People sometimes complain that the parking can be a bit confusing and that the seating is a tad too cozy, but you don’t hear many complaints about the quality of work at A Contemporary Theatre. Each weighty season includes new plays, a premiere, one or two classics, and maybe a lesser-known gem. The Hansberry Project, ACT’s own in-house professional black theater company, produces a mainstage show each season, in addition to running workshops and community events that further the exploration of African-American life through theater. The Central Heating Lab program, which helps artists develop new work, goes beyond standard play development to include projects in dance, music, cabaret, and even film and visual art. This enthusiasm for art in all its forms even extends to the gift shop; StageCraft is ACT’s theatrical artisan bazaar, where an interdisciplinary variety of Seattle theater artists sell handmade crafts, scarves, jewelry, cookbooks, and more.
A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) Information
- Public Transportation: Excellent (steps from buses 306 and 312 at Convention Pl/Union Street; a 3-minute walk from buses 10, 11, 14, 43, 49, 84, 306, 312, and 522 at Pike Street/6th Avenue; and a 6-minute walk from the LINK light rail, and buses 10, 14, 19, 24, 33, 41, 43, 49, 64, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 81, 82, 83, 85, 101, 102, 106, 143, 150, 157, 158, 159, 161, 162, 175, 177, 179, 190, 192, 196, 212, 216, 217, 218, 250, 252, 255, 257, 260, 301, 316, and 550 at the Westlake Station)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: 20–30 events per season, most with multiple performances
- Ticket Prices: $37–$55, discounts sometimes available for people using wheelchairs and their companion, 25% off advance tickets for seniors; half-price on day of show $10 tickets for full-time students, $15 tickets for anyone 25 and under, Rush and $15 day of show tickets available for members of Theatre Puget Sound, Theatre Communications Group, SAG, and Actors Equity, discounts available for groups of 20 or more
- Subscriptions: Three-Show $99. Benefits include free ticket exchanges, low-priced parking, and free replacement tickets.
