An Interview With Tim Whalen, Director of External Affairs, American Conservatory Theater

At a time when for-profit theaters may be feeling the pressure to cave in to the economic pinch and roll out the revivals, San Francisco-based nonprofit American Conservatory Theater is still taking chances.

It might seem that the live theater organization founded in 1965 could rest a bit, considering it created the first actor training program in the United States accredited to award a master of fine arts degre — despite not being affiliated with a college or university. (Danny Glover, Annette Bening, Denzel Washington and Benjamin Bratt are among ACT's former students.)