American Conservatory Theater
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2017) |
Formation | 1965 |
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Type | Theatre group |
Location |
|
Artistic director(s) | Pam MacKinnon |
Website | www |
Geary Theater | |
Classical Revival Late Victorian | |
NRHP reference No. | 75000472[1] |
---|---|
SFDL No. | 82 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | May 27, 1975 |
Designated SFDL | July 11, 1976[2][3] |
The American Conservatory Theater (ACT) is a nonprofit theater company in San Francisco, California, United States, that offers both classical and contemporary theater productions. It also has an attached acting school.
History
The American Conservatory Theater was founded in 1965 in
A.C.T.'s original twenty-seven member acting company featured
In the mid-1980s, Ball, suffering from exhaustion and under accusations of financial mismanagement, was forced to relinquish his post as artistic director. He was succeeded by A.C.T. founding member and stage director Edward Hastings, who revived the company's fortunes until the Geary Theater was severely damaged by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The company continued performing in a number of San Francisco venues.
Theaters
A.C.T.'s primary home in San Francisco is the Toni Rembe Theater (formerly the Geary Theater,
In 2015, A.C.T. opened the Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street between 7th and 8th Streets, across from the U.N. Plaza in the Civic Center neighborhood of San Francisco. The building has a 283-seat theater as well as a 120-seat event and performance space. A.C.T. uses the theater to present educational workshops, cabaret performances and specially commissioned new works, as well as productions connected to their M.F.A. and Young Conservatory programs.[6]
Acting school
A.C.T.'s was WASC accredited to grant Master of Fine Arts degrees for actors, 1984–2022. However, due to lack of funding, A.C.T. discontinued that program in June 2022.[7]
A.C.T. offers training through the Studio A.C.T., the Summer Training Congress, and Young Conservatory programs.
Young Conservatory
A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory is a theater training program for youth through the ages of 19. It was founded by Luanne and Ross Graham in 1971. Successive YC directors include Candace Birk, Sharon Newman, Linda Aldrich, and Susan Stauter. The program has been led since 1988 by Craig Slaight. The Young Conservatory is geared toward performing new works specifically for young actors, and has premiered plays and musicals by playwrights such as Horton Foote and Paul Zindel. The conservatory members are also offered roles in the main stage productions, most frequently A Christmas Carol, which is performed every winter.[8]
Sound design
The first person to be given the title
Alumni
Directors
Young conservatory actors
Actors
- Elizabeth Banks
- Anna Belknap
- Annette Bening
- Sarayu Blue
- Benjamin Bratt
- Christopher Fitzgerald
- Danny Glover
- Harry Hamlin
- Teri Hatcher
- Amy Irving
- Don Johnson
- Lauren Lane
- Sacheen Littlefeather
- Elizabeth McGovern
- Omar Metwally
- Dileep Rao
- Jean Rasey
- Anika Noni Rose
- Winona Ryder
- Douglas Sills
- Morgan Spector
- Mfoniso Udofia
- Denzel Washington
- Gedde Watanabe
- Justin Whalin
- Sharr White
- Dane Witherspoon
Sound design
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "City of San Francisco Designated Landmarks". City of San Francisco. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "San Francisco Preservation Bulletin No. 9: San Francisco Landmarks".
- ^ Staff (January 23, 2018) "Tony, OBIE, and Drama Desk Award Winner Pam Mackinnon Named New Artistic Director At American Conservatory Theater", BroadwayWorld
- ^ "THE TONI REMBE THEATER (formerly the Geary Theater)". American Conservatory Theater. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ "The Strand Theater", A.C.T. website.
- ^ "MFA Program". American Conservatory Theater. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ American Conservatory Theater (2011). "YC Auditions for A Christmas Carol". American Conservatory Theater. American Conservatory Theater. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-240-81011-9.