Embracing remarkable adaptations and imaginative choices
Each year, this list seems to grow longer. In 2024, I reviewed 75 plays/productions and attended over 100 performances, including theater in Cuba, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Tijuana, and New York.
2024 was also a milestone year for From Another Zero, as we won San Diego Press Club Awards for the first time, an incredible achievement that reinforced our dedication to arts journalism.
San Diego’s theater scene this year was rich, diverse, and innovative, featuring remarkable adaptations, creative storytelling, and bold artistic choices. Recognizing the hard work of actors, directors, designers, and production teams is essential.
Another trend this year was the rise of one-act plays, largely driven by budget constraints, shorter attention spans, and the scrolling addiction culture. I admire how some stand-up comedians enforce a strict no-phone policy with pouches. It would be great if theaters followed suit.
A report by the University of San Diego found that San Diegans contributed only 13% in donations (time and money) to Arts and Culture in 2024. This statistic is concerning, and I will bring it up everywhere I go. I encourage you to do the same.
Now, onto the best theater productions of 2024.
PLAYS
English – The Old Globe
Sanaz Toossi’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play explores language and identity in a classroom in Tehran, Iran, where four students prepare for an English proficiency exam. With a creative mix of English and Farsi, Arya Shahi’s direction beautifully captured the struggle of being different and navigating language barriers.
A View from the Bridge – North Coast Repertory Theatre
Arthur Miller’s tense, gripping drama about Italian-American dockworkers had no still or gray moments under David Ellenstein’s direction. The performances were tightly woven, and every twist landed with precision and emotional weight. The audience remained glued to their seats, gasping throughout the two-hour runtime.
Constellations – Chalk Circle Collective
For its second year as a company, Chalk Circle Collective once again made an impact with Nick Payne’s Constellations. This is the kind of play that grabs your heart, spins it around, and gives it back. Not only did they do it justice, but they took us into its alternate universe, leaving a lasting impression.
Primary Trust – La Jolla Playhouse
Written by Eboni Booth, this was one of the most outstanding plays of La Jolla Playhouse’s season. The story follows an older adult who grew up in the foster care system, balancing his coping mechanisms, life struggles, and success. Booth avoids sugarcoating reality, creating a play that was raw, moving, and profoundly human.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – CCAE Theatricals
This adaptation of Mark Haddon’s novel, directed by J. Scott Lapp, brought to life the story of Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old on the autism spectrum, investigating the murder of Wellington, his neighbor’s dog. Blake McCarty’s projection design and Lapp’s direction worked in perfect synergy, guiding the cast through this multi-layered, visually striking production.
Outside Mullingar – LAMB’s Theatre
Set in rural Ireland, this one-act play by John Patrick Shanley delivered intimate, deeply moving theatre. Featuring fantastic performances and smooth scene transitions, it kept audiences gripped from start to finish. Directed by Robert Smyth, Deborah Gilmour Smyth, and Kerry Meads, it was a true theatrical delight.
MISERY – Backyard Renaissance Theatre
This stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel was thrilling, chilling, and oddly entertaining. MJ Sieber’s direction emphasized psychological tension, while the production balanced suspense and unexpected humor.
Clyde’s – MOXIE Theatre
Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s takes place in a truck stop sandwich shop, run by Clyde (Tanya Alexander), a tough boss exploiting her formerly incarcerated employees. The hilarious yet thought-provoking production was visually stunning, thanks to Michael Wogulis’s scenic design and Rai Feltmann’s meticulous props. Delicia Turner Sonnenberg’s direction brought sharp comedic timing to this bold social commentary.
Stir – The Old Globe
Written by Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez, this eighty-minute, no-intermission play takes place during a pandemic-era Zoom call between siblings Mariana and Henry. Henry wants to recreate their mother’s refried bean recipe, recalling childhood memories.
Commissioned plays rarely feel complete on opening night, but this one did. It was cohesive, immersive, and enchanting, even featuring live cooking on stage.
Fun fact: My interview with the actors won First Place at the 2024 Excellence in Journalism Awards by the San Diego Press Club.
Twelfth Night of the Living Dead, or, What You Kill – Loud Fridge Theatre Group
Yes, the title alludes to the sixties horror film Night of the Living Dead. Yet, the piece is -practically- all Shakespeare with some zombies here and there…with more to come in a pop makeover that was original, creative, and entertaining. Just from the title alone, you can grasp the creative wit this company put -to the stage- for their season opener, adapting Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, an endeavor by local playwright A.J. Schaar, directed by Kate Rose Reynolds, Director of Operations for Loud Fridge.
Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again – La Jolla Playhouse.
Anna Ouyang Moench’s world-premiere piece created some local controversy, showing a behind-the-scenes look at the theatre/entertainment industry through the favorite and highly produced A Christmas Carol. It showed visibility through reflection for those who work in theatre and an excellent learning tool for those who do not. Once the point has been proven, Anna has the play dive back into the magic of theatre with a gasping finale.
Murder on the Orient Express–The Old Globe
Edit: I had put this under the Touring Productions category but was made aware that it was not. I did not put it in this category because it was a unique co-production done a few years prior… One of Agatha Christie’s top ten novels came to life with a stunningly beautiful and enchanting design where the Orient Express appeared on stage to unfold and show the inside of the train rotating to reveal different parts. Paul Tate dePoo III’s scenic design is a true work of art. Not only did it complement the stage, but it was also realistic. The audience felt like another passenger.
MUSICALS
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812– Cygnet Theatre
San Diego audiences were gifted an authentic Broadway experience with this musical adaptation of part 8 of Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace, focusing on romance and the search for the meaning of life. Written by composer/lyricist Dave Malloy, Cygnet’s premiere is directed by the company’s artistic director, Sean Murray. Patrick Marion was in charge of the musical direction, and Katie Banville oversaw the choreography. The cast was hot, hot, HOT! No weak link in this production as Sean Murray’s direction had a strategic blockage that used the entire house, having the actors move around and interact with the audience.
CAMELOT– North Coast Repertory Theatre
CAMELOT saw the stage in 1960, adapted from British writer T. H. White’s novel The Once and Future King, with music by Frederick Loewe, lyrics, and a book by Alan Jay Lerner. The story references how young Arthur, nicknamed “wart,” forgot his cousin’s sword, and when going back to get it, he finds one in a stone that he pulls with minimum effort, making him the new king of Britain. The cast performed the 17sh song list with new orchestrations by Steve Orich aligned and with harmony. Music director Daniel Lincoln played the piano live on the stage left.
Midnight at The Never Get – Diversionary Theatre
A West Coast Premiere with Book, Lyrics, and Music by Mark Sonnenblick, was conceived by Sam Bolen, Max Friedman, and Mark Sonnenblick and directed by Stephen Brotebeck. The story was powerful, and the interpretations activated that power with a two-actor cast and a cathartic reveal.
Next to Normal – Oceanside Theatre Company
The entire cast made their Oceanside debut with this production. Frankie Errington’s direction was paced and punctual, guiding the actors to sync in the role, truly articulate each dialogue, and have it set in. A story that takes place with a family of four that is crumbling. And, doing justice to the beautiful music of this piece, OTC took the live route under the musical direction of Dr. Randi Rudolph, who stood out in the background with a lively conduction and piano playing that was visibly
Jersey Boys – CCAE Theatricals
Seeing big blockbuster musicals get a new local flare through our regional theatre companies always warms my heart. With Jersey Boys, it is a unique, full circle moment as the musical was a La Jolla Playhouse debut in 2004. Lindsay Brooks’s casting was on point, and Nicholas Alexander is the most realistic Frankie Valli I have seen, from the look to the voice. Taubert Nadalini as Bob Gaudio is also freakishly close. I also liked Stephen Gifford’s set as it stayed close to the original and famous two-story design instead of having it stripped down. The musical came back home to San Diego, making it right.
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate – LAMB’s Players
Omri Schein, LAMB’S associate artist, performer, and playwright, adapted Jacqueline Kelly’s young adult novel into a musical, writing the libretto and the lyrics along with composer Daniel Lincoln. With a plot set before the turn of the century in 1889, the soon-to-be 12-year-old Calpurnia Tate lives with her family in a small Texan town. Calpurnia is not interested in learning to sew, bake, or play the piano; she wants to be a scientist and explore! Like anything new, world premieres require marinating, getting worked on, and softening the edges, especially with new songs. In the case of Calpurnia‘, the songs flow and are catchy.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – LAMB’s Players
New York’s Putnam Valley, six unique teenagers compete in the county’s spelling bee moderated by former bee champion Rona Lisa Peretti. The competition begins and is a heck of a time with challenging words, recurring lisps, and fierce edges that bring out character and interesting confessions. The mix of the six students is stimulating enough. At the show’s top, four actual audience members are chosen to compete in the Bee. The one-act, no intermission piece was lively with amazing rhythm, the improvs were hilarious, and the wrapping of the true message was strongly present.
TOURING PRODUCTIONS
DUO – 0471 Acro Physical Theatre-WOW Festival La Jolla Playhouse
From Taiwan, SUN Cheng-Hsueh and HSIA Ling performed an incredible piece with amazing control, strength, and feeling, having flips, twists, jumps, and anything you can think of with LIU Tzu-Chi’s music design that framed the experience beautifully. As challenging as it is, showing the level of difficulty and danger, SUN Cheng-Hsueh and HSIA Ling did it gracefully. WoW marked their first time performing in the United States, which made it even more special.
Kimberly Akimbo-Broadway San Diego
Kimberly, about to turn 16, ages four times faster. Her family comprises not-that-responsible or present adults, yet Kimberly aims to make the most out of life and live, live, live, no matter what! Carolee Carmello Is a total gem as Kimberly displays heart while truly embodying a high school girl. The cast is solid, and despite the tears, the show’s comedic relief is on point. The score is by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori, who made history as the first female composer to win two Tony Awards for Best Score. The first was for Fun Home.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Frank Corrado as Alfieri in A View From the Bridge. His rendition of the keen and endearing lawyer was flawless, with an eloquent and perfectly timed voice that graced the stage in each appearance, showing the seasoned performer he is.
Daniel Patrick Russell as Christopher in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was definitely outstanding. The intention, the physicality, and the delivery were perfection.
Megan Carmitchel in How I Learned to Drive. Carmitchel evokes many emotions in her portrayal of Li’l Bit, never letting go of this character’s humanity and confusion from childhood to adulthood, giving truly moving work in Paula Vogel’s raw and suspenseful story.
Nathan Madden as Frank N. Furterin Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is fantastic with an energetic, naughty personality that interacts with the audience, flowing through the whole theatre space while rocking Jennifer Brawn Gittings’s hot, sexy costume design complete with garters, stockings, thongs, leather, and of course, stilettos. Plenty of stilettos in all sizes and colors (I salivated). Jacob Caltrider as Dr. Scott, the only returning cast member from the 2016 production, was awesome, mastering that wheelchair with a spot-on interpretation and impressive vocals.
Holly Stephenson as Gloria in Gloria. This is a nail-biting piece by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, who, through the work, is continuously reporting society’s flaws. Stephenson plays the title and another “key” role, displaying histrionic contrast and heart-pounding moments.
James P. Darvas as Chuck in The Harvest. When Darvas hits the stage, there is no playing around. With just the simple trace of preparing a cup o’ noodles, the scary church leader gave chills, which was pretty amazing.
Aubriella Navarro as Calpurnia Tate in The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate in her LAMB’S debut did a fantastic job that drew the audience into the story along with the rest of the cast delivering a nice blockage and rhythm as the piece as well as the music, flowed, and was very charming.
Lena Palke as Small Alison in Fun Home gave a beautiful rendition of “Ring of Keys” with Rae Henderson-Gray where the house just came down as it is such a revealing and powerful song. Palke was lively and articulate, moving everyone’s heart.
Nancy Snow Carr as Rona Lisa and Geno Carr as Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Nancy had impeccable comedic timing and creative improv skills, with hilarious descriptions on the spot for the guest spellers that just brought laughing tears. She also picked up interaction with the audience and any sneeze, cough, or bathroom break that came about. Geno Carr teamed up with Snow Carr, and the real-life married couple sometimes could not contain the laughs! All the cast was amazing, but the Carrs took the -Spelling Bee- cake.
Nick Daugherty as Ray in The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Daugherty had a more set stage work that showed a good balance between accent/dialect, comedy, and rapport. He was really funny as Ray, and with hardly articulating a smile, he truly grasped the role, reflecting the page-to-stage accomplishment.
SAN DIEGO THEATRE EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
I am adding this special and new category because there were two unique, new highlights in San Diego this year, and they deserve their own category:
Henry 6–The Old Globe. One of the most ambitious production projects in theatre, a series of three history plays by William Shakespeare condensed into two: One: Flowers and France and Two: Riot and Reckoning. I admit to having serious doubts about this production, but credit where credit is due because not only is this one of the highlights of the theatre year in San Diego, but it is also a milestone that marked the completion of the Bard’s canon at the Globe. Actors and industry personalities came throughout the run, which was a lot of fun.
MOXIE Theatre enduring repertory venture with a musical and a play. Different formats with contrasting plots. Only a couple of theatres in San Diego have ventured into this stage pilgrimage, and I am definitely here for it as it adds special value. Credit where credit is due to the MOXIEs and these impressive actresses, who not only demonstrated skill, ability, and amazing memory but also showed what badass performance looks like.
We haven’t had these types of dynamics since Cygnet’s production of Angels in America. It is not an easy task, which is why it was so special.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Beautiful – Moonlight Theatre
Simply stepping into this venue is an experience itself, and this production lived up to its name. Stellar performances, breathtaking vocals, and stunning projections by Blake McCarty made this show a visually and emotionally compelling success.
Every Brilliant Thing – CCAE Theatricals
This one-person show, written by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, tackled mental health and suicide with humor, warmth, and deep emotional resonance. The production featured an alternating cast, a unique but impactful choice by director J. Scott Lapp and assistant director Yoni Kruvi. Though I would have loved to see each actor perform the entire run, the overall execution left a strong impression.
Fiddler on the Roof – San Diego Musical Theatre
Directed by Omri Schein, this classic production delivered a heartfelt portrayal of tradition, resilience, and family, staying true to its roots while breathing fresh energy into the performances. The choreography was exceptionally intricate, executed flawlessly by the talented cast.
Pásale, Pásale – TuYo Theatre
This engaging and immersive musical experience transformed the audience into swap meet vendors, complete with props like folding chairs and shopping carts. Featuring original, well-crafted songs, the show created a vibrant, interactive world, where vendors narrated their struggles and joys while Señor Muchascosas raised rental fees on their stands. A unique and fun experience that resonated deeply.
Final Thoughts
San Diego’s theater in 2024 was exciting, thought-provoking, and innovative. The industry continues to evolve, pushing boundaries while honoring classic storytelling.
2025 will bring new productions, new talents, and new stories—and I will be there to cover every moment.
