By Kristen Nevarez Schweizer

This June, it seems every theatre company in the county is staging something worth seeing. It is a logistical nightmare, and I am THRILLED. From Coronado to Carlsbad, this month’s lineup leans into joy, angst, and giggles.

Here are my favorite twenty to consider:

Onword Theatre, Air Quote Mike — Edamami, June 27.
This one-night-only world premiere play is based on a true-life family dinner by playwright Marti Gobel. A hybrid staged-reading, immersive presentation at Edamami restaurant in Tierrasanta, audiences get dinner and a show with a prix fixe sushi menu served in tandem.

Onword Theatre, Adult Storytime: a caregiver’s guide to the blues — Light Box Theatre, June 11-28.
Inspired by Eric Garcia’s Uncle Scotchy’s Blues (The Blues Opera), this world premiere is a stirring collection of autobiographical monologues that explore the hardships and unexpected humor of caring for those we love at every stage of life.

Cygnet Theatre, Musical Monday: Nothing But the Truth(ish) — Dottie Studio Theater, June 15.
This cabaret event celebrates the music inspired by real people and true events. From queens who rewrote their own stories to women who changed the world, unlikely heroes to unsinkable dreamers, the stage has always had a lot to say about the people history almost forgot.  

Cygnet Theatre, The SpongeBob Musical — Joseph Clayes III Theater, June 10-July 12.
When disaster threatens their beloved home, SpongeBob and his quirky friends must band together to save the day. This high-energy, family-friendly musical is pure fun for audiences of all ages. Liberty Station is perfect for an all-ages group adventure, with tons of parking and nearby restaurants. 

ArtPower at UC San Diego, Decoding Da Vinci — June 4 until July 19.
Part scavenger hunt, part immersive theater, part outdoor escape room, “Decoding DaVinci” turns UC San Diego’s campus into a cinematic adventure where every corner could hold the next revelation or the next betrayal. Armed with an adventure kit, participants are summoned to a secret campus location and thrust into a cloak-and-dagger initiation.  

Lamb’s Players, The Play That Goes Wrong — Coronado, extended through June 14.
Yes, it’s been running since April. No, you still haven’t seen it. The Olivier Award–winning British farce directed by Robert Smyth follows a fictional amateur theater company attempting a 1920s murder mystery in which everything that can go wrong does, which is the entire point. Shows run Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m., with tickets ranging from $38 to $108. Half price for active duty military, youth, and young adults who join the free membership program — which is its own kind of gift.

Moonlight Amphitheater, Mean Girls, the musical — Vista, June 3-20.
Get in loser, we are going to a musical. This Broadway musical adaptation of Tina Fey’s sharp, gleefully cruel book brings the Plastics to the open-air stage. 

Carlsbad Playreaders, Fifth of July — The Carlsbad Library, June 1 @ 7:00.
Readings of plays are like listening to an audiobook alongside a live community. This sharp, funny script is deeply revealing. This company, directed by Allen “Lucky” Weaver, is terrific. Go!

New Village Arts, Hairspray — Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center, Carlsbad, June 5–July 19.
Eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad fighting to integrate a TV dance show, and it manages to be genuinely political and genuinely delightful at the same time, which is harder than it looks. 

North Coast Repertory Theatre, The Most Happy Fella — Solana Beach, June 3–28.
A new intimate version of Frank Loesser’s romantic musical masterpiece, set against the sun-drenched vineyards of California’s Napa Valley, directed by Jeffrey B. Moss. North County’s version of a summer blockbuster: big emotions, soaring score, and the excuse to get a glass of wine before the curtain and call it thematically appropriate.

The Old Globe, The Hombres — Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, previews May 30, running thru June 21.
Tony Meneses’s sharp San Diego premiere, directed by James Vásquez, is a comedy about what happens when the worlds of construction and yoga collide. The premise sounds like a sitcom pitch; in Vásquez’s hands, I’m expecting something considerably more thoughtful.

The Old Globe, Measure for Measure — Lowell Davies Festival Theatre (outdoor), June 14–July 12.
Shakespeare’s deeply strange problem play, directed by Vivienne Benesch, kicks off the 2026 Summer Shakespeare Festival. Justice, desire, power, hypocrisy, and a duke who very suspiciously disappears at the beginning. Bring layers for the outdoor venue; the Lowell Davies compensates for coastal chill with excellent sight-lines.

The Old Globe, Kim’s Convenience — Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, through June 14.
The San Diego premiere of Ins Choi’s beloved comedy, directed by Weyni Mengesha. This is the show that spawned the Netflix series, which means at least half your dinner table will already have opinions about Mr. Kim. The stage version is warmer and stranger than you’re expecting, in the best way.

La Jolla Playhouse, Purpose — Mandell Weiss Theatre, through June 7.
The 2025 Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, directed by San Diego’s own Delicia Turner Sonnenberg in the West Coast premiere. This is the hands-down best script performing in San Diego right now, don’t miss it.

La Jolla Playhouse, The Monsters — Mandell Weiss Forum, June 2 – 28.
Award-winning playwright Ngozi Anyanwu stars alongside Sullivan Jones (HBO’s The Gilded Age) in this MMA-circuit story described as a ‘humorous, heart-mending, and action-packed love letter to family and siblings.’

MOXIE Theatre, A Room in the Castle — May 10–June 7.
Lauren M. Gunderson’s reimagining of Hamlet with Ophelia and Gertrude taking center stage. This is MOXIE doing what MOXIE does: finding the story that was always there, waiting for someone to finally tell it right.

San Diego Musical Theatre, Seussical the Musical — SDMT Stage, through June 7.
The Cat in the Hat, Horton, and the Whos descend on SDMT for the duration. If you have children, a niece, a nephew, or simply a soft spot for Frank Oz–adjacent chaos set to music, handle this now.

Special note: SDMT, founded in 2007, produces musical theatre year-round and employs 300 artists annually. It has launched an emergency $100,000 fundraising campaign to make ends meet. Learn more here.

3Peace Studios & Point Loma Playhouse, pieces — 3148 Fifth Ave, through June 7.
The darkly comedic drama about identity, grief, and human connection runs through the first week of June at the Hillcrest pop-up space on Fifth Avenue. Small company, big swings.

Diversionary Theatre, RENT — extended through June 28.
Directed by Artistic Director Sherri Eden Barber, this is the season closer of Diversionary’s landmark 40th Anniversary Season, themed “Love as Revolution.” This is Rent as you’ve never seen it before. Look out for an in-depth interview with the co-directors, and get your tickets IMMEDIATELY because the *entire run* is already nearly sold out.

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC at the Brooks), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — through June 14.
Still going strong after its May 29 opening. The Drama Desk Award–winning musical comedy follows six exceedingly weird kids spelling their way through a championship for the ages. OTC continues to punch above its weight up there in North County.

Did I miss a show? Have a July scoop? Hit me on Instagram at @kristennswrites.