San Diego summer means the big outdoor stages are open, and several of our smaller companies are doing the sensible thing and taking a breath before fall. (Theatre people call this “dark.” Normal people call it “work-life balance.”) Here’s what’s on across the county this month, as well as a look ahead at the houses that are in preparation for fall:

Onword Theatre — dark for July. Both June world premieres, Air Quote Mike and Adult Storytime, have closed. If the sushi-dinner-theatre hybrid at Edamami taught us to watch this company closely for whatever they announce next. Keep an eye on onwordtheatre.com.

Backyard Renaissance Theatre Co, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice — Tenth Avenue Arts Center, June 11 – July 3. Once upon a time, in a small working-class community, before the dawn of American Idol, there lived a daughter and a mother… This timeless tale explores the highs and lows of small-town dreams, family rivalry, and finding your voice in a noisy world.

The Old Globe, Measure for Measure — Lowell Davies Festival Theatre (outdoor), through July 12. Final weeks of Vivienne Benesch’s Summer Shakespeare Festival opener: justice, desire, hypocrisy, oh my. theoldglobe.org

The Old Globe, North by Northwest — Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, July 3–August 2. The North American premiere of Emma Rice’s take on the Hitchcock classic, direct from England: six shape-shifting performers, a swinging ’50s soundtrack, and Mount Rushmore. Rice is one of the most inventive directors working anywhere, and getting her here is a gift.

The Old Globe, Cyrano — Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, July 18–August 9. Jason O’Connell and Brenda Withers adapt Rostand’s romantic comedy in the round, directed by Annie Tippe. The nose, the letters, the laughs — it’s a surefire winner.

(And a scheduling note for your Old Globe fan calendar, on Monday, July 20, the Globe hosts Begin Again: San Diego Sessions, a free community music event on Copley Plaza ahead of the fall’s pre-Broadway musical.)

Cygnet Theatre, The SpongeBob Musical — Joseph Clayes III Theater, through July 12. When disaster threatens their beloved home, SpongeBob and his quirky friends band together to save the day, with songs by David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, and more. Catch the final week!

Cygnet Theatre, Arcadia — The Joan, July 15–August 9. Tom Stoppard’s dazzler about love, mathematics, and mystery colliding across two centuries inside a single English estate. This smart play might make you cry about a tortoise.

Loud Fridge Theatre Group, Boy My Greatness — Moxie Theatre, July 2 – 19. What happened to the boys who played Shakespeare’s women? As part of their Open Fridge policy, all tickets are available free of charge. Doesn’t that make you want to support them even more? loudfridge.com 

ArtPower at UC San Diego, Decoding Da Vinci — through July 19. Last call on the part-scavenger-hunt, part-immersive-theater, part-outdoor-escape-room adventure that turns the UCSD campus into a cinematic conspiracy. Armed with an adventure kit, participants are summoned to a secret campus location and thrust into a cloak-and-dagger initiation. artpower.ucsd.edu

Lamb’s Players, American Rhythm — Coronado, July 1–September 27. Lamb’s signature song-and-dance revue returns with a century of American music performed by actor-musicians who sing, dance, and play everything themselves. Still a no-fee box office, which remains its own kind of miracle. lambsplayers.org

Moonlight Amphitheater, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Vista, July 8–July 25 The Roald Dahl classic gets the open-air treatment, blending the Shaiman/Wittman Broadway score with the songs you actually came for (“Pure Imagination,” “The Candy Man,” “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”). Bring a picnic. Bring a child, or borrow one like Wonka. moonlightstage.com

Carlsbad Playreaders. Their reading of Fifth of July was performed in June because they have a sense of humor. They’ll return at the end of August with C.A. Johnson’s All the Natalie Portmans, directed by Bryan Barbarin. 

New Village Arts, Hairspray — Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center, Carlsbad, through July 19. Final weeks for the eight-time Tony winner. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad fights to integrate a TV dance show, and it manages to be political and delightful at the same time. The theatre also features an array of July events, including drop-in improv, J-Fest, and jazz. Learn more at newvillagearts.org

North Coast Repertory Theatre, The Most Happy Fella — Solana Beach, extended through July 5. Jeffrey B. Moss’s intimate reimagining of Frank Loesser’s masterwork — twelve performers and two onstage pianos in a 194-seat house, instead of the usual opera-house armada of thirty. The extension tells you everything. northcoastrep.org

North Coast Repertory Theatre, Scapin — Solana Beach, July 22–August 16. Molière’s crafty servant spins outrageous schemes in the Bill Irwin and Mark O’Donnell adaptation, directed by Christopher Williams. Physical comedy and razor-sharp wit is exactly what late July calls for. 

Bonus: the children’s Theatre School at North Coast Rep performs free outdoor Shakespeare at parks across Encinitas, Del Mar, and Solana Beach, July 16–August 1. Also, Tuesday Night Comics is July 7. northcoastrep.org/

 

La Jolla Playhouse, The Family Album — Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, July 17–August 16. The world premiere of the Playhouse-commissioned musical, with a book by Sam Chanse, music and lyrics by MILCK and AG, directed by Jess McLeod. Singer-songwriter Mia Bing is on the verge of her big break when she’s pulled back to her childhood home, where she’s once again the ‘disappointing’ daughter of Asian immigrant parents with an unresolved secret. It grew out of MILCK and AG’s viral 2017 anthem “Quiet.” See it first. 

La Jolla Playhouse, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha — Mandell Weiss Forum, July 28–August 9. Yes, that’s the title. Julia Masli’s award-winning solo phenomenon (a New York Times Top Pick of the Year) lands in San Diego for two weeks only after acclaimed runs from Edinburgh to Melbourne. lajollaplayhouse.org

MOXIE Theatre — dark until September, but taking new works submissions. After A Room in the Castle closed in June, MOXIE is prepping Season 22, UNGOVERNABLE, which opens this fall with This is Government by Nina Kissinger. Their upcoming season is so exciting that I’m writing a whole article about it. Stay tuned. Also, they’re currently accepting submissions for their spring 2027 Lamoise New Works Festival through August 25. moxietheatre.com

San Diego Musical Theatre, Dogfight — SDMT Stage, July 13–14 only. A two-night-only staged reading in SDMT’s Off-Broadway Series of the Pasek and Paul cult favorite. (The Academy’s Bye Bye Birdie also wraps July 5.) And here’s the news worth cheering: remember last month’s emergency $100,000 campaign? They made it. Rock of Ages hits the SDMT stage August 21, because this community showed up. Well done, all of us. sdmt.org

Diversionary Theatre — catching its breath. The landmark 40th Anniversary Season closed with that gloriously immersive, motorcycle-through-the-offices RENT in June. (I told you to get tickets immediately; I hope you listened!) The newly announced 2026–27 season includes the West Coast premiere of Ni Ni Madre — details at diversionary.org. Watch for Pride-season programming from their education wing in the meantime.

Oceanside Theatre Company (OTC at the Brooks) — dark for July. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee closed June 14, and the company’s summer belongs to its youth theatre camps and Phase 1 of the Brooks Theater Revitalization Project (tripling restroom capacity!) The mainstage returns with Carrie the Musical in October. oceansidetheatre.org

Did I miss a show? Have an August scoop? Hit me on Instagram at @kristennswrites