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

FundRaising Success: Please tell us about the organization’s history.
Tim Whalen: Founded in 1965 by William Ball, ACT opened its first San Francisco season at the Geary Theater in 1967. In the 1970s, ACT solidified its national and international reputation, winning a Tony Award for outstanding theater performance and training in 1979. During the past three decades, more than 300 ACT productions have been performed to a combined audience of 7 million people; today, ACT's performance, education and outreach programs annually reach more than 250,000 people in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1996, ACT's efforts to develop creative talent for the theater were recognized with the prestigious Jujamcyn Theaters Award.