B Street Theatre
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| Founded | 1986 |
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| Headquarters | Sacramento |
| Website | bstreettheatre |
B Street Theatre is a 501c3 non-profit theater located in Sacramento, California. It was founded by actor Timothy Busfield in 1986 as Theatre for Children, Inc., the company’s first focus was a touring theatre company for children. The B Street Theatre School Tour (formerly known as Fantasy Theatre) was and continues to be extremely popular in the community— performing 12 times per week, 38 weeks a year. The School Tour has received critical acclaim by the media and educators. It is estimated that 3.6 million California children (currently about 200,000 per year) have attend performances since B Street Theatre's inception. For many children, The B Street Theatre School Tour is their only exposure to the live theatre in Northern California.
In 1991, in an effort to broaden the success of B Street Theatre School Tour, Timothy Busfield and his brother Buck Busfield created B Street Theatre. Most of the plays produced each year are world, national, West Coast or regional premieres. B Street Theatre has been named Best Live Theatre (14 consecutive years) by The Sacramento News & Review and Best Performing Arts Organization 13 times by Sacramento Magazine; B Street Theatre performs to approximately 70,000 adults annually.
In 2002, the company embarked on a third endeavor to allow families to experience live, professional theatre together. The B Street Theatre Family Series produces a four-show season of professional theatre presenting plays for school field trips during the week and the general public on weekends. Curriculum materials are developed for each Family Series production, and teachers are encouraged to develop classroom lessons based on themes from each play.
In addition to a professional touring theatre, B Street School Tour holds an annual playwriting festival and contest. The festival was created to provide a forum for the dramatic voice of youth and to conduct playwriting workshops that assist children in developing literary skills, problem- solving techniques, and a mode of artistic expression. This process stimulates the intellect and enhances self-esteem by providing validation of creative ideas and work efforts.
B Street Theatre School Tour For more than 20 years the mission of the B Street School Tour has been to provide entertainment to children while encouraging in them a love for the theatre and a specific appreciation for the art of playwriting. In addition to a professional touring theatre, B Street School Tour offers playwriting workshops and a playwriting contest for children in public and private schools, hospitals, and other locations throughout Northern California. An average of 450 children attend each performance, (with 12 performances a week, 37 weeks a year more than 200,000 children experience live theatre each year). A concerted outreach effort is made to ensure that the rich experience of theatre is provided to underserved communities. Children experience a variety of theatrical styles as well as a wide range of thematic ideas, from social commentary and family drama to satire and farce.
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