Without outdoor theaters, stage fans would be deprived of sunshine spotlights and the amusing spectacle of woodland creatures collectively gasping during taxidermy musicals. Experience unconfined family fun with today's Groupon: for $20, you get a Section-A ticket to any 2010 performance of Hello Dolly! at Starlight Musical Theatre in Balboa Park (up to a $45 value). You can buy up to six tickets (valued at $45, with $40 for seniors, students, and military, and $12 for children under age 12); the 2010 season concludes on September 5. To receive seats, present your Groupon at the box office and then head toward Section A, also known as "the splash zone" during killer-whale performances.

Hello, Dolly! is the much-loved tale of matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi, who is hired to arrange a marriage but unsuspectingly falls in love with the groom, the parsimonious half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. The story unravels in a musical fashion, with tunes such as "Before the Parade Passes By" and "It Only Takes a Moment" dotting the plotline. Performances are August 19 through September 5, showing Thursday through Sunday at 8 p.m.

The Section A seats put spectators in the forefront of the drama, where notes ring higher, frenetic dialogue emits sparks, and poodle skirts appear well groomed. The beauteous Balboa Park setting presents an ideal opportunity for a picnic or museum trip before the show. For more than 64 years, theatergoers have absorbed classic musical theater accompanied by a bombastic live orchestra, and the ambient noise of a nearby zephyr launch pad. The 3,575-seat outdoor amphitheater is infamous for its actors pausing as planes whir loudly overhead, creating freeze-frame fight scenes, silly pauses in dialogue, and an opportunity to open a can of soda without drawing attention.

Reviews

Starlight Musical Theatre's production of Hello, Dolly! was featured on Broadway World.com – San Diego. Starlight won a San Diego Theater Critics Circle award in 2004 for Music Direction on Sweeney Todd. The theater is competing for a CityVoter 2010 Best Theatre Award.

• Starlight has brought aboard a fantastic cast and creative team to ensure the season ends with a resounding "bang". Not to mention a brand new set designed by Tony award-winning designer, John Iacovelli. – BWW News Desk, Broadway World.com – San Diego
• Outstanding shows, performers/cast, artistic director and management! I personally enjoyed all the performances 2009 and looking forward to 2010 season. My friends and I have gone there to watch the wonderful shows. I highly recommend this theater. – Zucette L., CityVoter