watts. Their epic score blends gospel, R&B, powerhouse anthems and Broadway to tell the inspirational story of one of the most important friendships in our nation’s history, and that of a brutally divided country coming together. 

Running February 18 - March 23 at La Jolla Playhouse.

A raucous and daring new musical comedy from two-time Tony and Grammy nominee Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night, Hands On A Hardbody, Bring It On: The Musical), three-time Emmy-nominated composer Curtis Moore (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), and Emmy-winning writers Jen Crittenden and Gabrielle Allan (“Seinfeld,” “Scrubs,” “Veep”). Elinor Benton is in a predicament: she’s pregnant, unmarried, and living in 19th-century England. What’s a young woman to do? Facing certain ruin, she gathers up her three best friends and sets off on a life-changing road trip to find Madame Restell, renowned for helping women with “female troubles.” This epic journey, equal parts hilarious and profound, transforms each of them as they make choices about their own futures. This world premiere production, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Broadway’s Spamalot, the Globe’s Cabaret), is a riotous adventure of love, rebellion, autonomy, and self-discovery.

Running April 2 – May 4, 2025 at The Old Globe’s Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage.

The San Diego Junior Theatre presents James and the Giant Peach! When James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach... and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Suddenly, James finds himself in the center of the gigantic peach, among human-sized insects with equally oversized personalities. After it falls from the tree and rolls into the ocean, the group faces hunger, sharks and plenty of disagreements. Thanks to James's quick wit and creative thinking, the peach residents learn to live and work together as a family. The dangerous voyage is a success, but the adventure takes a whole new twist once they land on the Empire State Building.

Running April 25 – May 11, 2025 at the Casa del Prado Theatre.

Telling the story of a young Indiana highschooler just trying to bring her girlfriend to the prom, the musical takes an unexpected turn when four eccentric Broadway performers descend on the town in an earnest, yet misguided, attempt to fight the injustice and share a bit of the spotlight again. With an incredible score and the enduring message that love can bring everyone together, The Prom captures the humor and heart of a classic musical comedy and resonates with audiences now more than ever.

Running May 2 – June 1, 2025 at SDMT Stage.  

Based on the hit 1994 Disney movie and Broadway musical, Disney’s The Lion King, JR. is the timeless tale of Simba, a young lion born to be king, who is forced to flee after the death of his father, Mufasa. On the outskirts of the kingdom, Simba learns about identity, family, responsibility, and what he has to do in order to make things right for the Pride Lands. Featuring classic songs like “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata,” the entire family will enjoy the perfect theatrical spectacle that is The Lion King, JR.

Running June 27 – July 13, 2025 at the Casa del Prado Theatre.

Experience the timeless magic of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, with Cygnet’s bold immersive twist on this American Classic. This captivating story follows the charming romance between cowboy Curly McLain and farm girl Laurey Williams, while the menacing farmhand Jud Fry complicates their love. As the community prepares for statehood, personal dreams and rivalries intertwine with broader themes of hope, resilience, and unity. With unforgettable songs like “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” and “People Will Say We’re in Love,” Oklahoma! vividly captures the joys and challenges of frontier life. Whether you’re revisiting this classic or discovering it for the first time, Oklahoma! promises a delightful and unforgettable theatrical experience.

Running July 11 – July 20, 2025 at the Cygnet Theatre.

Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, this Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of an extraordinary girl who dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Using her astonishing wit, intelligence, and abilities, Matilda dreams of a better life and isn’t afraid to turn things upside-down to get it with the help of her friends. Captivating the hearts of young and old alike, this musical revels in the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination. Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs, and an unforgettable star turn for a young actress, Matilda is a joyous girl-power romp you won’t want to miss.

Running July 11 – August 10, 2025 at SDMT Stage.

Brought to you from the San Diego Junior Theatre, come to The Prom! Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow—but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens and the result is the love that brings them all together.

Running July 25 – August 3, 2025 at the Casa del Prado Theatre.

Gather ye lords and ladies, fairies and wizards, knights and dragons at the Kingsbridge Midsummer Renaissance Faire, which comes to glorious life in the world premiere musical comedy Huzzah! Two sisters, one a princess and one who works in insurance, must stop fighting to save their father’s Renaissance Faire from financial ruin (and the occasional mead-based fire). When they gamble the payroll to hire the greatest swordsman on the whole Ren Faire circuit, will things go fair or foul at the Faire? Don thy doublet, cinch thy corset, and grab a turkey leg for a midsummer night’s screamingly funny musical by Olivier Award winners and Tony Award nominees Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde, Heathers the Musical, Bat Boy) and Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, Mean Girls, the Globe’s Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical), and directed by Lortel Award-winning Annie Tippe (Off Broadway’s Octet).

Running September 13 – October 19, 2025 at The Old Globe’s Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage.

In this musical adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, a London doctor accidently unleashes his evil alternate personality in his quest to cure his father’s mental illness. With an incredible pop-rock score and enthralling characters, this evocative tale of one man’s battle against himself brings the age old struggle between good and evil to life on the stage. Ultimately, murder and chaos are pitted against love and virtue in this sweeping gothic musical.

October 3 – November 2, 2025 at SDMT Stage.