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Download the order form. |
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Fax your completed order form to 415.433.2711 or mail it with payment to:
A.C.T. Student Matinee Program
30 Grant Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94108-5834
Questions?
Call SMAT Representative Edward Budworth at 415.439.2383.
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Welcome, Educators!
Greetings! We are delighted to welcome you to A.C.T.'s 2013–14 Student Matinee (SMAT) Program. Whether you're new to A.C.T. or have made our productions a regular part of your school year for decades, we invite you and your students to experience our insightful, engaging, and transformative upcoming season.
One of the first companies in the nation to offer low-cost performance tickets to schoolchildren, A.C.T.
has brought the power of live theater to hundreds of thousands of students since the company's arrival in
San Francisco in 1967. Each year, our SMAT Program introduces the joy of theatrical storytelling to young audiences from all over the Bay Area, many of whom would not otherwise attend theater. Join us for the highest-quality productions and unique, ACTsmart workshops customized for your students—all at very affordable prices. Only at A.C.T. can you experience theatrical storytelling in its most dynamic expression as we strive to bring you large-scale, multidisciplinary productions of our culture's greatest classic and contemporary dramatic literature.
Our upcoming season features productions filled with big dreams, big conflict, and big journeys. The fall begins with an iconic musical (staged by Tony Award–winning director Frank Galati) that brings the founding of our democracy to marvelous life, followed by Oscar-nominated actor David Strathairn as a globe-hopping librarian on a magical quest to trace a book more than a century overdue. A.C.T.'s tradition of presenting high-caliber productions of world classics continues with a new production of one of Shaw's greatest plays—a timelessly topical examination of war, women, and money—and a brand-new translation of an Italian comedy about a deviously resourceful mother's determination to secure her family's fortunes during
World War II. This is an adventurous, eclectic season guaranteed to challenge young minds and spark imaginations, and we hope you'll join us for these unparalleled theatrical experiences.
Click here for directions to the theaters!
A.C.T. Mainstage Productions
Performances take place at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater at 415 Geary Street, San Francisco, unless otherwise indicated.
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"Exciting and suspenseful . . . beautifully staged by director Frank Galati" —Sarasota Magazine
The new season begins with passionate (and patriotic) fireworks as A.C.T. presents the West Coast premiere of acclaimed director Frank Galati's triumphant new staging of 1776, one of the most beloved musicals of all time. More than 230 years ago, our founding fathers wrestled with infighting, held heated debates, and negotiated compromises while drafting the Declaration of Independence. In this exhilarating work, the political skirmishes that played out centuries ago have surprising contemporary resonance. Hailed by critics as "brilliant," "thrilling," and "utterly riveting"—and filled with glorious music and unforgettable characters—1776 takes us on a vivid, rousing, and suspenseful adventure into the fascinating first chapter of American history. |
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"A theatrical miracle . . . a cosmic puzzle that makes The Da Vinci Code seem like a game of
hide-and-seek" —Variety
Academy Award nominee David Strathairn (Lincoln; Good Night, and Good Luck; Scorched at A.C.T.) returns in the captivating solo drama Underneath the Lintel. In this riveting ghost story, an eccentric librarian finds a weather-beaten book in a return bin—and discovers that it is 113 years overdue. Sparked by a message left in its margins, he sets off on a quest to unravel the secrets of the book and the person who borrowed it. From the hallways of his library, he follows a chain of clues that spans the globe and dates back thousands of years. With astonishing twists and turns, Underneath the Lintel is a magical piece of storytelling that draws us into an unforgettable odyssey that is both "powerfully human and ultimately sublime" (Variety). |
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"The best Christmas Carol ever!" —Jan Wahl, KCBS
Featuring a lively cast of dozens, gorgeous costumes, and those deliciously spooky ghosts, the Bay Area's favorite holiday tradition returns with a sparkling, music-infused production of A Christmas Carol. Bring your family, bring your friends, and check your "humbugs" at the door!
*Special ordering rules apply. Please see order form. |
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"Elegant, eloquent, and very funny" —The New York Times
A.C.T. continues its tradition of presenting brilliantly reimagined classic works with a sumptuous production of Shaw's great political comedy Major Barbara. In this intriguing tangle of religion and business, a Salvation Army officer becomes disillusioned when her church accepts money from a whiskey distiller and armaments manufacturer—her own father. If the price of supporting the poor is complicity with the country's most successful gun factory, what is Barbara to do? As it explores timely themes of business, faith, family, and morality, Major Barbara remains one of Shaw's most topical and richly invigorating works. Coproduced with one of A.C.T.'s favorite Canadian collaborators, the show will be directed by Theatre Calgary Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum, featuring an international cast of both Canadian and American actors. |
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"Filled with earthy spirit and comic gusto" —The New York Times
A.C.T. favorite Marco Barricelli (artistic director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Vigil at A.C.T.) and Stratford Festival star Seana McKenna (Phèdre at A.C.T.) return to lead the cast of Napoli!, a vivid new translation of Eduardo De Filippo's poignant Italian comedy. During the chaotic days of World War II in Naples, an enterprising woman sets up a small-time black market business to keep her family afloat. She prospers, but maybe a bit too much—compelling her husband to ask hard questions about morality, civility, and the state of their society. De Filippo's masterful blend of humor and pathos tells the story of an unforgettable and wildly entertaining family determined to survive at any cost.
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Master of Fine Arts Program Performances
The top-ranked A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program offers a rigorous, three-year course of training designed for the most promising young actors. Celebrated alumni include Annette Bening, Elizabeth Banks, Benjamin Bratt, and Denzel Washington. Join us for the following productions, which bring your students up close to these young artists for masterful performances and lively postshow chats.
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Will on Wheels
Our popular annual Shakespeare tour to schools continues in the 2013–14 season with Shakespeare's timeless love story. If you would like more information about our Will on Wheels Shakespeare tour, please indicate this on your SMAT order form or contact Director of Education Elizabeth Brodersen at 415.439.2475 or ebrodersen@act-sf.org.
More information about productions presented by the A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program will be announced this summer. Please check back for details.
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Student Matinee Basic Information
- Student matinees begin at 1 p.m. Following each performance there will be a brief, lively conversation between the cast and students (attendance is optional).
- Student tickets are just $15 each ($20 for 1776 and A Christmas Carol, $10 for M.F.A. Program productions). A.C.T. provides one free ticket for every ten tickets purchased.
- A.C.T. does not require a deposit or purchase order to secure your order. Spaces will be reserved upon receipt of your ticket request, except in the case of A Christmas Carol.
- You will receive a confirmation invoice within two weeks of receipt of your ticket request. Exact seating will be assigned in order of receipt of full payment. Full payment is due no later than three weeks before the given performance, except in the case of A Christmas Carol. No refunds will be given on paid tickets.
- A Christmas Carol: A 25% nonrefundable deposit is required three weeks after you receive confirmation of your order. Full payment must be received by October 21 or you will receive the number of seats covered by your deposit ONLY. The remainder of your requested seats will be released at that time.
- Teachers receive a copy of Words on Plays approximately two weeks before their scheduled performance. A.C.T.'s performance guides are packed with information and study questions about the world of the play, the playwright, and the production.
- If the student matinee you request is sold out, orders may be placed on a waiting list. Waiting list orders will be confirmed at least two weeks before the performance. Payment must accompany waiting list orders but will not be processed unless your seats are confirmed. Seating priority is first come, first served.
- A.C.T. also offers low student-group rates for regular performances of all of the season's plays, including the holiday favorite A Christmas Carol.
ACTsmart Workshops
A.C.T. also offers innovative workshops, led by master teaching artists, designed to enhance your student matinee experience. Whether you want to introduce your students to a play's plot and characters in advance, connect its themes to your classroom curriculum, or prompt discussion and debate after the show, we can create a workshop that addresses your particular classroom needs. Reasonably priced workshops (discounted for Title I schools) are available for groups of up to 30 and can take place at the American Conservatory Theater or in your school. For more information about workshops, contact Director of Education Elizabeth Brodersen at 415.439.2475 or ebrodersen@act-sf.org.
Plays, artists, theaters, and schedules subject to change.
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