San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater stages innovative and exciting drama at Geary Theater, a building constructed in 1909 and restored in 1996 after an earthquake severely damaged it. It also has training programs that have taught such luminaries as Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, and Winona Ryder.
San Francisco is known for many things: trolley cars, hills, great seafood, whale-watching, the Golden Gate Bridge, nightlife and Alcatraz. It could also be known for the exciting and innovative theater it presents. One of the more impressive offerings is that made by the American Conservatory Theater Company in Geary Theater, a 1,000-seat theater built in 1909.
The theater is considered a national historic monument and was restored in 1996. The restoration included fortifications against earthquakes""for it was an earthquake that forced the renovation.
The 1906 earthquake destroyed all eight of San Francisco's theaters. So the culturally minded citizens rebuilt the eight theaters. Of those eight, the Geary Theater was the only one still in operation as of 1989. People who have performed there include George Arliss, Edward G. Robinson, Basil Rathbone, Frederic March, Ethel Barrymore, Ina Claire, Paul Muni, Ethel Waters, Boris Karloff, Paul Robeson, Alfred Lunt, Lynne Fontanne, Katherine Cornell, Cornelia Otis Skinner, and Judith Anderson.
In 1967, the ACT theater company moved in. They performed there until Oct. 17, 1989 when yet another earthquake struck, causing major damage to the theater and closing it until renovations were completed in 1996. The organization was able to raise $28.5 million to renovate and complete "seismic stabilizations."
Ticket prices for ACT performances range from $20 to $55, with some plays running higher. There is a main floor, and two balconies. The second balcony seemed almost level with the uppermost flies. The sloping was so steep that the head of the person in one row comes to the knees of the person in the row behind. People in these seats will have to look straight down to see the stage.
ACT has built relationships with some of the most creative minds in the business, a primary example being Tom Stoppard. They began performing Stoppard's work as early as 1968, when they produced Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Since then, they have performed nearly every play Stoppard has written. Name almost any major playwright of the past century (and some prior to that) and you're going to see that that person's work has been performed at this theater. (Neil Simon was a notable absence.)
Most professional theaters are forced to expand beyond the mere production of shows and into the realm of training and education. It is one of the few ways to secure grants and develop new audiences. ACT is not an exception. However, few theaters can boast the alumni that Act can. Actors who have passed through this program include: Denzel Washington, Annette Bening, and Winona Ryder.
Tickets are not necessarily easy to get. This is popular theater and it is worth your while to make reservations ahead. That being said, make your reservations in person or over the telephone. Making reservations over the Web is awkward and hard to do. The system is quirky and puts up a lot of barriers. There is a surcharge for using the Web and the credit card being used to purchase the tickets must be presented at the box office when you arrive. This makes purchasing a gift ticket nearly impossible.
So if you're in San Francisco and love the arts, see if you can catch a performance at Geary Theater. It's an experience to be savored.
