The jasmine is blooming and tourists are arriving, meaning it’s time for San Diego theaters to open some of the most anticipated plays of the year. From Coronado to Oceanside, my May local lineup is a diverse spread of classics and new work, proscenium spectacle and intimate angst.

The crucial note this month is the 14th annual San Diego Fringe Festival, launching May 12 through May 24, with over 50 works and 20 venues across a bi-national footprint. Risk is the point, and discovery is the reward!

Here’s my May list, in no particular order, except for how excited I am for San Diego Musical Theatre alum Jordan Markus as Michael Jackson in the Broadway touring company.

Broadway San Diego, MJ — Civic Theatre, May 5–10. The Tony Award–winning musical set during the rehearsals of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour

Broadway San Diego, The Sound of Music — Civic Theatre, May 26–31. Jack O’Brien’s new staging of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic is a reminder of how durable a well-told story can be. 

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. The tale sounds both overdue and radical.

Scripps Ranch Theatre, Lend Me a Soprano — April 26–May 16. A gender-flipped adaptation of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor, set in 1934 Cleveland. 

San Diego Musical Theatre, Seussical the Musical — May 15–June 7. The Cat in the Hat, Horton, and the Whos descend on SDMT for this fantastical, crowd-pleasing musical extravaganza.

3Peace Studios & Point Loma Playhouse, pieces — May 29–June 7. A gripping, darkly comedic drama where identity, grief, and human connection collide in unexpected ways. 

The Old Globe, Kim’s Convenience— Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, May 15–June 14. San Diego premiere. The delightful Ins Choi comedy that spawned the Netflix series, directed by Weyni Mengesha.

The Old Globe, Alien Girls — Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, through May 10. World premiere by Amy Berryman; an emotion-packed comedy about friendship, art, and life’s competing demands. 

The Old Globe, The Hombres — Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, previews begin May 30, running through June 21. A heartfelt look at machismo, friendship, and what happens when the worlds of construction and yoga collide. 

The Old Globe,Thinking Shakespeare Live! — Saturday, May 30 at 11 a.m. Free public event presented by Artistic Director Barry Edelstein.

Project [BLANK], WORKING TITLE NO. 5 — May 28-30. St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral transforms into a multi-sensory environment featuring visual art, multimedia installations, performance art, and live experimental music from a diverse lineup of transborder artists spanning Southern California, Tijuana, and Baja California. 

The La Jolla Playhouse, Purpose — Mandell Weiss Theatre, May 12–June 7. West Coast premiere, directed by Delicia Turner Sonnenberg. This script won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Play and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. First Look performances begin May 12; opening night follows later in the run. 

North Coast Repertory Theatre, Beau Jest — April 22–May 24 (extended). James Sherman’s Jewish-American romantic comedy directed by Omri Schein. Set in late-1980s Chicago, it follows a young woman’s snowballing white lie about a boyfriend that gets spectacularly out of hand. 

Also note: North Coast Rep’s Variety Night — May 5, 7:30 p.m.

Lamb’s Players, The Play That Goes Wrong — Coronado Island, through June 7. The Olivier Award–winning British farce directed by Robert Smyth. A fictional amateur theater company attempts a 1920s murder mystery. Everything that can go wrong does, which is the entire point. 

San Diego Junior Theatre, Shrek the Musical — Casa del Prado, April 24–May 10. Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Pajama Night is May 1. ASL-interpreted performance Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m. This is Junior Theatre’s 78th season, and it’s a charmer.

Diversionary Theatre, RENT —  May 21–June 14. This is the season closer for Diversionary’s landmark 40th Anniversary Season, themed “Love as Revolution” — the inaugural programming season of Artistic Director Sherri Eden Barber. It’s worth noting that New Village Arts staged their own production of Rent this past fall, and the two companies cross-promoted rather than competed — a collaborative, kind move that speaks to our wonderful arts community.

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC at the Brooks), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Preview Night Friday, May 29 at 8 p.m.; Opening Night Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m., running through June 14. The Drama Desk Award–winning musical comedy follows six wild kids as they spell their way through a championship for the ages.

Star Theatre / Star Theatre Youth Company, Honk! — opened April 24 and is running now into May at the historic Star Theatre, a registered landmark originally built in 1956. The Olivier Award–winning musical is a heartwarming adaptation of The Ugly Duckling by Stiles & Drewe. The neon marquee photo opp is worth the pretty drive up Coast Highway.

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