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The San Francisco Theatre Scene
Copyright (c) 2009-2012 Mark Anderson
Just about any time of the year you can scour the theater listings in the San Francisco Bay Area and find well over 100 productions available for viewing. These shows range from plays to musicals to cabarets and everything else in between.
The hardest part for theatergoers in San Francisco isn't finding a show but narrowing down their options. To assist in that chore we've listed several of San Francisco's top theaters.
While the following list is far from comprehensive it is a great place to start. It contains large and small theaters as well as venues that cater to both mainstream Broadway hits and smaller scale experimental productions.
Any discussion of the San Francisco theater scene must start with the American Conservatory Theatre. Also known by its acronym, A.C.T. is nationally renowned and generally considered the city's flagship theater. Newly restored and seating 1000, theater goers can find the American Conservatory Theatre at 415 Geary Street (415-729-2ACT).
This fall A.C.T. will launch the U.S. premiere of Noel's Coward Brief Encounter and the west coast premiere of David Mamet's November. A Christmas Carol walks the board this December.
While you're bound to see a quality show at A.C.T. the chances are low you'll find a place to park. Take a cab or give yourself plenty of time to park your car otherwise you might miss the overture.
The American Conservatory Theatre is located in area between the Union Square shopping district and the Tenderloin district. This area is called the Theater District although the term is fairly exclusive to real estate agents, hotels and restaurants. Still, quite a few theaters reside in this part of town.
For example, next store to the A.C.T. is the Curran Theatre, 445 Geary Street (415-551-2000). Currently at the Curran, Estelle Parsons is starring in the Tony Award winning play August: Osage County.
In October, the Curran will be "rented" by the national touring company of Rent featuring two members of the original Broadway cast, Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp.
The Curran Theatre has a long history of hosting top Broadway shows, The Jersey Boys, Spring Awakening and Les Misérables have all played there. Even the theater's architecture reminds patrons of Broadway making the Curran a little slice of the Great Way White in the city by the bay.
Another major theater in the area is The Actors Theatre located at 855 Bush Street (415-345-1287). They will soon be delighting fans with a production of The Grapes Wrath.
The Orpheum Theatre (415-551-2000) is an official historical landmark in the city of San Francisco. Located at 1192 Market Street, the stunning 70-plus year-old theater has hosted a plethora of great Broadway musicals throughout the years including Phantom of Opera, The Color Purple, and Mamma Mia! Currently, the Orpheum is hosting the worldwide phenomenon Wicked.
Even if you don't like the people expressing themselves through song, you'll love the beautiful Orpheum. The lobby resembles a 12th century Spanish palace while inside the auditorium large lions decorate the ornate walls.
Fortunately they turn off the house lights during the show or you'd spend all night staring at the Orpheum's intricate carvings instead of paying attention to the world class performance occurring on its stage.
While the Orpheum dazzles with its Spanish architecture, the Golden Gate Theatre captures the imagination with its art deco. Opened in 1922, the Golden Gate Theatre has welcomed the likes of the Marx Brothers and Frank Sinatra to its stage. Now the spectacular theater welcomes shows like Hairspray, Chicago and Movin' Out. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, South Pacific, visits the Golden Gate in the fall.
You'll find the Golden Gate Theatre (415-551-2000) on 1 Taylor Street at the corner of Taylor and Market at 6th Street.
Motown Madness The Musical is on an open run at Theatre 39 at Pier 39 (415-433-3939) found at Beach Street and the Embarcadero on San Francisco's historic Fisherman's Wharf. This intimate 275-seat theater brings a diverse line up of Broadway, off-Broadway, and concerts to its stage.
In nearby Berkeley, you'll find the Aurora Theatre and the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The award winning Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison Street (510-843-4822), performs five plays a year. This esteem theatre company aims to produce work that's "about something important; ideas mediated by language and people, which are assisted by other elements like sets, lights and costumes."
Right now at the Aurora you can catch the Depression-era drama Awake And Sing! Later this year look for productions of Fat Pig and The Coverlettes Cover Christmas.
Since 1968, the Berkeley Repertory Theatre has been entertaining Bay Area audiences with productions of dynamic dramas and seldom performed classics. Later this year the Tony Award-winning theatre will showcase two plays, American Idiot and Tiny Kushner.
Once the calendar turns, theatergoers will have the opportunity to attend performances of Coming Home and Girlfriend.
Turning our attention back to the city, the quintessential San Francisco theater experience has to be the one and only Beach Blanket Bingo. This fun and energetic revue spoofs pop culture with extravagant customs and outrageous wigs.
A part of the city for more 35 years, Beach Blanket Bingo has made history as the longest running revue in musical theatre history. You can catch this thoroughly entertaining San Francisco institution at Club Fugazi located on 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard.
With its sheer number of theaters and high volume of quality productions, many of which originate in the area, the San Francisco theatre scene is arguably one of the best in the nation.
Copyright 2009, SanFranciscoSmarts.com
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