B Street Theatre facts for kids
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| Founded | 1986 |
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| Headquarters |
Sacramento
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B Street Theatre is a non-profit theater in Sacramento, California. This means it uses its money to support its mission, not to make a profit for owners. The theater was started in 1986 by actor Timothy Busfield.
Originally, it was called Theatre for Children, Inc. Its main goal was to be a traveling theater group for kids. This part of the theater, now called The B Street Theatre School Tour, became very popular. It performs 12 times a week for 38 weeks each year. The tour has been praised by both news reporters and teachers. It's estimated that about 3.6 million children in California have seen a show since the theater began. For many kids in Northern California, this is their only chance to see a live play.
In 1991, Timothy and his brother Buck Busfield started the B Street Theatre for adults. They wanted to build on the success of the children's tour. The theater often shows plays that are new to the world, the country, or the West Coast. It has won many awards, including "Best Live Theatre" for 14 years in a row from The Sacramento News & Review. About 70,000 adults enjoy its shows every year.
In 2002, the theater started a third project: The B Street Theatre Family Series. This was created so families could enjoy professional theater together. These plays are shown to school groups during the week and to everyone on the weekends. The theater also creates learning guides for teachers to use in their classrooms.
The B Street School Tour also holds a playwriting contest every year. This gives young people a chance to write their own plays. It helps them build writing skills and express their creativity.
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Theater Programs
B Street Theatre offers many different programs for all ages.
B Street Theatre School Tour
For over 20 years, the School Tour has brought plays to children. Its goal is to help kids love theater and learn about writing plays. The tour performs at schools, hospitals, and other places across Northern California. About 200,000 children see these live shows each year. The theater works hard to bring plays to communities that might not have access to them otherwise.
The program also includes a playwriting contest and workshops. These activities help kids improve their writing and problem-solving skills. It's a great way for them to share their ideas and feel proud of their work.
B Street Theatre Mainstage
The Mainstage is known as one of the best professional theaters in northern California. It presents seven new plays each season, including comedies and dramas. Around 75,000 people attend these shows every year.
B Street Theatre Family Series
The Family Series is a professional theater just for kids and their families. It is the only full-time, professional children's theater in California. It has its own 112-seat theater space called "B2." Most of the shows during the week are for school field trips. On weekends, the shows are open to the public. Each season features four new plays for about 25,000 children and families.
Upstairs at the B
This is a special space at the theater's new home, The Sofia. It's a place where artists can create their own events and workshops. B Street Theatre provides support and guidance for these projects.
B Street Conservatory and Studio for Young Actors
The theater also offers acting classes. The B Street Conservatory is for adults who want to learn acting techniques. The Studio for Young Actors is a program for kids and teens from ages 7 to 17. Students learn about acting, build confidence, and practice teamwork. The teachers are professional actors from the B Street company.
Intern Company
This is a 10-month program for young actors who have recently graduated from college. It gives them their first professional experience in the theater world. Interns get to perform and also help with running the theater.
A Brand New Home
B Street Theatre built a new, modern home after receiving land from Sutter Medical Center. The new building is located at 27th and Capitol Avenue in Sacramento.
The new complex is called The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts, or "The Sofia" for short. It opened in February 2018. The Sofia has two main theaters:
- The Mainstage Theatre seats 250 people.
- The Sutter Theatre for Children seats 365 people. This is three times bigger than the old theater and allows 30,000 more kids to see shows each year.
The building was designed by local architect Ron Vrilakas. He wanted it to be a welcoming place where people could feel comfortable. The new location is also across the street from Sutter Children's Hospital. This helps the theater work more closely with the hospital, using art to help patients and their families.
The Sofia is more than just a theater. It's a community hub with a large lobby, classrooms, a courtyard, and a restaurant. It hosts plays, comedy shows, dance performances, and music concerts all year long.
