Theatre Talk

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal

Special to the Village News

Sometimes you just need to put your money where your mouth is. Which is why we bought tickets to see Dea Hurston’s world premiere play “1222 Oceanfront, A Black Family Christmas” again. It is the best holiday show around this year and it is close by at New Village Arts Theater in Carlsbad until Dec. 26.

Just so you know, after reviewing more than 200 shows (I get two free tickets for each review), we have only paid to see four shows a second time in the past five years. This is the first one at New Village Arts. The others included “Benny and June” at The Old Globe, Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” at North Coast Repertory, “Cabaret” and “Oklahoma” at The Welk Resort. That’s it.

While many shows have been good, these five were exceptional. You’ll not want this holiday to go by without joining the fun at Dorothy Black’s house at “1222 Oceanfront, A Black Family Christmas.” Tickets can be purchased online at nva.org or call 760-433-3245.

Another top show for the holiday is in full swing at North Coast Repertory in Solana Beach; “Always…Patsy Cline,” a nostalgic listen from Nashville, runs until Jan. 2, 2022. Tickets can be ordered at 619-544-1000 or http://www.northcoastrep.org.

Moonlight Stage is going inside to the AVO Playhouse for “Miracle on 34th Street: A Musical Radio Play.” Tickets are on sale now for this show which continues through Dec. 23, at Moonlightstage.com or 760-724-2110.

The Old Globe in Balboa Park is still running Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” until Dec. 31, plus “Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show” until Dec. 26. For tickets, visit Theoldglobe.org or call 619-234-5623

At The Cygnet in Old Town, you can catch Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” until Dec. 26. Call 619-337-1525 or visit thecygnettheatre.com.

Broadway San Diego has 2 upcoming events – Dec. 27 is “A Magical Cirque Christmas” and Dec. 30 is “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas.” The season opens officially in March 2022. For more information, call 800-982-2787 or email [email protected].

Elizabeth Youngman-Westphal can be reached at [email protected].