Theatre in East Bay

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Altarena Playhouse (Alameda)

Since 1938, they have been re-envisioning the classics and promoting new plays, musicals and revues.

Amador Theater (Pleasanton)

The Amador Theater was constructed in the late 1930s as part of the Amador Valley High School Campus and was completely remodeled in 1989. It hosts a variety of musical and other theatre productions.

Aurora Theatre (Berkeley)

The theatre has been in operation since 1990 and is known for its intimate performance space.  It  has a five-play performance season.  The theatre has won 20 awards from the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle for acting, directing, ensemble and costume work.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre (Berkeley)

They have two theatres that host emerging and established artists.  Since they opened in 1968, they have won a Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, and regularly premiere new plays.

Berkeley West Edge Opera (Berkeley)

Berkeley Opera was founded in 1979 by Richard Goodman, an Engineering Professor at the University of California at Berkeley.  Their mission is to fuse music and drama and be affordable. Berkeley Opera productions are in English or in original language with English supertitles.

Broadway West Theatre (Fremont)

This is an intimate local theatre that hosts a variety of plays.

Cal Performances (Berkeley)
Cal State Hayward University Theatre (Hayward)

This theatre hosts pre-professional (student) driven musical, dance and dramatical theater productions.

California Conservatory Theatre (San Leandro)

This theatre hosts comedies, dramas and musicals in an intimate space accomodating 67 seats in five rows with one center aisle.  The box office opens one hour before each performance. After regular business hours, there is parking for shows in the city employees parking lot across from the theater.

California Shakespeare Theatre (Berkeley)

Their mission is to make "boldly imagined and deeply entertaining interpretations of Shakespeare and the classics."  This is an outdoor theatre based in Siesta Valley between Berkeley and Orinda.  The grounds open two hours before curtain and food and beverage are available on site for picnics in the grove. 

Castro Valley Center for the Arts (Castro Valley)

The Castro Valley Center for the Arts is operated by the Castro Valley Unified School District.  It hosts a 516 seat theatre with a Meyer sound system.  The Golden State Theatre Productions was established in 2007 by the Castro Valley Arts Foundation to produce musical theater whose casts include professional and community actors and musicians.

Center Repertory Theatre (Walnut Creek)

This theatre produces musical, broadway, comedic and dramatic plays.

Central Works (Berkeley)

Central Works is a small theatre company that uses a collaborative method of play development, a process that brings local artists together as full partners in a creative project, from conception to full production.

Chabot College Performing Arts Center (Hayward)

The performing arts center has a 1400 seat and a 200 seat theatre.

Chanticleers Theatre (Castro Valley)

This is a 100-seat non-profit community theatre that started in 1948.  They host comedies, thrillers, dramas and musicals.

Contra Costa Musical Theatre (Walnut Creek)

Contra Costa Musical Theatre, Inc. (CCMT) was founded in August 1961, for the express purpose of producing Broadway musicals. They are a community based nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster appreciation for and involvement in musical theatre of the highest quality. They perform in the 800 seat Hofmann Theater in the Lesher Center for the Arts.

Curtain Call Performing Arts (San Leandro)

They offer Broadway performances.

Dougherty Performing Arts Center (San Ramon)

The center hosts a variety of dramatic and music theatre, music, comedy in a 600 seat theater with full stage, lobby and restrooms.

Firehouse Arts Center (Pleasanton)

Performances include musical and improv theater productions. The venue is housed in an old firehouse.

Gary Soren Smith Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (Fremont)

The Center offers a variety of theater performances.

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts (Berkeley)

They offer musicals, dance and dramatic theatre.

La Vals Subterranean Theatre (Berkeley)

The theatre is a black box, 50 seat space in the basement of the newly remodeled La Val’s pizza parlor.

Laney College Theater (Oakland)

$5 for seniors and students with picture ID, $10 general admission.

Lesher Center for the Arts (Walnut Creek)

They offer a wide variety of plays.

Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center (Livermore)

The performing arts center is home to the 500 seat Bankhead Theater that hosts a variety of theatrical venues including the Lamplighters Musical Theatre and the California Theatre Center.

Made Up Theatre (Fremont)

This theatre focuses on improv and sketch comedy so the shows are interactive with the audience.  The actors are a group of six men.

Pan Theater (Oakland)

Pan is the oldest improv comedy theater in the East Bay.  There are two shows every Friday and Saturday evening.

San Leandro Players (San Leandro)

They have a three show season that focuses on dramatic theatre.

Stage 1 Community Theatre (Newark)

This is a twenty year old community theater offering comedy, drama and musical theatre.

The Douglas Morrison Theatre (Hayward)

The 250 seat capacity Douglas Morrisson Theatre is owned and operated by the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. The mission of the Theatre is to provide an opportunity for amateur performers.

The Live Oak Theatre (Berkeley)

The Actors Ensemble of Berkeley present four shows per year at the intimate 143 seat Live Oak Theatre.

The Shotgun Players (Berkeley)

Comedy, musical and dramatical theatre.

TheatreFIRST (Oakland)

This is a professional theatre company whose plays originate from and capture events from around the world.

Tri Valley Repertory Theatre (Pleasanton)

The theatre is an educational, nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to providing affordable and quality musical theatre productions.

Virago Theatre Company (Alameda)

This theatre company is focuses on unconventional, inventive staging and a collaborative rehearsal process. They tend to produce new and old plays that are provocative and passionate including those that address psychological and social turbulence and a unique life perspective.

Woodminster Summer Musicals (Oakland)

This outdoor theatre hosts musicals in the summer months.  There are bathrooms and snack bars that serve hot and cold drinks, hot dogs, candy, popcorn, and cookies.  Another option is to bring your own food and beverage and use the picnic area to eat dinner. Food and beverages can be brought into the amphitheater. Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes and bring blankets since evenings are cool. Seats are not padded so bring your own cushion.   Bring a flashlight to help you get back to your car after the show.