San Francisco is a one of California’s most prominent cities, well known for its liberal ideologies and their love of the arts. The scenic backdrop of the Bay Area and the flavorful mix of culture and ethnicity characterizing its atmosphere make the city one of the most interesting tourist destinations one can visit. Especially if you’re a lover of music, drama and dance, San Francisco offers a profusion of events and concerts to satisfy every taste, from jazz concerts to opera and ballet to world-class theater productions.

One such famous production venue is the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T), housing the eponymous production company. There may still be some confusion as to this name, as the world-renowned venue was known as the Geary Theater until late 2006. The venue is almost inseparably intertwined with its theater company, which is a non-profit production company specializing in classical and contemporary theater. The credit for its founding must go to Pittsburgh opera director William Ball. He relocated his company to San Francisco at the invitation of the city philanthropists and opened his first 40-week drama season in what a critic called “a screaming, bellowing unbelievable triumph.” The productions of Taming of the Shrew and Cyrano de Bergerac were televised and are still available on video.

Ball ceded his seat to Edward Hastings, under whose tenure the ACT won a Tony Award for outstanding performance. 1992 saw Carey Perloff take over as Artistic Director of the theatre, ushering in an era of financial security and new acclamation for the company. Today, it has achieved its founders dream of housing both theater company and acting school. The 3000-student strong acting school is nationally recognized among universities and is the first of its kind to grant Master of Fine Arts degrees. Its alumnae list boasts a slew of famous celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Winona Ryder, Milo Ventimiglia, Elizabeth Banks and Teri Hatcher. The ACT also maintains a Young Conservatory theater program for young adults below the age of 19.

By now, over 7 million people have had the privilege of witnessing a production on the prestigious ACT stage since its original debut. One its main stage productions is the Christmas Carol, which has become an annual cultural institution. The ACT continues to break new ground in classic and contemporary theater, building rich dialogue and community interaction through the medium of drama.

If you are thinking of looking into this famous venue when you holiday in one of the San Francisco hotels, it is advised that you book your accommodation through SanFranciscoHotelseye.com. The well-reputed travel portal can get you the best deals offered by hotels San Francisco to suit your budget range and accommodation requirements.