The San Diego Civic Theatre was opened in January 1965 and hosts a wide variety of productions including comedy, opera, classical and contemporary music, Broadway and dance. The Civic Theatre's main producers include the San Diego Opera, Broadway/San Diego, La Jolla Music Society, and California Ballet. It also holds many other events such as political activities, corporate meetings and educational presentations. It is a 2,967 seat theatre, making it the largest performing arts venue in the region. The Civic Theatre is owned by the City of San Diego and is managed and operated by San Diego Theatres on behalf of the community.

Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the most renowned regional theatres in the country, and has become internationally recognised as a main influential regional theatre. In 1984 it received the Tony Award for best regional theatre, and many Old Globe shows have gone on to Broadway and won further prestigious awards. The Old Globe produces 15 plays and musicals on its three stages each year, including its well-known Shakespeare festival. The education and community programs at Old Globe are very popular, with more than 20 different programs to choose from.

La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer and is currently led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg. The Playhouse is a non-profit theatre on the University of California's campus in San Diego. The theatre's success has been outstanding, with productions having received over 300 major honors, including 35 Tony Awards for its 26 productions that have transferred to Broadway. La Jolla Playhouse offers a number of opportunities for people of all ages who are interested in the theatre, from performance to backstage operations.

The elegant Balboa Theatre has seen many uses over the years, from movie theater to housing for the US Navy during WWII. Beginning in the 1980s, the building was closed for twenty years and threatened with demolition, until a multi-million dollar renovation reopened it as a community arts center and theater space in 2008. It now hosts dozens of concerts and comedians every year.