Ever feel a little FOMO watching your East Coast friends casually post about seeing Wicked or Hamilton in New York? Same. As a musical lover, I used to think I had to wait for a trip to NYC to get the real Broadway experience—but turns out, we’ve actually got it pretty good out here too. SF gets all the big Broadway touring shows, the theaters are super pretty, and best of all? No need to fly across the country or drop $300 on a single ticket. Being at Berkeley means you’re only a BART ride away from some seriously amazing musicals.
The Theaters
SF’s big three theaters—The Orpheum, Golden Gate, and Curran—are all within a 10-minute walk from BART. You don’t need to worry about driving or paying for parking (honestly, don’t even try). Just take the BART and go to San Francisco. I’ve done this with friends plenty of times, and it’s way easier than I expected.
Orpheum Theatre (Market & Hyde): The biggest and most iconic. This is where larget production shows like Hamilton and Back To the Future set up shop. Balcony seats can be cheap if you’re smart about tickets (more on that later).
Golden Gate Theatre (Market & Taylor): Slightly cozier, with killer acoustics. I went to Hadestown and still think about it.
Curran Theatre (Geary St.): Smaller, more intimate vibe. Sometimes gets pre-Broadway tryouts, so you might catch the next big thing before NYC does.
The theaters are conveniently accessible via BART: Exit at Powell Station for the Golden Gate Theatre (just steps away) and the Curran Theatre (a 10-minute walk up Geary Street). For the Orpheum Theatre, use the Civic Center/UN Plaza station. Also, there are smaller theaters around too if you’re into local or more experimental stuff. Haven’t tried those yet, but I’ve heard good things.
The Shows
Every semester, a new wave of bangers hits SF. Berkeley people are always doing cool stuff on weekends, but I’m telling you, musicals in the city are such a good move. I’ve seen Mamma Mia! (pure serotonin), The Lion King (actual chills when the animals came down the aisle), Hadestown (sobbed), Back to the Future (surprisingly dope?!), Come From Away (this one wrecked me in the best way) and MJ (the dancing alone was worth it).
The 2025-2026 season looks just as exciting with:
Parade (the Tony-winning revival at Curran Theatre looks incredibly powerful)
NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience (for anime fans - at Golden Gate this April!)
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight (perfect date night material)
Mamma Mia! returns (because you can never have too much ABBA)
And I'm counting down the hours - tomorrow night I finally get to see Six! (yay)
Tickets (for Broke College Students…)
Now, real talk—tickets are expensive. But there are ways.
Rush tickets are clutch if you’re flexible and spontaneous. A lot of theaters release same-day tickets at a huge discount when the show isn’t sold out yet. You just have to show up in person at the box office when it opens (usually around 10AM) and ask if they’re doing rush tickets for that day’s performance. If you’re lucky, you can snag seats for $25–40 that would normally cost triple that. It’s kind of a gamble, but honestly a fun one—and you’d be surprised how often it works out. Also, don’t forget to bring your Berkeley student ID. Some theaters (like the Orpheum) will give extra discounts if they know you’re a student.
Also, please download the TodayTix app if you haven’t already. I use it all the time. You can enter lotteries for select shows—basically, they’ll draw names for insanely cheap tickets (like $30 or less), and if you win, you get to go. I usually enter a bunch for the week and see what happens. And even if you don’t win the lottery, the app has a “Rush” section where you can buy same-day tickets directly, no early morning box office trip required. It’s honestly the reason I’ve been able to go to so many musicals without going broke. Last year, my friend and I got $35 tickets to MJ the Musical through a lottery, and the seats were actually good.
Some shows also have their own digital lotteries on their websites, so it’s worth checking out the show you’re interested in and seeing if they offer anything separate from TodayTix. I’ve also heard about student rush deals for specific productions if you sign up for email lists or follow them on social.
So yeah, if you’ve ever thought musicals were too expensive, too far, or just not your thing—maybe give it a shot. There’s something kind of magical about seeing a show live, with all the lights and music and people around you vibing with the same energy. And being in Berkeley means we actually have access to some pretty amazing stuff without going full tourist mode. Whether it’s a spontaneous weekend adventure or a planned night out, catching a musical in SF is one of those college experiences that just hits different.