Last-minute gift idea: Tickets to Broadway tour of “Wicked”

Lauren Samuels as Elphaba and Austen Danielle Bohmer as Glinda in the National Tour of “Wicked.” (Photo by Joan Marcus)

The Broadway tour of “Wicked” will be in San Diego for an extra-long stint starting on Feb. 5 and running through March 2. Most Broadway tours stay in San Diego for one or two weeks, so the month-long stay is special – although the musical has had two-year sit-down engagements in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the past. Tickets are already on sale for the four-week engagement at broadwaysd.com, making them an excellent gift idea for musical theater lovers. With the unusually long stay for the musical, there are plenty of opportunities to catch a showing of the ever-popular musical at the Civic Theatre.

For recent fans who fell in love with the film adaptation of the show starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the production allows them to find out the musical’s ending before part two of the movie is released on Nov. 21, 2025.

“Wicked Part One” has experienced box office success since debuting in November, with the best opening weekend of any non-sequel film in 2024 and the third-best overall opening after “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.” However, it still pales in comparison to the Broadway production, which has amassed over $5 billion in global sales since its debut 20 years ago.

Tip: Use a pink and green card to give away these tickets from the show’s iconic color scheme.

Plenty of other local productions can be used as gifts while supporting the arts. Nights out are a meaningful way to spend time and bond with loved ones. After all, relationships have more value than any temporary item. Here are some other options.

“Some Like it Hot”

Can’t wait another month to see a musical? The Broadway tour of the rebooted musical will be in San Diego from Jan. 28-Feb. 2. This production also has a special local connection as it is directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw and features costume designs by Gregg Barnes—both proud San Diego Junior Theatre alums.

“Churlish Chiding of Winter Winds”

Speaking of San Diego Junior Theatre, the nation’s longest-running youth theater, is debuting a world premiere production, “Churlish Chiding of Winter Winds: A Shakespeariment!” Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m. from Jan. 10 to 19. This original production was conceived by director David Goodwin and devised by students of Junior Theatre’s education program along with cast members of the show. It explores the dangers of winter set against the pastoral escapism of Shakespeare plays such as “As You Like It,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “The Winter’s Tale.”

Offerings at The Old Globe

A few buildings away at San Diego’s traditional home of Shakespeare, The Old Globe is performing his classic comedies “All’s Well That Ends Well” from June 8 to July 6 and “The Comedy of Errors” from July 27 to Aug. 24 this summer. Before that, the theater is also performing world premieres of the poignant play set in post-tsunami Japan “Empty Ride” from Feb. 8 to March 2, the historic road trip musical “Regency Girls” from April 2 to May 4, the family restaurant drama “House of India” May 10 to June 1, and Anna Ziegler’s “The Janeiad” from June 21 to 25.

“Hello, Dolly!”

For more Broadway offerings, San Diego Musical Theatre gives local artists a chance to perform hit musicals. Their latest season opens with “Hello, Dolly!” In this golden age blockbuster hit, a meddlesome matchmaker arrives in Yonkers set on finding a match for the miserly Horace Vandergelder. Bursting with humor, romance, high-energy dancing and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history, this show is boisterous and charming from start to finish. Catch performances from Feb. 7 through March 9 at 4650 Mercury St.

“Other Desert Cities”

Cygnet Theatre is keeping the Christmas spirit alive through March with “Other Desert Cities,” about a family gathering for Christmas in Palm Springs where family secrets unravel. It’s at the theater’s Old Town location from Feb. 5 through March 5, so is timely as a Christmas gift. This is also one of the last productions at Cygnet’s 4040 Twiggs St. home before it moves to Liberty Station.

“3 Summers of Lincoln”

One of San Diego’s most renowned theaters, La Jolla Playhouse, is premiering a historic musical about the profound friendship between President Abraham Lincoln and Frederic Douglass from Feb. 18 to March 23. This is the sixth Playhouse collaboration between Joe DiPietro and Christopher Ashley, including the hit shows “Babbitt,” “Diana” and Tony-winning “Memphis.” More information at https://lajollaplayhouse.org/show/3-summers-of-lincoln/.