Theatre
Bay Area
Theatre Bay Area’s mission is to unite, strengthen
and promote the theatre community in the San Francisco
Bay Area, working on behalf of our conviction that the
performing arts are an essential public good, critical
to a healthy and truly democratic society, and invaluable
as a source of personal enrichment and growth.
The San Francisco Bay Area is the third largest theatre
center in the country, with more than 400 companies
in 11 counties. The region boasts more theatre companies
per capita than almost any other metropolitan area
in the U.S. and is home to the third largest community
of Equity (union) actors, following New York City
and Chicago. Some 200 new plays are premiered here
each year, many going on to wider success. Theatre
Bay Area was founded in 1976 to serve this vital artistic
community, and is today the largest regional theatre
service organization in North America, serving as
a model for other service organizations around the
country
About
Theatre Bay
Theatre Bay Area’s present membership is derived
from 11 Bay Area counties and consists of more than
365 Bay Area theatre and dance companies, from multi-million
dollar organizations to grassroots community groups;
some 3,000 individuals, including actors, directors,
designers, playwrights, technicians and theatre patrons;
and more than 100 organizational members, from libraries
and universities to theatre industry professional
services.
Theatre Bay Area’s most prominent programs
include TIX Bay Area (“online or in line”
ticketing services), Theatre Bay Area magazine (the
central source for information on the Bay Area’s
theatre community, reaching 10,000 readers), our Web
site containing one of the most comprehensive theatre
listings available, numerous re-granting programs
for emerging theatre companies and local theatre artists,
and advocacy for the theatre and dance community on
the local, state and national level.
