The curtains are rising again on San Francisco’s theater scene, but not without significant challenges. After being devastated by the pandemic, local theaters are fighting to rebuild their audience base and financial stability.

In the past few years, the city’s vibrant performing arts landscape has experienced dramatic shifts. Twenty-one Bay Area theater companies have shuttered since 2020, with 15 of those in San Francisco alone. Beloved indie venues like PianoFight, Cutting Ball Theater, and Exit Theatre have vanished, leaving a significant void in the local arts ecosystem.

The biggest hurdle has been changing audience demographics and behaviors. Traditional subscribers - mostly baby boomers and seniors - have dramatically reduced their attendance. While younger generations like millennials are showing increased interest, their numbers aren’t yet compensating for the older audience’s decline.

Financial constraints are equally challenging. Theaters are experiencing nearly 20% increases in operational expenses, forcing many to reduce programming and become more conservative in their artistic choices. Some venues are now focusing on more mainstream, crowd-pleasing productions like movie adaptations and classic musicals to attract new patrons.

However, innovation offers hope. Productions like “Co-Founders,” a hip-hop musical about the tech industry, sold out 40 consecutive shows by using grassroots marketing strategies. Theaters are also experimenting with new community-building approaches, such as pre-show mixers and solo attendee programs.

Local theater leaders remain cautiously optimistic. As Z Space’s Shafer Mazow noted, conversations about collaboration, shared resources, and creative partnerships are emerging. The spirit of San Francisco’s theater community remains resilient, determined to reimagine and reinvent itself in these challenging times.

The next act for San Francisco theater is still being written - and it promises to be anything but predictable.