American Conservatory Theater
American Conservatory Theater is a San Francisco nonprofit theater company and actor-training institution presenting classical, contemporary, and newly commissioned stage work.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
American Conservatory Theater, commonly known as A.C.T., is a nonprofit performing-arts organization based in San Francisco, California. Its work combines professional theatrical production with actor education and community-oriented training. The organization is best known for maintaining a repertory and producing model that places classical drama, modern plays, musicals, and new work within the same institutional program. Alongside its public performances, A.C.T. operates a conservatory serving professional actors, adult students, young people, and workplace-training participants. The company was founded in 1965 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by theater and opera director William Ball, in association with the Pittsburgh Playhouse and Carnegie Mellon University. It relocated to San Francisco during its first season. Ball introduced the organization to the city through an ambitious rotating-repertory schedule: during the first 40-week San Francisco season, the company presented 27 fully staged productions in the Geary Theater and the Marines Memorial Theatre. The original acting company included performers such as René Auberjonois, Peter Donat, Richard Dysart, Michael Learned, Ruth Kobart, Paul Shenar, Charles Siebert, Ken Ruta, Ray Reinhardt, and Kitty Winn. A.C.T. developed a reputation for ambitious classical productions and for giving actors a sustained ensemble environment. Productions of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac from the 1970s were later televised by PBS. The organization's educational identity also developed early. Its conservatory has offered intensive actor training since the 1960s, while the Young Conservatory, founded in 1971, created a structured theater program for children and teenagers. Alumni of A.C.T.'s youth and professional programs include performers such as Darren Criss, Brie Larson, Milo Ventimiglia, and Zendaya. Leadership and facilities have changed substantially over time. William Ball left the artistic-director position in the mid-1980s after exhaustion and criticism concerning financial management. Founding member Edward Hastings subsequently led the company and helped stabilize its artistic fortunes. A major institutional disruption followed the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which severely damaged the Geary Theater. A.C.T. continued to perform at other San Francisco venues while its primary home was unavailable. Carey Perloff served as artistic director from 1992 through the 2017–2018 season, a period associated with renewed production activity and the commissioning and presentation of contemporary work alongside classics. In 2007, A.C.T. issued a cast recording of Perloff's production of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's Happy End, produced with LucasArts; the recording was described as the first English-language recording of the musical's complete score. Pam MacKinnon was appointed Perloff's successor for the end of the 2017–2018 season. The company's principal venue is the Toni Rembe Theater, formerly the Geary Theater, a historic building at 415 Geary Street in San Francisco's Theater District. Designed by Walter D. Bliss and William D. Faville and opened in 1910, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a San Francisco designated landmark. Its name changed to the Toni Rembe Theater in 2022 following a $35 million gift from an anonymous donor. A.C.T. also operates the Strand Theater, a smaller venue on Market Street that it acquired in 2012 and opened after renovation in 2015. The Strand includes a 283-seat theater and a 120-seat event and performance space used for workshops, cabaret, commissioned works, and conservatory-related activity. A.C.T.'s current training portfolio includes Studio A.C.T. for year-round adult classes, the Young Conservatory for students through age 19, the San Francisco Semester, the Summer Training Congress, and A.C.T. @work professional and workplace training. The Summer Training Congress began in 1969, and the San Francisco Semester launched in 2013. A.C.T. operated a WASC-accredited Master of Fine Arts acting program from 1984 until 2022. The MFA was discontinued after the organization concluded that a freestanding graduate program without a university affiliation was not financially sustainable. Today, the institution's identity rests on the combination of a producing theater, historic San Francisco venues, actor education, youth development, and public cultural programming.
History
American Conservatory Theater was established in 1965 by theater and opera director William Ball in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Playhouse and Carnegie Mellon University. The company moved to San Francisco during its first season and quickly adopted an unusually ambitious repertory model. Across its first 40-week San Francisco season, it staged 27 fully produced works in two venues: the Geary Theater and the Marines Memorial Theatre. Its founding company included a large ensemble of actors, among them René Auberjonois, Peter Donat, Richard Dysart, Michael Learned, Ruth Kobart, Paul Shenar, Charles Siebert, Ken Ruta, Ray Reinhardt, and Kitty Winn. The early A.C.T. model emphasized sustained ensemble work, high production standards, and movement between classical and modern drama. During the 1970s, Ball's productions of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac were televised by PBS, extending the company's profile beyond San Francisco. The institution also developed its training mission alongside its professional theater. The first Summer Training Congress was held in 1969, and the Young Conservatory was founded in 1971 by Luanne and Ross Graham as a dedicated program for young performers. Ball's directorship ended in the mid-1980s. He was described as suffering from exhaustion and faced accusations of financial mismanagement before relinquishing the artistic-director position. Edward Hastings, an A.C.T. founding member and stage director, succeeded him and helped revive the company's fortunes. The next major interruption came with the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, which severely damaged the Geary Theater. A.C.T. maintained its production activity in other San Francisco venues while dealing with the loss of its principal home. Carey Perloff became artistic director in 1992 and remained in the position through the end of the 2017–2018 season. Her tenure continued A.C.T.'s commitment to established dramatic literature while supporting contemporary theater, new commissions, and special projects. One distinctive outcome was a 2007 cast recording of her production of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's Happy End. The recording was produced by LucasArts and included the musical's complete score; it was characterized as the first English-language recording of the work in that form. The company expanded its physical presence in the city during the 2010s. A.C.T. purchased the former Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street in 2012. The building had opened in 1917 as a silent-film venue, later operated as an adult cinema, and had been closed since 2003. Following renovation by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, A.C.T. opened the Strand in 2015. The building contains a 283-seat theater and a 120-seat event and performance area, allowing the company to host education programs, cabaret, commissioned works, and productions linked to its conservatory. A.C.T.'s historic Geary Theater, built in 1910 and designed by Walter D. Bliss and William D. Faville, remained the company's principal home. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated San Francisco landmark. In 2022, it was renamed the Toni Rembe Theater after an anonymous donor made a $35 million gift. Toni Rembe is a board member and former board chair of A.C.T. Pam MacKinnon was selected to succeed Perloff as artistic director, effective with the conclusion of the 2017–2018 season. The organization's educational work has continued through Studio A.C.T., the Young Conservatory, the San Francisco Semester, the Summer Training Congress, and A.C.T. @work. The Young Conservatory serves students through age 19 and has been led by directors including Candace Birk, Sharon Newman, Linda Aldrich, Susan Stauter, Craig Slaight, and Jill MacLean, who became director in 2017. A.C.T. operated a WASC-accredited Master of Fine Arts program for actors from 1984 to 2022. It ended the program after determining that a standalone graduate acting course without university affiliation was not financially viable. The decision shifted the conservatory's emphasis toward part-time study, youth education, semester and summer intensives, and professional training. A.C.T. has also played a role in theater-technology history: Dan Dugan was the first person credited with the title sound designer in regional theater at A.C.T. in the late 1960s. In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola directed Private Lives at A.C.T.; his father, Carmine Coppola, arranged the music while sound designer Charlie Richmond worked on the production during the editing of The Godfather.
- 2022
MFA program concludes
[1]A.C.T. ended its standalone graduate acting program after concluding that it was not financially feasible without university affiliation.
- 2022
Geary Theater renamed Toni Rembe Theater
[1]The company's historic main venue received a new name following a $35 million anonymous donation.
- 2018
Pam MacKinnon succeeds Carey Perloff
[1]MacKinnon took over as artistic director at the end of the 2017–2018 season.
- 2017
Jill MacLean becomes Young Conservatory director
[1]Jill MacLean became director of the youth training program.
- 2015
Strand Theater opens
[1]The renovated Strand opened with space for performances, workshops, events, and conservatory activity.
- 2013
San Francisco Semester launched
[1]A.C.T. introduced the San Francisco Semester as a full-time intensive actor-training program.
- 2012
Strand Theater acquired
[1]A.C.T. purchased the former Strand Theater on Market Street for renovation and institutional use.
- 2007
Happy End cast album released
[1]A.C.T. released a cast recording of Perloff's production of Happy End with LucasArts as producer.
- 1992
Carey Perloff begins artistic-director tenure
[1]Perloff became artistic director and led the company through the 2017–2018 season.
- 1989
Earthquake damages the Geary Theater
[1]The Loma Prieta earthquake severely damaged A.C.T.'s principal theater and required temporary alternative venues.
Products and positioning
A San Francisco nonprofit theater institution positioned at the intersection of professional production, classical and contemporary repertory, new work, and actor training. Its differentiation comes from combining a major producing theater with a long-running conservatory and youth-education system.
Theater production · 1965
Professional theater productions
A.C.T.'s central public offering is a season of professionally produced theater in San Francisco. The organization presents a mixture of classical drama, modern plays, musicals, contemporary works, and specially commissioned projects. Its historic identity is associated with ensemble-based repertory, while its later programming has combined canonical texts with new writing and performance formats.
Performance venue · 1910
Toni Rembe Theater
A.C.T.'s principal San Francisco venue is the historic Toni Rembe Theater, formerly called the Geary Theater. Built in 1910 in the Theater District, the building was designed in Classical Revival and Late Victorian styles and is recognized both nationally and locally for its historic significance. The venue supports the company's mainstage productions and forms the architectural center of its public identity.
Performance venue · 2015
Strand Theater
The Strand Theater is A.C.T.'s second principal venue, located on Market Street near the Civic Center. Originally opened for silent films in 1917, the building was later used as an adult cinema and closed in 2003. A.C.T. acquired and renovated it, reopening the facility in 2015 with a 283-seat theater and a 120-seat event and performance space. It is used for workshops, cabaret, commissioned work, and conservatory programming.
Youth theater education · 1971
Young Conservatory
The Young Conservatory provides theater education and performance training for young people through age 19. Founded in 1971, it has become one of A.C.T.'s most durable educational programs, combining instruction, rehearsal, performance, and exposure to professional theater practice. Its alumni include Darren Criss, Brie Larson, Milo Ventimiglia, and Zendaya.
Adult theater education
Studio A.C.T.
Studio A.C.T. offers year-round, part-time theater classes for adults. The program extends the conservatory beyond full-time professional training and provides access to acting and performance education for students with varied levels of experience.
Intensive actor training · 2013
San Francisco Semester
The San Francisco Semester is a full-time intensive actor-training program launched in 2013. It forms part of A.C.T.'s professional conservatory portfolio and offers concentrated study within the company's theater-centered educational environment.
Intensive actor training · 1969
Summer Training Congress
The Summer Training Congress is an intensive actor-training program whose first session took place in 1969. It provides concentrated seasonal study and is one of the longest-running components of A.C.T.'s conservatory tradition.
Professional training
A.C.T. @work
A.C.T. @work extends the organization's performance and communication expertise into professional and workplace training. It is part of the conservatory's broader effort to apply theater-based methods beyond conventional actor preparation.
Graduate actor training · 1984
Master of Fine Arts in Acting
A.C.T. operated a WASC-accredited Master of Fine Arts acting program from 1984 through 2022. The program provided graduate-level professional actor training but was discontinued when the organization determined that a standalone program without university affiliation was not financially sustainable.
Controversies
Criticism of William Ball's financial management
During the mid-1980s, founder and artistic director William Ball faced accusations of financial mismanagement alongside concerns about exhaustion. He relinquished the artistic-director post and was succeeded by Edward Hastings. The available reference does not provide further detail about the allegations or their resolution.
Brand decisions
2022
End the standalone MFA programStrategyBackground
A.C.T. reviewed the viability of operating a freestanding graduate actor-training program without affiliation to a university.
Action taken
The organization concluded its WASC-accredited MFA program after determining that the model was not financially feasible.
Aftermath
A.C.T.'s conservatory emphasis shifted toward Studio A.C.T., youth education, semester and summer intensives, and professional training.
2022
Rename the Geary Theater as the Toni Rembe TheaterOtherBackground
A.C.T. received a $35 million donation from an anonymous donor, with Toni Rembe recognized through the venue naming.
Action taken
The organization changed the historic venue's name from the Geary Theater to the Toni Rembe Theater.
Aftermath
The renamed venue remained A.C.T.'s primary performance home and continued the building's institutional association with the company.
Donation. $35 million (2022)
2017
Appoint Pam MacKinnon as artistic directorOtherBackground
Carey Perloff's long tenure as artistic director was approaching its conclusion after the 2017–2018 season.
Action taken
A.C.T. appointed Pam MacKinnon to succeed Perloff, effective at the end of the season.
Aftermath
The appointment marked a transition to new artistic leadership while retaining A.C.T.'s dual production and training mission.
2012
Acquire and redevelop the Strand TheaterStrategyBackground
A.C.T. sought an additional San Francisco venue for performances, education, and special programming.
Action taken
The organization purchased the former Strand Theater on Market Street and commissioned its renovation.
Aftermath
The renovated facility opened in 2015 with spaces supporting productions, workshops, cabaret, commissioned work, and conservatory activity.
1965
Adopt a large rotating-repertory modelStrategyBackground
At its launch in San Francisco, A.C.T. sought to distinguish itself through an unusually broad repertory schedule and a substantial resident acting company.
Action taken
The company staged 27 fully produced works over its first 40-week San Francisco season in two theaters.
Aftermath
The approach established A.C.T.'s early identity as an ambitious ensemble-based regional theater company.
Recent events
- 2025
Young Conservatory alumnus Darren Criss acknowledges A.C.T. at the Tony Awards[1]
Other
Darren Criss credited former Young Conservatory director Craig Slaight and the program during his acceptance speech for leading actor at the 2025 Tony Awards.
- 2022
A.C.T. ends its standalone MFA acting program[1]
Leadership change
The WASC-accredited MFA program, operated since 1984, concluded after A.C.T. determined that an unaffiliated standalone graduate program was not financially feasible.
- 2022
Geary Theater is renamed Toni Rembe Theater[1]
Other
A.C.T.'s historic primary venue received the Toni Rembe name following a $35 million donation from an anonymous donor.
- 2018
Pam MacKinnon succeeds Carey Perloff[1]
Leadership change
Pam MacKinnon was appointed artistic director effective at the conclusion of the 2017–2018 season.
- 2015
A.C.T. opens the Strand Theater[1]
Product launch
After acquiring and renovating a former silent-film venue on Market Street, A.C.T. opened the Strand for performances, workshops, and educational programming.
- 1992
Carey Perloff becomes artistic director[1]
Leadership change
Carey Perloff began a tenure as artistic director that lasted through the 2017–2018 season.
- 1989
Loma Prieta earthquake damages the Geary Theater[1]
Other
The earthquake severely damaged A.C.T.'s principal venue, forcing the company to continue productions in alternative San Francisco locations.
- 1965
American Conservatory Theater is founded in Pittsburgh[1]
Other
William Ball founded the company in association with the Pittsburgh Playhouse and Carnegie Mellon University before its move to San Francisco.
- 1965
A.C.T. begins its San Francisco repertory season[1]
Product launch
The company presented 27 fully staged productions in rotating repertory during its first 40-week San Francisco season.
Sources2 sources
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