San Francisco Theater

San Francisco Theaters

Although there are theaters all over the Bay area, San Francisco's theater district is located just south of Union Square in the center of town. A dozen theaters, here, compete for patrons, with first-run musical, dramatic, and comedy performances. Here are some of the city's best:

• Curran Theatre - 445 Geary Blvd., San Francisco CA 94102
  Opened in 1922, the Curran is one of the most lovely and gracious of San Francisco's downtown theaters. Restored in 1993, the theater boasts elaborate crystal chandeliers, leather seats, and original murals. The Curran has been the site of many world, pre-Broadway premieres, such as Wicked. The theater is currently the site of the city's "Best of Broadway" series.
• Golden Gate Theater - One Taylor Blvd., San Francicso CA 94102
  This glorious theater opened in 1922 and saw all the top performers, including George Burns, Frank Sinatra, the Marx Brothers, and Josephine Baker. As with many downtown theaters, the Golden Gate fell into decline in the 1960s and eventually closed. It was slated for demolition before it was saved by a grass-roots effort and reopened, best than ever, in 1979. Since then, the theater has played host to a series of first-run musicals, including Sweeney Todd with Angela Lansbury, Fiddler on the Roof with Topol, and more recently Billy Joel's Movin' Out. The Golden Gate is scheduled to host Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest musical Vita in late 2006.
• The Fillmore Theater - 1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco CA 94102; 415 346-6000
  This historic theater, opened in 1912, has seen beat poets, 60s music greats such as Ike and Tina Turner and Janis Joplin, and modern acts, such as Ted Nugent and Stephen Sills. The theater focuses primarily on musical acts.
• Orpheum Theatre - 1192 Market St., San Francisco CA 94102; 415 551-2000
  Consistently one of the most popular theaters in the city and home to major productions, such as Rent, Lion King, and Phantom of the Opera.
• The Post Street Theatre - 450 Post St., San Francisco CA 94102
  Once an Elks Lodge, the 729-seat Post Street Theater opened in 1982 in the circa 1924 building. Since then, the theater has hosted up-and-coming artists and singular performances, such as Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Dame Edna: the Royal Tour, and Lily Tomlin's Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.
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  San Francisco Theater Companies

• Actors Theatre of San Francisco - 533 Sutter St., San Francisco CA 94102; 415 296-9179
  Formed in 1989, the Actor's Theatre of San Francisco, emphasizes works having to do with the human condition. The company has debuted works by David Mamet and Eric Bogosian as well as produced modern classics by Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, and Arthur Miller.
• Beach Blanket Babylon - Club Fugazi, 678 Green St., San Francisco, CA; 415 421-4222
  The longest running musical revue in the world, Beach Blanket Babylon is a musical spoof of popular culture, with up-beat music and extravagant costumes. It's a must-see for visitors to the Bay area.
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  Attending San Francisco Theater

  Tickets to San Francisco theaters can be purchased at the individual theater box offices and websites as well as ticket brokers, such as Ticketmaster.
  
  Half price tickets are sold on the day of the performance, as available, at the TIX Bay Area booth on the Powell Street side of Union Square. Some San Francisco theaters also offer discounted tickets at their box offices on the day of the performance.

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