A Fond Farewell to Old Town

Cygnet Theatre at the Old Town Theatre:
4040 Twiggs Street
San Diego, CA 92110

FROM I-8:

There are several free parking lots in Old Town, all within walking distance of the theatre. Street parking is free, but please be aware that there are often time limits, especially along San Diego Avenue.

There is a small free public lot located next to the theatre; however, it fills up fast. A courtesy parking attendant is stationed at this lot beginning two hours prior to each performance. The attendant can assist you with directions to alternative parking options.

For no-hassle parking, we highly recommend parking in the Caltrans lot just a few blocks away. Located on Taylor Street, at the end of Juan Street, this lot is free weekday evenings after 5pm and all day on weekends.

Ride the trolley, a bus, or the Coaster to the show! The Old Town Transit Center is within easy walking distance of the theatre. Visit the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System website for schedules and routes.

In 1957, Edythe Pirazzini founded the Mission Valley Playhouse in a barn near what is now the west end of Hotel Circle North. When the barn was replaced by the Hanalei Hotel in 1962, the theatre company was renamed Mission Playhouse and reopened with a 74-seat space in a commercial building on Mason Street in Old Town.

Eleven years later, in 1973, the State Department of Parks and Recreation notified the Mission Playhouse that the building would be torn down. Local actress Polly Puterbaugh led an incredible campaign to get a replacement theatre built. She got advice from state senators, gathered more than 5,000 signatures and flew to Sacramento many times over the course of several years and raised $770,000 to build the 202-seat theatre on Twiggs Street that would later become known as Old Town Theatre. This is the only theatre to date that the state of California has helped build. The theatre opened in August 1979 with William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life. After only eight months, Pirazzini left the space and William R. Bruce (aka Bill Bruce) became the Artistic Director of the newly named Old Town Opera House in 1980, and worked at the theatre for a year with his wife Trina Ciuffo. From 1981-85, San Diego State University professors Mike & Ann-Charlotte Harvey worked with Mike & Patricia Connolly to run the Old Town Opera House. It was during this time that Cygnet Artistic Director Sean Murray first appeared on the Old Town Theatre stage.

In 1986 the United States International University (USIU) took control of the space and started staging student productions. Andrew Barnicle served as head of the Theatre department and Jack Tygett served as head of the Musical Theatre department. Alumni of USIU include actors Jamie Foxx and John Barrowman, television producer Jack Gulick, and comedian Dante, as well as many local San Diego actors.

“Barrowman said that what sold him on the school was the chance to perform in a regular season at the Theatre in Old Town. He played in The Boyfriend, Tintypes, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, and Man of La Mancha right before summer vacation [in 1988]. He liked Man of La Mancha best because it was the first time he was not cast as a romantic leading man, playing instead a fat, bald priest.”
– LA Times, September 27, 1990, author Nancy Churnin

In 1991 USIU suspended theatrical productions due to financial problems. In 2001, USIU joined with the California School of Professional Psychology to form Alliant International University, which currently has a Scripps Ranch campus. Andrew went on to be the Artistic Director of the Laguna Playhouse for almost two decades. Jack taught and inspired students at Chula Vista High School (which named its own theatre after him) for many years.

In late 1991, the Francis W. Parker School reopened the theatre under the Artistic Direction of Gordon Cantiello. Paula Kalustian and Jill Mesaros both worked at the theatre for a few years before officially forming Miracle Theatre Productions Inc. in 1994 and taking over the space, then called The Theatre in Old Town. For many San Diegans, catching a Miracle Theatre Production show was their first visit to the Old Town Theatre. They produced such shows as Beehive, the 60s Musical, a five-year run of Forever Plaid, Shear Madness, and Forbidden Broadway: SVU.

In 2006, the California Department of Parks and Recreation put management of the space up for bid. Cygnet won the contract and has called Old Town home since 2008.

Exchanges can be made with at least 24 hours notice for a $2 fee per ticket, plus any upgrade in cost. Become a Cygnet Subscriber and we will waive the $2 exchange fee! The easiest way to exchange your tickets is to call us at 619-337-1525. Or fill out the form here. You can also email us at boxoffice@cygnettheatre.org. For box office hours click here.

If you are not feeling well, are unable to meet our vaccination and mask policy, or arrive to the theatre and feel uncomfortable, we are happy to assist you with a refund or date exchange.

Subscription Orders: A $5 subscription order fee applies to all subscription orders. This is a one time fee per order and not per ticket or per subscription.

Exchanges: A $2 exchange fee is applied to each ticket that is exchanged. There may also be an additional upgrade in cost for your exchange if the new tickets are higher priced.

Mailing: We are happy to mail your tickets to you for a $2 mailing fee.

We do not allow food or drink into the theatre unless it is purchased from our concessions. If you are coming from dinner and have left overs, we are happy to hold them at concessions for you to pick up after the show.

Out of respect for fellow audience members and the performers, children under 5 years of age are not permitted in the theatre during performances.

Please turn off all electronic devices including phones, watches, computers and tablets before the performance. The use of Cameras and Recording Devices is strictly prohibited during performances.

We always do our best to seat our patrons even when they are late. We know that parking and traffic can sometimes get in the way of punctuality. Latecomers will be seated in the back of the theatre at the discretion of the House Manager. They may take their assigned seats at intermission.