American Conservatory Theater: The Geary Theater

San Francisco, United States

4.3

24 reviews

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Telephone:
+1 415-749-2228
Website:
www.act-sf.org
Address:
415 Geary St, San Francisco, CA, 94102
at Mason St
Tenderloin, Union Square
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
430 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 6, Hilton Hotel
590 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 16, Union Square North
720 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 5, Union Square South
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Local time (San Francisco) 15:08 Wednesday, 2 July 2025

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Description

Specialties

American Conservatory Theater nurtures the art of live theater through dynamic productions, intensive actor training in our conservatory, and an ongoing dialogue with our audience and our community. We embrace our responsibility to conserve, renew, and reinvent the rich theatrical traditions that are our collective legacy, while exploring new artistic forms and new communities.

History

Established in 1967.

A.C.T. opened its first San Francisco season in 1967. In the 1970s, A.C.T. solidified its national and international reputation, winning a Tony Award for outstanding theater performance and training in 1979. During the past three decades, more than 300 A.C.T. productions have been performed to a combined audience of seven million people; today, A.C.T.‘s performance, education, and outreach programs annually reach more than 250,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area. A.C.T. is nationally recognized for its groundbreaking productions of classical works and bold explorations of contemporary playwriting.

The conservatory serves over 3,000 students every year. It was the first actor training program in the United States not affiliated with a college or university accredited to award a master of fine arts degree. Danny Glover, Annette Bening, Denzel Washington, Benjamin Bratt, and Anika Noni Rose are among the conservatory’s distinguished former students.

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«At the YC students ages 8 to 19 develop their talents, perform, and gain the confidence to succeed — all in a creative and fun environment.»

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«Studio A.C.T. offers a wide range of acting and performance classes for adults. Sign up for three classes in any session and get a special discount!»

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24 reviews of American Conservatory Theater: The Geary Theater

No registration required
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Came here a few times due to the SFPL getting free passes for shows.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
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.
Place rating: 3
Hayward, CA
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.
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
I can here for a few performances in the past few years. The productions can be hit or miss.
So far the MUST see performance for 2016 is Satchmo at the Waldorf. John Douglas Thompson is a very talented performer. If they have the Oscars for theater, he’s should win one for his performance in this production.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
From Wikipedia: John Douglas Thompson (born 1964) is an Obie Award-​winning Canadian-​American actor who has been described as «one of the most compelling classical stage actors of his generation.» I can’t say it better. This was an amazing performance. My only problem — once again — is the «F» word. I’m soooo hoping that Louis Armstrong did not actually use it as often as it was used in this performance. Perhaps all writers need to examine their skills if they cannot write performance art dialogue without using the «F» word over and over and over and over again. I’m absolutely certain there are enough literate people out there who could help them find other appropriate words. Is it possible the public would not understand those other words? Try us! Don’t take your kids to this performance unless you want them to hear every possible conjugation of the «F» word and its variety of modifying verbs, adjectives, nouns, etc.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Saw «Satchmo at the Waldorf» this past Saturday night and was totally BLOWN AWAY! The performance, the script, the props, everything was absolutely amazing! Unlike movies, there are no second or third takes, so Mr. Thompson had to perform his A-​game acting out three (3) mind you, different characters. Amazing! …totally blown away! Great play! LOVED the script!
Place rating: 4
Monterey, CA
Saw A Christmas Carol here. I have always wanted to see a show at ACT since they have some pretty fabulous shows and alums. The show itself was okay. The special effects were EXCELLENT. Seriously. The best I’ve ever seen in a play. However, they added some things that I haven’t seen in other versions of the classic Charles Dickens story.
The concessions stand was not well done. It was slow moving since there was one person taking orders/​assembling drinks/​taking cash for each side. The seats didn’t have much legroom, though I would expect that of a theater in the city. The theater itself is BEAUTIFUL, though.
TIP: Don’t drive! Take public transit instead! It isn’t a terrible walk from Powell BART and you really don’t want to have to drive/​park in San Francisco.
Place rating: 4
Union City, CA
I’ve seen quite a few plays/​musicals at this location and it is my preferred spot to go to. Leg space is basically non existent when sitting down, but I love that their ticket prices are actually affordable for me to go there. I always sit in the nosebleeds but I can see everything really well. So, I’d recommend just going for the nosebleeds if you happened to want to see a show here! :)
(Also, I accidentally left my pink IKEA umbrella there… if anyone finds it please let me know.)
Place rating: 5
Brisbane, CA
Just saw the Christmas Carol last night to get the family in the Christmas Spirit. Great show really enjoyable. Took the whole family even the teenagers enjoyed the show.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
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.
Place rating: 4
Hercules, CA
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.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
Preview tonight of Eugene O’Neil’s «ah, wilderness». LONG play, be prepared. sweet period piece. don’t wanna be too critical, it’s PREVIEW week, after all. first act seems a little amateurish, kinda college or high school thespian-​ish. 2nd act better. great theater, good set. Bought cheap-​ass 7 dollar gold
upper balcony seats. was VERY pleasantly surprised they had assigned us wonderful front of orchestra seats (so as to fill the house)., VERY nice gesture. We’ll be back; the Louis Armstrong play coming up looks incredible.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I rarely watch plays, but I kept seeing posters for Between Riverside and Crazy on the BART and thought it was worth checking out. I was not disappointed it was an amazing show the best show I have seen all year. IN addition the Theater was beautiful as was the service. This was a great way to spend a Saturday Night and I cannot recommend between Riverside and Crazy enough such an awesome performance and show. I plan on going to the next show when it opens.
Five Stars.
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
I grew up on stage and will always be a theater kid at heart. When I learned that the American Conservatory Theater (ACT) was putting on a production of The Last Five Years I had to buy tickets.
The Last Five Years is a musical written by Tony award winner Jason Robert Brown. JRB is also a proud alumni of my childhood summer camp, French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts. FWF represent! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting JRB, and I remember the days where kids at my camp used to audition with songs from The Last Five Years. As you can tell his work is close to my heart!
The production of The Last Five Years was only at the ACT for two days. Thankfully my friend and I snagged tickets and made a fun evening of it. Neither of us had ever been to the ACT, so we were excited to check it out. The theater is incredibly beautiful. It’s by far my new favorite theater in the city. What makes it even better is that it is a non-​profit organization dedicated to keeping the arts alive. If I grew up in San Francisco I would have loved to be a part of the ACT community.
The show was amazing! It is technically a musical in concert, meaning the two actors go back and forth singing songs. Besides the singing there is no dialect involved. The play is about the highs and lows of a romantic relationship between Cathy and Jamie over a period of five years. Cathy was played by Betsy Wolfe, and Jamie by Adam Kantor. These two were unbelievable! I had such a good experience at the ACT, and I plan to attend many more shows in the near future!
Place rating: 3
Half Moon Bay, CA
The Point: Seeing plays at ACT is like engaging in «Play Roulette.» To explain my critique:
ACT embraces a wide variety of interesting and unique productions. However, the quality of the plays seem to be equally as unpredictable. While some are excellent (Christmas Carol, Stuck Elevator), others seem to lack cohesive story lines (Arcadia, Mr. Burns). The concessions selection is great, and the playhouse is beautiful.
Hope that helps :) !
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
A very classy place to take in a show. They have a limited cocktail bar on the third floor with excellent drinks., I think its time for a martini.
Place rating: 4
San Ramon, CA
Went with 3 of my 4 kids and my mother to see A Christmas Carol on 12÷24÷14. Kids are 9, 8, and 7. My wife stayed home with our 3 year old because kids under 5 aren’t allowed inside. That is a shame, but I understand why.
We loved this production, all of us. The kids were thoroughly entertained, I was entertained, and my 82 year old mother (and former stage actress) loved it. My kids are still singing the songs from the play two weeks later.
I was a little worried about bringing small kids to the theatre, however, I have a long history with the ACT and went for it. I have been coming here since my mother brought me to see Oklahoma! in the early 1970’s. My kids had a great time. Since there were so many other kids in attendance, we managed to line them up with kids in front of them, so there was no problem seeing the stage. We sat in the mezzanine a few rows from the leading edge. We could all hear the actors clearly, important in a stage production.
Production values were high throughout. Good lighting, clever set design with some memorable sleight of hand, great costumes, and the aforementioned clear acoustics. I haven’t been here since the big upgrade, and the place looks great, embued with new life.
The actor who plays Scrooge, James Carpenter, is wonderful. He was the best part of the production. He was scary and mean, and engaged our empathy late in the play.
Prices were pretty reasonable in my opinion, my seats in the mezzanine were $ 50/​each. More than a movie I know, but worth it to me.
We won’t be coming to any avant garde productions with my small kids, but sign me up for family fare, we’ll be back.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
‘A Christmas Carol’ (by Charles Dickens) was superb = 5 stars! Very well done, and it got me into the holiday spirit! My friends and I had balcony seats and were still able to get a clear view of the stage! And, the voices of the performers were audible — hence that was a pro. The person playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge did a phenomenal job — as well as the rest of the cast members w/​their specific roles.
This theater had somewhat of a cozy feel to it, and it was festively decorated for the holidays. How nice! Note — the theater is located in the TL; it neighbors the Curran Theatre. It’s close to a number of restaurants (if you wish to pick up food and/​or drinks before/​after showtime). Also walkable from Union Square.
I hope to return to this theater for other showings!
— — —
Update: I returned to the theater to catch Indian Ink — this was well acted out, though I wasn’t a huge fan of the storyline (a bit too slow for me)…
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
Love coming to a show here at the ACT. It’s a very intimate setting and there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. The orchestra seats are the best; although they are very close together. The seats are pretty comfortable. You are so close to the stage it’s like you’re a part of the production. Staff are friendly. I’d recommend coming to a show here anytime.
Place rating: 4
Brisbane, CA
We saw the Christmas carol with the kids (8 and 5 yrs old), and it kept the little ones entertained. They loved the play, and it wasn’t too long to keep their attention.
We got great seats through golfstar, and there is even validation for parking! What a deal!
This is a professional play with great actors, scenery, and costumes. This will be our Christmas tradition for years to come!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
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.
Place rating: 5
Walnut Creek, CA
A cozy little theatre with great views of the stage from any seat.
I prefer sitting in front orchestra if I can get tickets because I like to be up close and personal and totally engrossed in the scenes.
The acting is stellar. Always has been since my middle school field trips to A.C.T.
They have youth programs, pre-​performance programs, individual tickets, and of course season tickets.
If you’re a patron of the arts, then this is the theatre for you!
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
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
Place rating: 5
Oakland, CA
What a wonderful theater! It’s very snug, so don’t bring a bulky coat or big bag. My knees were a quarter– inch from the seat in front. But once you’re settled in, prepare to enjoy your visit to ACT. The temperature, lighting, stage, pitch and scale were all really great if you like to feel cozy with your fellow theater-​goers. It feels like it’s been there a hundred years, but font miss the Loma Preita photos on the wall… they blew my mind. What a remodel/​repair!
Parking? It’s near Union Square. Do doable. But save yourself the hassle and BART it.