Much Ado About Nothing — The Old Globe Summer Shakespeare Festival 2026

August nights in Balboa Park carry a specific weight — the eucalyptus smell thickens after sunset, the air cools just enough to make sitting outside feel like a privilege, and the stage at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre disappears into the trees behind it. The Old Globe’s Summer Shakespeare Festival closes its 2026 season with Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Barry Edelstein, running August 2 through August 30 on that outdoor stage. This is the production that regulars circle on their calendars every year: the one where the comedy lands differently because the breeze carries it, because the laughter of strangers sitting on blankets becomes part of the performance. If you have never seen Shakespeare outdoors at the Globe, this is the invitation you did not know you were waiting for. If you have, you already know — nothing else in San Diego feels quite like this. Single tickets go on sale July 24 at 1:00 p.m. An open-caption performance is available August 23.