American Conservatory Theater to Release A FIVE-ACT PLAY: 50 YEARS OF A.C.T.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announced today that it will release A Five-Act Play: 50 Years of A.C.T., a specially-commissioned commemorative book that provides a backstage and onstage perspective on A.C.T.'s rich 50-year history. Written by A.C.T.'s resident dramaturg Michael Paller­­--and published by San Francisco's Chronicle Books--A Five-Act Play: 50 Years of A.C.T. is an inside story of the Tony Award-winning theater organization and celebrates 50 years of commitment to the highest standards of live storytelling and the artists of the future.

Broken into five compelling chapters-1967-69: Settling in San Francisco; The 1970s: Triumph; 1979-89: Disaster; The 1990s: Rebirth; and The Millennium: Growth and Renewal- Five-Act Play: 50 Years of A.C.T. is rich with anecdotes and insights and lavishly illustrated with hundreds of archival photographs, many seen for the very first time.

"In doing the research and interviews for this book, I discovered a story that's incredibly dramatic, like a great play with an unforgettable cast of larger-than-life characters," saidPaller. "It's one thing to say-and it's certainly true-that for 50 years, A.C.T. has believed that its task was to not only produce great plays but, unlike any other theater in America, to train great actors to perform them. It's another thing to relive the risks, the sacrifices, the triumphs, the mistakes, the love, and the sheer energy of so many people whose work, skill, and dedication have made those aspirations a reality. I'm thrilled that I can share A.C.T.'s great history with our audience and with everyone who's interested in the theater."

Adds A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff: "Fifty years after he founded A.C.T., Bill Ball's imaginative vision for a San Francisco theater devoted in equal parts to great theater and great actor training has continued to inspire us. It has been a moving and inspiring adventure to create this 50th anniversary book. Our dramaturg, Michael Paller, has worked tirelessly to uncover the fascinating history of this institution, through good times and bad, using prose and photos, interviews and images. As the only free-standing theater in America accredited to grant a Masters of Fine Arts degree in acting, A.C.T. has always been about the future of the art form. And the best way to anticipate the future is to understand the past. With A Five-Act Play: 50 Years of A.C.T., we renew our vows and explore our legacy in a beautiful volume that covers all the plays, people, programs, educational initiatives, community partnerships, new works, tours, and much more. It will be a book to treasure."

Five-Act Play: 50 Years of A.C.T. will be available at The Geary Theater and The Strand Theater, as well as various bookstores through the Bay Area, beginning on Thursday, April 27, 2017. It is currently available for pre-order online at www.act-sf.org/fiveactplay.

A.C.T. wishes to thank Mary and Steven Swig and Frannie Fleishhacker, members of San Francisco families whose lives are deeply embedded in A.C.T.'s history and whose generous support made this book possible.