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American Conservatory Theater
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Education Specialty Schools Art Schools Performing Arts, Art Schools [Edit]
415 Geary St(at Mason St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 749-2228
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
191 reviews for American Conservatory Theater
191 reviews in English
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Review from Bobbi T.
Fairfield, CA
5/12/2012
I love yelp because it lets me chronicle where I've been so when I want to remember places that I liked I can go back and look.
Went to see Endgame. The play was mesmerizing!
I have only been to plays in NYC and LA, so I wasn't sure what to expect. This theater is amazing. I was told they are also a conservatory, which I think is great. I forget the names of who all has been through here but several TV stars went to ACT.
Highly recomend this theater company! -
Review from Meredith H.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I accidentally bought tickets for the day before I wanted to come! I didn't buy that exchange insurance and I was kicking myself, but I called the box office almost in a panic and the guy I talked to exchanged them for me anyways- Saved! Looking forward to seeing Maple and Vine on Sunday. :)
I think next season I'll buy a season pass bc I really love this venue and seeing performances here. I've never been to bad show. Sign up for their emails- they send promotional codes. -
Review from Jenn D.
Hayward, CA
4/2/2012
My friend and I came here to watch the 'Maple and Vine' play through a deal on Travelzoo last Saturday. Our tickets were $13.50 each for balcony seating. She has been to the theater before and this was my first time. It's located a few blocks away from the Powell BART station.
The attendants in the front was very informative. She told us where the bathrooms were located and were to find the balcony seating. Since we were early and we weren't officially seated till 7:30pm, we sat in the lobby area (which was on the 3rd floor). The venue is really nice and clean.
There is an elevator but we decided to use the stairs. The bathroom was very clean. In the lobby area, there was complimentary water. My friend wanted a cookie and it was $2 for a regular size cookie.
My friend choose balcony seats, section A. However, when we got there, the seats she choose were on the right side. The theater lights were right in front of us and it was hard to see the play. If you are going to sit in the balcony, better to sit in the middle or higher up on either the right or left.
The play was interesting but it seemed that it was sort of hard to hear the actors/actress. They didn't seem to have individual mics but other then that, I thought they did a pretty good job. Throughout the first half of the play, my friend and I had to lean to see when the actor/actress were on the side of the theater. After awhile, my back started to hurt. We later on moved up and it was a bit better.
We thought that there should have been more to the ending but overall, it was a very interesting play. I wouldn't mind coming back to this theater. I would just pick different seatings. -
Review from Abby S.
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Attended opening night of "Scorched", starring David Strathairn ("Good Night and Good Luck", "The Bourne Ultimatum"). Having never attended live theater in San Francisco, wasn't sure what to expect. Actually, I can honestly say that I wasn't looking forward to it, since the running time is close to 3 hours. Who can sit still that long? Plus, we sat in the balcony and the seats are tiny. I'm not a big girl at all and found the lack of leg room to be quite ridiculous. Guess that's why they only charge $20 per ticket in that area.
Anyhoo, I was a little cranky going into the experience. And it took a good 30-45 minutes to really get into the story, but once we got through that part, it was a great show. Even with a 15 minute intermission where I could have easily walked out and never turned back, I was interested in going back to our seats to find out how the story is resolved.
I won't give away any of the story line, but if you want a bit of info, check out the website: http://www.act-sf.org/... - a really interesting story that, with a little bit of patience in the beginning, is appealing to anyone.Listed in: Almost there..., Adventures in San Francisco,…
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Review from Mark D.
12/21/2011 1 photo
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. -
Review from Heather J.
Laguna Beach, CA
12/14/2011 2 photos
UHHHmazing, UHHHmazing, UHHHHmazing!!! My friend had bought tickets to 'The Night Before Christmas' play online. At the time the only seats available were the balcony seats. They were the worst seats in the theater & there were tons of kids from a school. We saw some empty seats so we asked if we could purchase the seats in the Mezzanine section. The lady told us to meet a 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 the best! The special effects & lighting couldn't have been better. It inspired me to put my own daughter into theater arts. It was just amazing. I strongly suggest seeing THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS with your family or loved ones. -
Review from J. M.
Vallejo, CA
1/29/2012
Caught a showing of Humor Abuse on a Saturday afternoon. Paid only $13.50 thru http://SoldGtar.com The seat was in the balcony right on the aisle, d1 to be exact. Aside from a slight feeling of vertigo when standing up, the seat was okay. Not much leg room and my butt felt tight in the small chair. Sitting on the aisle allowed me to stretch my leg out. The sound was loud and clear. The view of the stage was excellent.
I would have no issue sitting in the balcony again, as long as it was towards the center.
Cannot comment on the concessions, but from the passing glance the prices were typically high. Parked about 4 blocks away. Did not mind walking.
The one man performance was an excellent piece of a slice of life. It was basically about a boy growing up in a local SF circus now told thru the eyes of his adult self.
Little Man review of Humor Abuse:
http://www.sfgate.com/...
Not sure if the rest of the theater was the same, but judging the amount pf people in the balcony, a lot, it seemed as if there was a field trip to the theater for senior citizens.
Not hating or anything, just found that observation interesting. -
Review from Alice L.
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
We came here for the one man show about a guy that grew up in a circus. I remember coming here for AP English class back in high school. The place is absolutely stunning, like walking into a time capsule. There are also a bunch of restaurants in the area that would make a great date night for a dinner and a show.
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Review from Joel S.
Larkspur, CA
3/7/2012
I've seen at least 20 plays here. It's hit or miss. Some are EXCELLENT! Some leave people running for the exit as soon as the first intermission comes.
Our experiences at this theater tend to be either wonderful or terrible.
Best bet is to follow reviews on Goldstar and buy 1/2 price orchestra seats for shows that are unanimously highly rated. Anything even a hair under 4 stars on Goldstar rating is probably not worth the $.
Although it's a fairly intimate theater, there are many bad seats in the house. Other reivews commented on the cramped leg room for upper floor seats, which is why we only get orchestra seats at ACT. In addition, if you're near the rear of side orchestra, you run the risk of sitting in the vent path of a full-bore airconditioning in the middle of winter. We once left a decent play at intermission simply because we were freezing from the draft, covering our eats and noses and having trouble paying attention because we were so miserable.
We tried two season subscriptions thinking we'd get better seats. We got way in the back of orchestra or way off to the side (and usually both).
The theater seems somewhat poorly run. No one really in charge. Temp ushers with not much clue. Zilcho sense of friendliness and no smiles from anyone, like they all just had a bad day. -
Review from Greg J.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
This is hardly my first time but Wow! A Christmas Carol this year was made spectacular! Best Scrooge ever and the Xmas future character was design genius!
A must see! -
Review from Kira R.
San Francisco, CA
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"!Listed in: Support the Arts!
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Review from Bay G.
San Francisco, CA
10/9/2011
If you can't afford orchestra seats, DON'T GO.
The balcony seats have less leg room than your worst airline experience. Even for someone of average height, they are very uncomfortable.
It made me angry because they rebuilt the entire interior after the 1989 earthquake. They could have allowed for extra leg room instead of cramming in as many seats as possible.
There is significantly more leg room in the orchestra and I was comfortable there. -
Review from Steven B.
7/5/2011
This is an absolutely breathtaking theatre with it's many ornate details and storied history. It couldn't have been a better venue for the locally-grown series of articles turned books turned miniseries turned play that is "Tales of the City" by Armistad Maupin.
For those not familiar, "Tales of the City" is an intricate tale of many lives interwoven in San Francisco starting in the late 70's and further progressing into modern times however the play only focused on the first installment predominantly. The main themes of this play are equality, love (all kinds) and growth (in every sense of the word).
The cast was phenomenal! I especially appreciated the diversity of said cast and how adaptable the set was (yeah I pay attention to those things). I laughed (probably louder than I should've), I cried (some very touching parts of this play indeed) and I enjoyed profusely!
A must see as it's been extended through July 31st!Listed in: Mini Adventures
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Review from Angela L.
8/3/2011
4.5!!
SERVICE:
Will call and everything was really easy! :) They weren't strict about sitting in seats that weren't occupied (psh unlike Orpheum!)
ATMOSPHERE:
Soooooooooo beeeauuutifffullllll! *heart it!* Ornately detailed, moulding, chandelier, drop down view of stage, Bar on the third floor... and makeshift bars on the other floors during intermission :) This would be a cute date place fosho. Go early, grab pre-drinks on the 3rd floor, enjoy the musical / show ... No random poles or pillars in the way of the stage. Yahh... very nice theatre.
The lack of .5 star is only a personal subjectivity of my particularity of musicals. Musicals are now confirmed as one of those things I wish I really love. Like snowboarding. But given the lack of assurance for REALLY AWESOME CHILL-BUMPS INDUCING VOCALS results in my failure to be impressed. I've only seen one really great musical which I was super impressed with and swept away into a magical otherworld... and it was a small Asian American production in San Jose about the railroad worker life which had the ultimate best TRIPLE THREATS - voices, dancing, & acting! .... Since then, I've watched Mama Mia in New York, and Wicked in San Francisco, and now, Tales of the City in San Francisco. And these "bigger productions" don't even compare to the small production I first watched. Main singers losing their breath in the show?? wtf kind of credibility is that??
Sidenote.. Movie musicals are definitely the way to go: Moulin Rouge, RENT, Sound of Music. Oh and Sitcom musical: Glee! haha. I will only consider going to another musical if I do my due diligence in researching the GREAT worthy voices!
;D -
Review from Amanda G.
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were fortunate enough to score great seats here for "Tales of the City" during the last weekend of their run.
Awesome show, great performances, LOVED it!
As for the theater, I was a fan of it as well.
For this performance we had orchestra seats, but i wouldn't hesitate getting cheap seats here. The theater is small enough that I don't think there are any bad seats. The balcony seemed close enough to the stage that I think the sound and view would still be good.
We were running late, and the staff was incredibly nice, friendly and accommodating.
I also appreciated that the bathrooms were clean.
I hope another show we want to see comes here, because it's a fantastic place to see a show. -
Review from Virgo M.
Bay Area, CA
7/2/2011
Beautiful Theater, I loved it. We scored matinee tix for "Tales of the City" for under $40 bux a pop. I had no background on "Tales" yet still really enjoyed it as a newbie. If you heart SF and believe in equality, you should see this. If you don't believe in equality, you should see it even more so than the rest of us....you might just see the err of your beliefs.
LOVE 4 ONE ANOTHER, to EACH his or her OWN! -
Review from KJ P.
Hayward, CA
Updated - 4/2/2012
Maple and Vine's West Coast Premiere at ACT is an unsettling story by Jordan Harrison directed by Bay Area director extraordinaire.Mark Rucker. The acting and staging are as excellent as always at ACT. Is 1955 really as attractive as all that? History vs. fantasy; always an interesting dilemma. This show gets you thinking and wondering and while not resolved on stage, poses challenges that let an open mind take a long walk.
5 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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2/1/2012
Humor Abuse by Lorenzo Pisoni is a great night out! ACT's production of this one man… Read more »
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Review from John R.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2011
Theater is lovely, but since many are commenting on _Tales of the City_, I will go there.
I think a lot of people who see this are fans of the source material and love it for that reason. I am not familiar with the source material (although I do live in SF and am very familiar with the city).
For me, it seemed to have a lot of numbers that did not move the plot forward, or add much to the characters. I did not think they were good enough on their own. Maybe they meant something to the people who recognized the characters from the earlier works. They were just boring to me.
What kind of musical introduces the standard cliche of a newly arrived young woman and then leaves her worse off at the end of the show than she was when she started? I won't elaborate on that so as not to spoil the hideously unpleasant and pointless surprise.... -
Review from Roy R.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
6/22/2011
The A.C.T. is the most enjoyable venue for theater/plays in San Francisco! The bar downstairs makes intermissions special. Just the right size and plenty of seats.
We saw "Tales of the City" there last week. I was a fan of the book and the TV series, but not the play. The vocal talent of the cast was excellent, but the material they had to sing was mediocre at best. An unfortunate waste of talent. -
Review from Mennlay A.
Oakland, CA
6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
The ACT is the place to be, (sorry that was a bit cheesy). I guess I'm into cheesy shit though. I popped my A.C.T cherry several months back to see Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming". The play itself was bizarre--in a good way. My second time was better, I felt a little more broken-in while swaying softly to The World Premier of Armistead Maupin's "Tales of The City Musical". I was skeptical at first but went through an array of emotions. I cringed, danced (just a little bit so that no one could see), I clapped with about three other people to some funny innuendo's. And I cried. I actually cried. It was fabulous.
The American Conservatory Theatre is beautiful and extremely well maintained. The seats are velvety cushioned. Clean bathrooms. Marble floors, gorgeous mezzanine and chandeliers all about. The ushers are calm and respectable. And the merchandise booth tends to be generous.
Just a note*** I would recommend going to the bar on ground level during intermission if you'd like a beverage such as beer, wine, or a soft drink. The full bar, located on the 3rd floor, tends to be more zoo-like than anyone would want to admit with a line that will last longer than intermission itself. Perhaps you can be classy like me and bring a flask. -
Review from Ann L.
6/3/2011
Went to ACT to see "Tales of the City" playing right now thru July 24, 2011. I went on the Pay What You Wish night which was Thurs 6/2/11 8pm show. I showed up at 4pm to get a ticket at the box office (which opened at 6pm) and the line was already 20-something people deep, I know two people were in line at 3pm when I first walked by.
We couldn't go into the theater until 7:30pm for the 8pm start. At 7pm you can head downstairs to where there is a bar to buy drinks. There was a stand to buy Tales souvenirs and bathrooms are downstairs too.
Tip: You can bring drinks into the theater. You can also order your drinks before intermission & have it waiting for you.
Show is 3hrs long. 8pm-9:25pm, 20-min intermission, then it goes until 11pm.
Really fun show about Mary Ann from Cleveland, OH, moving to SF, her landlord, and stuff that happens to her & others. I liked the songs & she has a nice voice. One of the guys has a great voice that I liked. -
Review from kim n.
11/16/2011
I have to say that I think the experience is dictated by the seats. If you sit in the Mezzanine way to the right or left, there's no way your legs are comfortable unless you're a midget. David Mamet's "Race" was a great play but the small seats and being next to a really annoying woman (not ACT's fault) didn't help the cause. Though if you come last minute you may get said seats deeply discounted. Just make sure you know what you're in for. 3.5 stars
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Review from Jason B.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2011
Fabulous theatre - beautiful! Sound was great, although from where I was sitting (pretty high up there) it took a bit of time to get used to the acoustics.
I loved the show I saw here, and I would definitely, definitely go back (or if I'm lucky, be in a show). -
Review from Andy M.
San Francisco, CA
7/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Visited the A.C.T. last night ("TotC"). Great performance! Thanks!
PROS:
* smaller size of the theater
* terrific acoustics and light setup
* great performers troops
* pleasant and cozy atmosphere of the classic theater
* nice selection of wines at the bar (glass of Chandon $9)
CONS:
* lack of snacks (M&M's don't count) variety at the bar.
* any photography anywhere inside the House is prohibited. Even half an hour before the play! (this is not an airport with "amber" alert, thank God!)
* pretty narrow seats, no shoulder/elbow room (I swim and not that huge).
* drinks are allowed in the house(?!) Why?! I mean I like drinks, but don't enjoy when sitting down dressed up and in anticipation of the good show someone is carrying plastic cup full of beer and trying to squeeze to their seat one row up all of the sudden trips over right behind you. Not a pretty picture. This probably allows theater to make extra money selling more booze, but still... Policy driven feature, could be fixed.
Enjoy the show! -
Review from Nina Y.
12/24/2010
I watched "A Christmas Carol" here recently and was wowed by the experience. The lobby was decorated all festive-like which went great with the play. There were a group outside singing Christmas carols which definitely got me in the Christmas mood although it was weeks beforehand. I was looking at the various signs and it's a small theater - much smaller than the Orpheum but they have more shows that have shorter runs.
A couple notes:
Parking down the street is only $12 if you went to the theater. The parking lot has this crazy skinny area for going up and down floors. It's all spiral and pretty tight and steep.
Order drinks before the show starts to be ready by intermission. There is an outrageous amount of people trying to get drinks and order drinks and that would just make things so much easier.
Surprisingly I went to the women's restroom during intermission and there was NO LINE. I did go a little before the end of intermission, but that's beside the point. NO LINE PEOPLE.
I loved "A Christmas Carol" and loved the experience that I had there. I hope that my boyfriend will buy more tickets to see various other shows here.Listed in: Culturally Stimulating
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Review from Steve S.
San Francisco, CA
9/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like performing arts and what better place than ACT. Theater is well kept and clean. Performances are really great. Beware: blue hairs clog the matinee's, but hey, wont we all be looking for easy parking at some point?
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Review from Ellen C.
5/3/2011
We observed "No Exit" here a couple of weeks ago. I believe it was opening night and we got in at the last minute, so we didn't have the best seats. Nonetheless, given that this is a more intimate theater - the view was still terrific.
It's a lovely theater - a perfect size really. Wonderful venue for a play or smaller production because the acoustics don't compromise the audio. The seats are luxurious or anything, but I managed to stay put for the entire show (although it was short).
Another plus of A.C.T. is that it's located in a rather bustling area with plenty of other options in terms of dining and drinking for your pre or post-show needs. -
Review from Karen N.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2011
This review is for the theater itself. I'm completely ignoring the production I saw (The Homecoming) as that was not my cup of tea.
A.C.T. is a beautiful theater. It doesn't border on the ostentatious, it's wholly ostentatious and I love it. Imagine a night out in the 1900s among the truly gentry class. Ok, I may be romanticizing this theater too much but gentlemen, if you want to take your lady out to a nice theater, this is it. There are several seating levels to fit whatever your budget may be and of course, there's a lounge/bar area for your drinking pleasure.
The theater is also well situated as there are plenty of great restaurants within walking distance. And, you can easily get there via cab or car (park at the Mason/O'Farrell garage and get the theater rate, 5 hours for 12 bucks). -
Review from Rachel M.
Oakland, CA
9/28/2011
Once in a Lifetime
I can only say that I am glad I bought the cheap seats via Groupon, otherwise what an utter waste of time this production turned out to be. In point of fact I left at the first opportunity (the first intermission). WHEW! Made a clean escape. Talk about dated, embarrassingly cloyingly cute and only possibly able to be enjoyed by very old very white folks. Not for me, no way. -
Review from Marc A.
11/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Make it 3.5 stars because the theater is beautiful but I can't understand why they do young people outreach and then treat anyone under 50 with attitude. Oh well...
On a side note, they do allow you to order your drinks in advance so they are ready at intermission. You gotta know some young person thought of that! -
Review from Lisa M.
1/12/2011
My friend dragged me..literally.. here over the holidays to cheer me up and made me go see "A Christmas Carol" which is something I would have never gone to see if left up to my own devices. Nevertheless, a long time ago I saw the "Pale Rider" here as well. Beautiful old theater. Just gorgeous. They have a nice lounge area for breaks and before the show if you get there early.
Well worth it. During A Christmas Carol they had a cool ghost effect where the ghost flew up into a hole in the ceiling. Neat-o. -
Review from Stephen M.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2011 7 Check-ins Here
I've been attending ACT-SF's mainstage productions for two years now as a regular. I'm not a well-educated critic, but the productions have been increasingly political and less interesting. I dare say the productions even seem to be serving the Artistic Director more than anyone else, which is a disappointment because not everyone seems to share her vision.
I applaud the school for training such amazing actors and I love the core acting company. I love that tickets are $10.00 for preview balcony seats, so maybe I shouldn't complain too much if a production doesn't suit my own taste.
The theater is gorgeous, too.
But, I don't think I'll be going back for a while. -
Review from Bert W.
New Orleans, LA
Beautiful theater. Seats in the nose bleed section were odd because some are actually taller than others but the view was fine.
Tales of the City was good and I loved Mona. But a little too many inside jokes and as with most musicals the second act was not as good as the first. -
Review from Tamar D.
12/5/2010 2 Check-ins Here
ACT is a small theater, and one that I like to support wholeheartedly because it is a professional theater company and one that trains actors at the same time. The top three San Francisco theaters are The Curran, The Orpheum, and ACT. While at The Curran and Orpheum you get Broadway shows on rotation throughout the year (although, like Wicked, sometimes for an ENTIRE year), ACT offers shorter runs, and tons of variety in terms of the type of productions that they put on there.
The seats are super comfortable, in my opinion, where my knees don't feel like they're up against the seat in front of me (I'm not even that tall) and they're springy-cushy.
Tonight I saw A Christmas Carol, and it was fairly well done. -
Review from Toni M.
Updated - 7/5/2011
Saturday Alan and I saw the musical incarnation of "Tales of the City", which I read avidly when it was published in serial form in the Chronicle in the 70s. Loved it in both forms. The adaptation was excellent and the characters translated perfectly. I laughed and cried and the story has been living in my mind since we saw it. I want to see it again to pick up what I missed. It's playing through the end of July and I hope will be extended further. It's a treat and I encourage you to see it. Straight or gay, young or old, there will be something that resonates for you.
Listed in: Theatres and Theatre Companies
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/18/2008
Today we saw a matinee performance of Tom Stoppard's latest play, "Rock 'n' Roll". Tom Stoppard is… Read more »
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Review from Stacy S.
San Mateo, CA
2/2/2011 14 Check-ins Here
A Christmas Carol and many other amazing plays make up an amazing season at ACT. Every year it keeps getting better and better. I love the fact that they often do world premiers. I love going to the theatre here... many amazing restaurants and good places to drink!
Come here and come often! -
Review from Katie S.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2009
Not a bad seat in the house.
I saw Boleros for the Disenchanted here the night before I left SF and while the play left something to be desired, the theatre did not. Beautiful and ornate, this playhouse reminds me a little of the Paramount, but on a much smaller scale.
Apparently tickets start at $14 here and after seeing this play (I wanted a decent seat so I paid over $60) I'd got the cheap route if I were to come here again.
Like I said, there's not a bad seat here. Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for some culture (other than the SF MOMA & The Asian Art Museum) downtown.Listed in: Left my wallet in San…
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Review from Kristina R.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2007
We saw a comedy performance here called Fool Moon. It was amazing.
But what really bowled me over was the theater. It's in amazing shape after all these years. One can truly appreciate the love and care that went into the preservation of this San Francisco landmark.
I love being in the seats, watching people on stage, stealthily glancing around at the other patrons of the arts sitting around me in the dark. It's an experience like no other.
I feel oddly cultured and couth whenever I am given a chance to attend a performance here.
That's right. I said "couth." Wanna make somethin' of it?! -
Review from Ed U.
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=vWRaUT nBn_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. -
Review from Adrienne G.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2010
Came to American Conservatory Theater to see VIGIL this past weekend & have to say.....really like ACT, only half-liked Vigil
The Play was good but not great - comedy about mistaken identity & a greedy nephew looking to score his aunt's estate. Was hoping for more witty banter between Olympia Dukakis & the male lead but she was silent for about 95% of the Play & there was a very sad ending but that's all the spoiling I'm gonna do
ACT is a great venue - last time were here was for The Graduate stinkaroo w/ Jerry Hall
Seats are comfy if not a bit close together. Views are semi-blocked soon as someone sits in front of you - but you can lean fairly easily around it
Sound is good - didn't need earplugs; staff is really nice; temp was comfortable
Enjoyable evening in an absolutely gorgeous venue!Listed in: Meet You At The Theeatah
