La Jolla Playhouse

La Jolla Playhouse is one of the most important regional theaters anywhere in the country, a Tony Award winner on the UC San Diego campus with a long track record of building shows that go all the way to Broadway. "Jersey Boys," "The Who's Tommy," and "Come From Away" all originated or had major runs here first, which is no small thing for a regional house to claim.

The company runs three performance spaces, including the 500-seat Mandell Weiss Theatre and the 400-seat Potiker Theatre, so the scale shifts to fit each production. The real draw, though, is timing: seeing a show here before Broadway gets its hands on it is one of San Diego's genuine cultural edges, and you get to say you were there early.

The campus setting in La Jolla is scenic and easy to enjoy, though driving is the practical call for most folks heading up that way. Make the trip and beat New York to the punch. Browse what's on at La Jolla Playhouse on Evil Tickets and grab seats for the next show on its way east.