American Conservatory Theater

This review is specifically for the Whynot Christmas Carol. I was looking forward to a fresh production, but this was just a one-dimensional mess. I like the idea of the play-within-a-play, and as someone who’s done a smidge of community theater, thought it would be a tribute to that… but the only good parts of the play were the actual scenes from the Christmas Carol. The characters of the actors performing the play did not in fact have any depth or character arc, despite the program notes suggesting that they evolved alongside the evolution of the play. Go see the Nutcracker instead.

Came here Friday at 1:00pm to watch Christmas Carol. I was concerned about my mezzanine tickets since it said limited view but was surprised to see a cozy theater with the best view even though we were mezzanine corner seat. The bathrooms are clean and check in process was fast. We did have to walk through some dirty streets to get to the theater district, I recommend coming i daylight. No such thing as dangerous places, only dangerous people. Stay safe!

A WHYNOT Christmas Carol was so painstakingly awful that it reflects on A.C.T. Easily one of the worst shows we have ever seen. Barely any plot, no character development, preachy, political, pretentious, and utterly devoid of Christmas spirit. This is a nihilistic “meta” play that exists almost exclusively to stoke the ego of playwright Craig Lucas. Random diatribes, nonsensical transitions, and a narrative structure whose only ‘structure’ is the butchering of Dickens’ masterpiece. What was intended as a meta experience, with behind the scenes crafting of A Christmas Carol, amounts to nothing more than the playwright’s obnoxious opining about society and theater itself — in one long, drawn out inside joke about theater life that never hits a punch line. If you ever wanted to pay to sit in on a boring pre-production meeting where egos debate lines — this is a play for you! I feel bad for the actors because many of them are very talented. I also feel bad for the production team because they did their best with a very bad script. But I most feel bad for the children and families who walked out utterly dumbfounded expecting an entirely different experience. One father noticeably comforted his daughter after having to sit through it. To give you a small morsel of its arrogance, the playwright even tries to unravel and dismiss the entire parable of Scrooge in a final diatribe about how we (society) are doomed. …Yes, for a Christmas play, folks. The only cool thing was a puppet. Hats off to the designer. It was the only thing the audience was cheering about as we exited. One couple remarked “what on earth did we just see? I don’t know — but at least the puppet was pretty cool.” To give you an idea of preview performance excitement — we didn’t see a single patron pursue the extensive WhyNot merch stand after the show. Save your money. Save your donations. I wish we did. We need to make a statement that hijacking the branding & commercial appeal of A Christmas Carol into this type of self-serving nihilistic programming is just wrong. A Christmas Carol at A.C.T. was a tradition. A San Francisco staple. A thing that families looked forward to every year. Much like a point in the play when the entire cast turns their rears to us to perform to the backstage (this really happens) — this play disgraces the love & loyalty of its Christmas audience. 1 star for the modern day Scrooge.

Great show. Food and drinks on both the top and bottom floors with a small stand in the middle. I definitely recommend reserving yourself a table during intermission. You can order your drinks and food ahead of time and they are ready at the start of intermission so you don’t have to wait in line. Great date night.

Good historic theater for plays and other performances. I highly recommend going to see A Christmas Carol there. The bathrooms are clean, and they do have 2 bars. Go to the bathroom and/or get drinks before intermission as there are very long lines that form.

We saw the Soul Train musical here August 2023. Love the show and the theater! There's a parking structure around the corner on O'Farrell and Mason. The theater is also a short walk from BART. The theater also serves cocktails and other beverages.

The "Soul Train" musical was epic! From the music, lights, choreography and the phenomenal actors singing & dancing took me way back. A show not to be missed. Thank you A.C.T. for bringing this into your house.❤️

A wine at the downstairs bar before the show and good orchestra seats made for a wonderful experience. Great visibility and acoustics for a Broadway musical.

I took my daughter to watch, a version of The Christmas Carol story called, Why Not Christmas Carol. The show was different. Even with the knowledge of the actual story, the show was certainly unique. My daughter was a lot confused by the story. We found nearby parking around the corner and were able to arrive early enough before the show to walk around Union Square and see the giant christmas tree, the skating rink and all the decorations. The theater was nice. I have been before, so I was a familiar with it's layout. The staff are always friendly and it was nice to see the theater with the holiday decorations.

I visited in 2017 for a show...I wanted to go to the Christmas show promoted by the Union Square ice skating rink the week of Thanksgiving...Monday Nov 25...running Why Not Christmas Carol this year. I didn't know what the show was..it was Dickens' Christmas Carol with costumes from what era...oh I'll do some internet research..costume revival..Dickens costumes...new era...it was pretty good..and festive...got hot chocolate..near Union Square..December 18 (one week before Christmas this year)...gift shop was interesting...field trip groups that day..I sat in Mezzanine I believe...festive near Union Square..ran this show for about a month...promoted at the ice skating rink outside in Union Square...got the cheapest ticket...it was a spectacle...ACT..read the historical posters on wall... review #3025 in year 2025

Finding this theater in SF kind of felt like coming home in a way. I used to live in DC and had a local theater there that I loved (shoutout to Studio Theatre) and was trying to find something comparable in SF. I found it! They run about 6 shows a year that range from world premieres of independent shows, traveling productions of bigger shows, musicals, you name it! There is also what seems like a conscious effort to showcase stories and directors from underrepresented groups. All the shows are very high quality with fantastic sets and talented actors. There is a bar on the top floor and bottom floor and you can bring drinks in. I'm a subscriber which I highly recommend - great seats and they make it super easy to change show dates as needed.

Been starting to attend this theater more recently this season, had been here for Cursed Child, Hippest Trip, and Lehman Trilogy. Beautiful building that's easily accessible from Powell BART. Box office being few doors down for easy pick up. It's definitely smaller than Golden Gate and Orpheum where most of the Broadway on tours happened. Good and bad, the seats in the back will never be too far from the stage but the seating area can be tight for some. Definitely need some stretches during the intermissions. Seems like it's beginning to pick up good shows in its seasons, with Hippest Trip being pre-Broadway, Lehman Trilogy being on world tour, A Strange Loop (Tony's best musical) was touring not too long ago. It seems like they have more play heavy shows than musicals, but definitely getting a good mix nowadays. The theater does allow drinks in the theater, they do carry a lot of the Golden Rule canned cocktails. Not much selection for the snacks, so having a dinner beforehand would be best. The theater is closer to Union Square than Golden Gate Theater, so there are more walking distance eateries around. What I remembered the most was watching Cursed Child and the staffs had an outfit change during Act 2. It's a nice touch to the whole theater experience.

We had the most enjoyable evening seeing the "Hippest Trip- Soul Train" performance here. The theatre is gorgeous inside and the staff are friendly and efficient. We pre-ordered our cocktails before the show- at intermission our drink were waiting for us! Beats standing in a long line for sure. By the way, I highly recommend catching this outstanding musical.

My friend and I were here to watch a musical a few weeks back. We got tickets online and picked up the tickets at the box office. Parking was convenient - there was a parking structure close by! The theatre ushers were wonderful greeting us and welcoming us inside. Bathrooms downstairs that also has a cocktail area as well. Lots of bathroom stalls unlike other theatres. The theatre itself was lovely, does seem older. The chairs/seating was very CLOSE to one another! I wish I had brought my face mask. Generally speaking a very nice theatre and I look forward to coming back for more experiences.

I've always loved live theatre and this place is great! Been coming here forever. Annually for the Christmas Carol and most recently for the Wizard of Oz (definitely not your traditional version, maybe a unique San Francisco take might be a better description, lol). There's always something fun and creative going on here to see. The layout is nice too and the restrooms are well kept. Honestly, I used to go the Orpheum and the Golden Gate theaters on the regular, but I just don't feel safe there anymore. I mean it's bad. Day or night. I'd still suggest keeping your antennas on alert in Union Square these days, especially at night here. But still way preferred for safety reasons over the other two theaters I once loved. Oh, they run specials here frequently too for free drinks. Support local live theatres.

Seen a few shows here. My recent show was Wizard of Oz. Paid $58 online for 2 tickets after fees. What a deal! Tickets were emailed but if you can't find them you can pick them up at will call, just next door. Bring your ID. Restrooms are located in the basement and top level. For the show we sat in Mezzanine section C. It was to the side so we did loose a bit of a view but not so bad. To be honest I didn't know what to expect of this show but thoroughly enjoyed it. It was the Wizard of Oz, but a different rendition of it. You have to see it for yourself. The actor playing Dorothy has an amazing voice and everyone acted well. Even got the audience involved, by helping Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road. Seats were not the most comfortable, especially if you have long legs. However choosing aisle seats helped. During intermission you can go get some fresh air or drinks at the bar.

WHYNOT Christmas Carol - ACT December 2024: Awful. My family and I have attended SF's Christmas Carol for nearly 20 years. Always various degrees of excellence ... until this year's version. Yes, a definite woke trend past 4-5 years but this year's production dispensed with the essential elements. Hopefully ACT restores the traditional version next year.

Christmas Carol was awful this year so well so ridiculous waste of money kids didn't enjoy it. No one around us enjoy that. When can the theater go back to being the theater? Are we stuck in California or do we have to start going to London? This is ridiculous. no wonder Trump line.

We saw the why not Christmas Carol.....it was boring, confusing, jumped around A lot to different characters that you don't even know. Did not feel like a happy Christmas play in the Christmas spirit. Please bring back the old Christmas Carol. This was a big waste of money and time!

The company is irresponsible about the name of its main theater. In 2006, the theater (at that time named the Geary Theater) was renamed, by mayoral proclamation, to have the same name as the company: the American Conservatory Theatre. Then in 2022, the company announced it was changing the name of the Geary Theater (huh?) to the Toni Rembe Theater. The company, of course, has no authority to overrule a mayoral proclamation. The company has refused to communicate about rectifying this error.

Beautifully ornate, good ole fashioned theater in downtown San Francisco. All of the staff were so extra helpful and friendly all over the venue. The bar downstairs was a 3/5 but the bartenders were super friendly. I highly recommend catching a show in this gorgeous theater!

Great customer service great show first time but look forward to many more visits. The show we saw was Soul Train

Beware - SPAM mailings I saw the Soul Train Musical here in September and since then I've had multiple mailings and email's from ACT and GraceArts asking for donations or ticket solicitations. This was my only contact with ACT so I suspect they sold my info to other theater/cultural arts organizations.

So beyond disappointed to what I witnessed today (Sat. 6/3/23). I paid close to $70 (one ticket) for a matinee show on the balcony and received a bootleg, knock-off, and low-budget version of the "Wizard of Oz". It was EXTREMELY disappointing to say the least. First, the seats were complete crap. They were very cramped and had no leg room whatsoever. My back hurt for the hour I was there (I had to walk out and leave even before the intermission). When the show began, I was in disbelief because of how lousy the stage was and the props that went with it. There seemed to be NO effort in this production at all. For Toto, a hairless and freakish looking chihuahua puppet was used. The character of Dorothy never wore her famous blue plaid dress, but instead was wearing a Batman shirt, checkered vans with blue socks, and brown pants (WHAT????). For the twister scene, Little Tikes playhouses were used as props. The cast was even changing their costumes ON STAGE. Like what????? It was unbelievably unprofessional and very misleading in the advertising. I thought I was walking into a beloved and classic production and instead I just wasted my money and time. I DO NOT recommend wasting your resources on this place whatsoever. Learn from my mistake and visit the Orpheum, or better yet, Broadway in New York City.

What a darling theater! We were in town to see A Christmas Carol, and I had heard about the ACT much of my life but had never visited. Beautiful architecture with ornate features inside the theater. The halls were decorated for the Christmas season (my pic of the gorgeous Christmas tree was awful so I didn't post it), snack and drink bar downstairs (of which patrons can preorder through the app...how cool is that?!). There's no bad seat in the house. I saw some reviews that referenced cramped seating but we didn't have that experience. The staff was very friendly and accommodating when needing to locate our seat or had questions about the property. Looking forward to returning in the future.

I have seen ACT's production, A Christmas Carol, for 6 consecutive years so I very much consider this a family tradition coming to this historic theater every December. Doors open approx. 30 mins before the start of the show and the ticket scanners have always been inviting and filled with Holiday cheer as they warmly greet you. As for the theater itself, it was opened in 1967 and transports you to a time when rich burgundy, gold colors adorned theaters with intricacy and craftsmanship indicative of a time long ago. As for the production, I seem to enjoy it a bit more each year. Even though they change out the supporting actors/actresses from year to year, there is high level of consistency in their performances. I'm already looking forward to coming back here in December of 2019.

Great place to immerse yourself in the arts. They offer $20 tickets to teachers and that includes an overview of the play, lesson plans, and a night of acting games, snacks and theater. It is a beautiful offering and a wonderful way to bring the special aspects of this wonderful city to your students.

Came here last night to watch a Christmas Carol. First, it wasn't sold out, so we were able to get tickets day of, but it was still pretty packed when we got in. Staff was very helpful in our purchase, and when we were in the building they were just as helpful. We had balcony seats, so seating was a bit tight. Meaning, you will touch elbows with whomever you're sitting next to. However, almost every seat in the house will give you a good view of the show. As for the show itself? Top notch. The actors brought their A games in, especially the actor who played scrooge. He received a standing ovation at the ending and had to tell people to stop, because it they were constantly clapping. It's a very cool theater, and the if you have a chance, come and watch a Christmas Carol. It was phenomenal. .

ACT has a gorgeous theater. Their productions vary some good and some not so good. However, what I don't appreciate is when they don't include my reviews of shows simply because they are not all positive. CAVEAT: when you go to their website be aware that their reviews are not reflective of everyone, only a select few. Which makes sense since they want you to buy tickets.

Always an amazing show at ACT. I received a notification from my Today Tix app about The Great Leap. Got last minute tix to the preview and was so happy I did. I am a fan of BD Wong and this was a story based on the events at Tiennamen Square and the USF vs Beijing basketball game in 1989. The small cast was excellent and the show was fast moving and highly recommended especially for those who grew up in SF Chinatown. It runs through the end of March.

My first experience of watching a play here was great! I booked tickets for the "Thousand Splendid Suns" and the play did not disappoint I booked the tickets for Balcony, and for a play like this, it was real good value for money, I got the tickets for around ~$25 for Saturday evening( booked same day). Balcony is probably on the topmost floor, but you are able to have a pretty good viewing angle to the show. The actors, the performances, everything was amazing I only wish Balcony had more comfortable seats( I know the lower levels with more expensive tickets definitely have them

Great theater with high production value plays/musicals! Pros- -Beautiful theater -Nice check-in staff and also informative We watched A Walk on the Moon. Production value was great, acting was great, music numbers were great, and singing was fantastic. However, I just feel the sound can be improved and crisper. Some of the actors enunciation/lines were difficult to hear through the speakers. The only reason I rated 4 stars instead of 5 is my friend wanted to run to the restroom before the show. The staff member warned him that he might be locked out as the show was about to start (fair enough). Yet, 4 minutes after the show start, a group of three were let into the theater and was in the row in front of us, which was a big distraction for us. I don't think the treatment was fair as my friend had to wait til intermission for a restroom run.

This is a nice theater in a good location of San Francisco. My only issue is the seats could definitely use revamping. For the price you pay, I think it's time that theater seats start to match movie theater seats at least. Kudos on the relatively large clean men's room. On that subject, raw sewage bubbling up from the sidewalk outside. Actual human fecal matter covering the sidewalk under the awning at the box office.

A Christmas Carol! Another great show we come here every year and really enjoy it if u haven't been make plans to do it you won't be disappointed sir as close to the stage ass possible!

The theatuh, the theatuh...oh how I love the theatuh! You don't believe me?....Ever see my Broadway show list, "The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd"? ...http://www.yelp.com/list_details?list_id=vWRaUTnBn_477wme0hAfQA ...oh yeah, I'm a frickin' Stage Door Johnny. We're really lucky to have the American Conservatory Theater here in San Francisco. Denzel went to the graduate program here, so did Annette Bening and Nicolas Cage. I don't go to local theater as often as I would like, but when I do, I am usually enthralled. This place is really nice and tall with beautifully gilded features and ornate designs. It packs about 1,500 seats, and "packed" is the key word as the seats were not made for the all-you-can-eat matinee polyester crowd with their stretch marks. Not much legroom either, even for my squatty gams. This evening, I saw the 30th Anniversary revival of Sam Shepard's play "Curse of the Starving Class". Lots of powerful moments alternating between brutalizing drama and black comedy, especially in the first half. Sputters toward the end of a marathon 2 1/2 hours with self-indulgent sermonizing. But a great cast triumphs, especially Jack Willis as Weston, the fearsomely drunken father; the familiar Pamela Reed as his weary, wishful wife Ella; and a raging turn by Nicole Lowrance as feisty daughter Emma. Well worth seeing, as is everything else they have this season and any other season. Second balcony nosebleed seats only cost $12.50 on sale. It ain't so bad up there.

The productions are first rate. We went to several over the past two years. However, we will no longer be attending which is not a reflection on the theater or its productions. It is a reflection on the area and the homelessness. It is not an enjoyable trip when you have to walk through the homeless encampments on the street leading to the theater. If it's not the homeless themselves, the stench of urine is overwhelming while you step over feces on the sidewalks. Not to forget the drug paraphernalia and soliciting on the sprint to the theater. No thanks! The parking is difficult enough but worth the effort if it weren't for the problems the minute you get out of your car. Panhandling. Vagrancy. Open drug use. The need for a gas mask. Personal safety. It's all there in full view. San Francisco has a problem and they certainly are not addressing it. We will now be taking our dollars to San Jose and Sacramento. San Francisco has been taken over by the homeless and their filth. Good luck if you choose to wade into this cesspool. I wish I could give the theater a better review as this certainly is not ACT'S fault, but it's not possible because of its location and the myriad of problems existing in the area. The enjoyment of an evening out in San Francisco no longer exists.

This is a charming theater. Have been here for a few plays and absolutely look forward to coming back! It has a wonderful vintage feel without feeling outdated/old. It is a great size. It is not too large. So, almost any seat you get is decent. The seats are a bit small with VERY little leg room in front. I'm about 6'2" and it'd be brutal to be a few inches taller. The plays are quite diverse. The first one I saw was Mr Burns which was about a post apocalyptic future in which the story of a Simpsons episode was passed down. It was oddly entertaining. And I recently saw the epic Christmas Carol which was fantastic. The little snack area is small. The problem with it is that the same line serves mixed drinks, beer, wine, snacks. Of course some pain people feel the need to order mixed drinks and really slow it down, you can spend a whole intermission waiting for a water bottle.

I love this theater and all of the productions I have seen here over the years. I thought I knew all I needed to know about this building until the other night when I took the elevator to the Sky Lobby Bar on the 3rd floor. I discovered the top-floor Garret Room, a private space for performances, receptions and meetings. I am so glad this building built in 1906 was saved and preserved.

Beautiful theater. Definitely older, and if you're sitting in the balcony, I certainly hope that you don't have vertigo!! It feels like five floors straight up, but that does help give you a nice aerial view of the stage. You may not see the very top of the stage (above the actors' heads), however, you can still see the beautiful staging and scenery. Just viewed A Thousand Splendid Suns there, and the lead actresses were incredible. The staging and scenery were also great, and even from the balcony, it was beautifully blocked. The bartenders pour strong, and will take your drink orders so they're ready for you at intermission. Added bonus? Cheaper than buying drinks at the SHN theaters.

Went to see the 2017 Pulitzer winner for drama SWEAT on Thursday Sep 27, '18. The audience gave a standing ovation at the end. This review is for the ACT Theater and not the play. The theater is older and not truly updated. There's no WiFi nor does it have a great sound system like some of the newer theaters. So everyone has to be extra quiet, not fiddle with food wrappers, and yes, we could all hear a phone ring during the performance somewhere on the top balcony. I had orchestra tickets and so I heard the actors well. But it left me wondering if it's time to invest in a sound system? They had clean, functioning restrooms. The vending area downstairs sold light snacks and beverages including wines. Cash and cards were accepted. I didn't notice If they had Apple/phone Pay. The closest garage parking stated on their website was an Uber ride away, so prepare for that. It took the Uber driver about 30 min with traffic to get there via pool ride. To pick up will-call tickets, one has to go to a desperate building right next to the actual theater, but they can easily direct one were to go. It easy to find. At that same building they have the VIP bar for the theater and that looked way more interesting than the waterhole vending area downstairs of the theater. I slightly entered thinking it was the actual theater but was redirected. I honestly think they're holding back the good/fun parts to the general public so make friends and see what other goodies this theater has to offer.

15 years ago, when a friend of a friend was enrolled at ACT, we'd get tickets to see many of his performances. The two that stick out are "A Christmas Carol" & "Waiting for Godot"; the rest are a distant memory or just a ticket stub in a scrapbook somewhere. I love going to the theater on a weekday, so I booked two tickets to see "The Last Five Years" last Wednesday. Our orchestra tickets were fine (I'm sure our seats would've been closer had I not bought the tickets two days prior.) Wonderful, bittersweet plot; broadway-worthy singing; thought-provoking song lyrics. Five stars for the show, four stars for the theater because for all its grandiose, historical beauty, the space needs a facelift to maintain its loveliness as it ages.

Worst seats in the house is... ALL seats. Sorry, those small upright, tiny seats with no leg room are so uncomfortable. EVEN for tiny-people, like myself. Otherwise, view-ability from all seats to the stage are good. It's a small theater, so, there really are no bad seats. I've been to going to A.C.T. for decades to watch plays and musicals. This theater will always have a soft spot in my heart as one of my first plays I've watched was right here. From traditional plays such as "Christmas Carols" to kitschy ones such as "Urine Town", it's always a fun time out in the city, even for bad ones, such as "The last five years of my life" = snoozer, good vocals though but still a snoozer. I do have to say... the people that work there are downright rude sometimes. They will yell at you if you don't turn off your phone in time when the play starts. They will give away your comp tickets if your 5 minutes late to will call. And they will make you feel like it's your own darn fault... which it may be but you still need to keep it classy man! The theater is beautifully detailed... just wish the seats were are more comfortable.

Watched a show here with a bunch of people and overall had a good experience. The isles are a bit too narrow to be really comfortable - so pro tip - make sure to use the bathroom before the show starts.

The Geary Theater is beautiful. It was rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake and again after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The opulent interior makes me feel that I have gone back in time to a more elegant age. I could sit inside the theater and just enjoy the ambiance. The sound is good; I can see the stage clearly from mezzanine. I've forgotten if I thought the balcony was an okay place to sit. The plays I have seen here have been topnotch productions. And, there are several more that I would like to see. There is one problem in going back in time and that is the seats. I know people were shorter and it was okay for women to be plump.I wonder of they sat in these seats years ago. When the person in front of me sat down the seat went back a bit and there was no room for my knees. The seats are also small. N moved back to an empty seat in the next row because she was so crowed. The women then moved into her seat and spread out between two seats. I enjoyed the rest of the production with my knees pinned against the seat in from of me and a woman's hip on my armrest. The seat problem is not the reason I don't come here often. With so much quality theater the East Bay and annual trips to Ashland, I just never seem to come here.

I've seen 7-8 shows here and always pleased with the sets and talent of the cast. I would put this place in my top five theaters in the Bay Area. I park at the Sutter garage for best value and so many places to eat before the show nearby.

This review is for Wheelchair Seating at the ACT Geary Theater for a performance of Dickens "A Christmas Carol", Dec. 3, 2017. Access seating is regular price. There is a special entrance for wheelchairs. There are staff who will let your usher know you have arrived. They did not accompany us to the correct floor. Be sure to ask about which level to choose in the elevator. We ended up on the wrong floor. As you can guess, wheelchair seating is very limited. We were seated in the top Balcony. Seats will be removed for the wheelchair at the very back of the balcony. You will have people walking in front of you before the performance. We found that these seats will provide you with a very awkward view of the stage. The sound system is old. It was difficult for us to hear the dialogue. Disappointing.

Really depends on where you sit. I've sat in the balcony and wished I had a seat belt. I've sat on orchestra level which was a lot better. Beware of seats on the extreme ends of the rows. Those seats would definitely be classified as "limited view." The theater itself is beautiful. I especially like the ceiling which reminds me of one of the rooms at the US Capitol building.

Came for A night of Janis Joplin and soooo glad I did! Haven't been to this theater since high school, so like 20 years ago! ‍ It's very nice! I was lucky enough to have orchestra seats so I found them comfortable. My friends who went the week before and sat balcony said they were very small, no legroom and uncomfortable. I'd suggest getting floor seats when possible. The show itself was awesome! Felt more like a rock concert than a show. The staff was very friendly and the bathroom line moved at ease.

Paying Homage to Armisted Maupin... It's been over a month since I saw Tales of the City and I'm still brimming with San Francisco pride. My experience with A.C.T. goes back to when I was a wee bratty youngin' of 12 years. 6th Grade, Theater Club. Perhaps a bit on the geeky side of things to be into at that age, but field trips in the name of the good old theater in the middle of the week ain't such a bad deal! It was my first intro into appreciating plays and now musicals, thanks to a friend of mine who has seen Phantom over 25 times. (Yeah, I'm serious!) There is something about the hurried rush of a chattering crowd and the elegance of classic SF architecture that make seeing a production at A.C.T the best experience ever. For me, live theater is usually a once in a while treat that marks a special occasion. This time around, I paid some much due homage to Armisted Maupin. In this City of famous artists, poets and writers, somehow I got lucky enough to live in an apartment that more than a few SF notables once lived in (some before they were famous). There's a little nook in the corner of our living room where, according to the older neighbors on my street, Mr. Maupin composed much of his famous novel. Although the original story was written in the 70s, I found the dialogue still very relevant. Nudity? Drugs? Alcohol? Free love and a little bit of black leather? Wow, I'm whipped--way to blow the lid off the traditional idea of what live theater "should" be! Its message about acceptance was a beautiful melody of songs that had me wanting to sing along. I wasn't terribly blown away by the set, but I realized that its simplicity kept me focused on the magic of the characters. It was a relatively small production, but felt big in every way. Michael Tolliver, Anna Madrigal--100% San Francisco to the (AC) "T"!

UHHHmazing, UHHHmazing, UHHHHmazing!!! We had tickets for 'The Night Before Christmas' play. At the time the only seats available were the balcony seats. They were the worst seats in the theater with an entire school of kids being loud. We saw some empty seats below so we asked if we could purchase the seats in the Mezzanine section. The lady told us to meet another lady at the bottom level at the entrance of the theater & she could help us. Well to make a long story short she was more than helpful she gave us new tickets in the Orchestra section of the theater!! Row J. We were so excited!! This play was the BEST play I have ever seen! I will be going to see live theater a lot more now! It is so much better than a movie. Great place to take kids too. The actors were great! The special effects & lighting couldn't have been better. It was just amazing. I strongly suggest seeing THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS with your family or loved ones.

Keep theater young. Keep theater alive. Keep theater in San Francisco. Keep or start going to American Conservatory Theater. American Conservatory Theater has been gracing San Francisco with poignant productions since 1965. It's a non-profit organization that is all about nurturing the creative theatrical energy of San Francisco. They do an outstanding job of curating a unique line-up of thought provoking theater productions which really capture the diversity of San Francisco. The prices of shows are extremely reasonable and the shows that I have seen here - have all been wonderful and beautifully executed. I wouldn't call myself a theater buff by any means - but I am so thankful that we have such a well run resource as the American Conservatory Theater to further enrich the San Francisco art landscape. Trust.

Seen a good number of shows at ACT w/ the most recent being 1776 & UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL While I continue to remain a fan of this theater, my opinion of the sightlines have declined to horrendous. We usually prefer Loge seats so can't speak to views from the Orchestra For 1776, even though we were in the 3rd row, a good majority of the stage was blocked by the guy sitting in front of me & it's like this every time we visit. For Underneath The Lintel, we were in the 2nd row & thankfully a short person was in front of me so sightlines were okay - however the seat was completely worn out to the point it slanted to 1 side. I was literally lopsided & ended up w/ a backache Moral of the story is: If you're not lucky enough to be in the 1st row, be prepared to bop & weave your way around those in front of you & seats will not afford you a comfy Act or 2 Guess I've become less forgiving of losing out on my stage view than I used to be & I realize most of these older theaters have this same issue - so can't fault the theater's setup since I dig the vintage charm & will most definitely continue to come back But I can say I'm much pickier & have higher expectations nowadays. This venue is posher than Golden Gate Theater / Orpheum but on equal footing w/ Curran (its next door neighbor) So continue to be a fan but this place needs a revamp, much like its sister venue, right next door

Great theater especially in the orchestra seat for Needles and Opium. It's so good, genius of a play. I want to look up the history of Mile Davis. 90 minutes of pure delight, your head might be a little off center at the end. Magic. Gravity? Paris, New York, Quebec, all my favorite cities. Humor sneaked in serious heartbreaks. English and French, fake French accent. Total of 3 actors and a dozen behind the scenes people. Amazing!

I'm torn on the theatre scene in San Francisco, but I'm happy to see original productions coming to town and thriving. I was there on 3/15 to see 'Dead Metaphor' (great show by the way, catch it while you can), and the staff at ACT were friendly and helpful. It looked like they hadn't sold enough tickets to open all three levels, so we were upgraded down (?) to the mezzanine. They showed "trailers" for their upcoming productions while the audience arrived (brilliant idea, by the way), and I was impressed at the comfortable seating options, and that you could see the stage well from everywhere. Next time something catches my eye here, I'll come back!

How does East Coast bias rear its ugly head out in the West Coast? Specifically, the idea of New York City being the center of the universe. I recently discovered I am a victim of this bias. For the longest time, I thought good theater was exclusively found on Broadway. And can you blame me? Broadway is world renowned for its shows. There's even a song that sings if I can make it there, I can make it anywhere. And let's face it, the shows out there are pretty good. But there's some decent stuff out here. I saw one at ACT, and it wasn't half bad. The ticket prices were reasonable. The venue was decent; although, our seats were a little cramped. And ACT's location is fairly clean and close to the Powell Station and some good eateries. I like the experience enough to want to try again. Besides, it's a whole lot more cost efficient than flying out to NYC.

First up, I am a Christmas Carol freak. Every year, I watch each of the major film versions. My favorite is the 1938 version starring Reginald Owen. I also watch a number of the Christmas Carol inspired knock-offs (Scrooged, Ebbie, A Carol Christmas, etc..). I just can't get enough of Scrooge and his troupe of ghosts.. However, seeing it alive is so much more fantastic than watching any of the movies. I love it. The performance was wonderful. For anyone who is really into Christmas, I would whole-heatedly suggest attending and ramping up your holiday spirit to the next level. The ghosts were all incredible. Marley totally rocked it. Mr Scrooge was very believable. It really is a great way to experience one of Christmas' best stories. It is a beautiful venue. Like some others, the seating is tight for me. I am relatively tall. But hey, that's a slight inconvenience to spend an evening taking in a truly enjoyable performance.

We saw the Birthday Party and Wakey Wakey at the ACT on Geary. Not reviewing the shows here but the theater itself. Really pretty, epic theater with comfortable seats and very helpful/sweet staff. The programs are professionally designed/assembled and the prices for shows are very reasonable. I recommend.