A.C.T. Opens New Performance Space in Mid-Market Neighborhood

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is proud to open a new performance space, The Costume Shop. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee helped celebrate this momentous occasion at the opening celebration event, which took place today from 4:30 to 6  p.m., and was attended by A.C.T.'s family of artists and supporters, as well as representatives from numerous arts organizations around the Bay Area. Located at 1117 Market Street (at 7th Street) in the heart of San Francisco's Mid-Market neighborhood in the space below A.C.T.'s longtime costume shop, this flexible, 49-seat venue will be home to an eclectic lineup of professional and A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program productions. Solidifying A.C.T.'s presence in the rapidly developing and artistically vibrant Mid-Market neighborhood, The Costume Shop will connect A.C.T. to a community with a long, rich history as a center for the arts in San Francisco. Also available for rent, The Costume Shop will enable A.C.T. to partner with exciting local artists and performing arts companies, propelling the creation of transformative new work for years to come. With approximately 2,400 square feet, including a lobby space, backstage area, and dressing rooms, and located only steps from the Civic Center BART and MUNI stations, The Costume Shop is an ideal black-box theater and a very exciting addition to A.C.T.'s performance venues. The Costume Shop is made possible by a generous grant from The James Irvine Foundation. For more information on The Costume Shop and for a list of upcoming productions, please visit www.act-sf.org/costumeshop.

            "A.C.T.'s new Costume Shop performance space is a wonderful example of the spirit that has taken hold on Central Market to transform and infuse the area with art, performance, and gathering spaces," said Mayor Ed Lee. "I commend A.C.T. for creatively repurposing this space and creating local jobs, and I look forward to supporting their continued efforts to develop a larger presence on Central Market." A.C.T. General Manager Don-Scott Cooper added: "The launch of the new Costume Shop space has been a huge success for A.C.T. We've wanted for years to have a stronger presence in the Mid-Market neighborhood and to create a storefront theater space that allows us to be a part of that community will pay back in dividends for our artists and conservatory students. We are thrilled to be side by side with all of the amazing arts organizations that call this burgeoning neighborhood their home."

The event included remarks from Mayor Ed Lee, A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff, A.C.T. Board of Trustees Chair Nancy Livingston, and A.C.T. Board of Trustees President Rusty Rueff. The A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program class of 2013 performed two selections from A Musical Revue, which is performing at The Costume Shop this weekend.

American Conservatory Theater is a Tony Award–winning theater and educational institution dedicated to nurturing the art of live theater through Dynamic Productions, intensive actor training in its conservatory, and an ongoing engagement with its community. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Carey Perloff and Executive Director Ellen Richard, A.C.T. embraces its responsibility to conserve, renew, and reinvent its relationship to the rich theatrical traditions and literatures that are our collective legacy, while exploring new artistic forms and new communities. A commitment to the highest standards informs every aspect of A.C.T.'s creative work. Founded in 1965, A.C.T. opened its first San Francisco season at the historic Geary Theater in 1967. More than 320 A.C.T. productions have since been performed to a combined audience of more than seven million people; today, A.C.T.'s performance, education, and outreach programs annually reach more than 230,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area. The conservatory, which serves 3,000 students annually, has moved to the forefront of America's actor training programs, while serving as the creative engine of the company at large. Today A.C.T. is recognized for its groundbreaking productions of classical works and bold explorations of contemporary playwriting.

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