The much anticipated opening of The Strand Theater (1127 Market Street at 7th), the American Conservatory Theater's's new, smaller, more boundary-pushing second theater space on Mid-Market, is coming next spring, and the theater company is asking the public to donate in a final push for the theater's fundraising. They have already reached the 87-percent mark in the campaign through private donors connected to the theater, and the final push will allow all fans of the theater, from subscribers to casual theatergoers, to play a role in getting the new space open.

Executive Director Ellen Richard says that this last fundraising stage means "we move a step closer to helping transform the Central Market neighborhood into the go-to place for arts and live entertainment."

There are two opportunities that will let donors "own" a physical piece of the Strand Theater: The purchase of new seats in the theater, which will bear engraved markers with the donor's name (starting at $2,400); or the purchase of one of the 126 LED screen tiles that will make up the 27.5’ x 17.5’ screen going into the lobby of the theater ($10,500). More details on gift options are here.

The historic Geary Theater, which has been home to A.C.T.'s repertory company since 1965, will remain its primary home during the main season, but with the addition of this new, smaller house, artistic director Carey Perloff says the company will be able to "take risks on new artists, new work and new ideas." The Strand, which originally opened in 1917 and more recently had become a porn theater before the building was abandoned in the last decade, will now house a 285-seat theater, as well as a 120-seat black-box theater, spaces which will both be used to showcase new work as well as the work of A.C.T.'s M.F.A. program and Young Conservatory students.

The inaugural production at the Strand, opening in the spring of 2015, will be a new play by acclaimed playwright Caryl Churchill (Cloud 9, A Number), called Love and Information. Also slated for the Strand's opening season will be a new work by local author Lysley Tenorio about the Filipino-American experience called The Monstress Project, and The Unfortunates, a musical that debuted at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2013.

Previously: First Look: A.C.T. Reveals Redesigned Strand Theater