The B Street Theatre, officially incorporated as Theatre for Children, has been a cornerstone of Sacramento’s cultural scene since its inception in the summer of 1986. Founded by Timothy Busfield, its initial mission was to bring engaging theatrical experiences to young audiences through a touring program featuring original works and adaptations of classic children’s literature. This vision quickly expanded with the arrival of Buck Busfield, Timothy’s brother, a respected playwright and director with a background at the renowned Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis. Together, they laid the foundation for what B Street Theatre is today: a vibrant hub for both adult and family entertainment and a leader in arts education.
From its early days as a touring company, B Street Theatre has grown into a year-round production house, staging both adult and family plays. However, the commitment to young audiences remains deeply ingrained. The B Street Theatre School Tour is a testament to this dedication, bringing the magic of live performance to children across Central and Northern California, extending all the way to the Oregon border. This remarkable program has reached nearly three million schoolchildren since its establishment, with an impressive annual attendance exceeding 200,000 students. By venturing into underserved communities, the School Tour ensures that live theatre, innovative storytelling, and unique learning opportunities are accessible to students throughout the region. Within Sacramento and San Joaquin counties alone, the B Street School Tour has performed at over 130 Title I schools in recent years, demonstrating its commitment to equitable access to the arts.
Recognizing the importance of nurturing young talent, B Street Theatre also hosts an annual playwriting festival and contest as part of its School Tour initiative. This festival serves as a platform for the creative voices of young people, coupled with playwriting workshops designed to enhance children’s literary skills, problem-solving abilities, and artistic expression. This process not only stimulates intellectual growth but also boosts self-esteem by validating creative ideas and hard work.
In 2002, B Street Theatre broadened its reach by establishing a fixed theatre setting for performances aimed at young audiences. The Family Series was launched, presenting new works for children and adaptations of classic children’s literature. This series offers performances throughout the school year, catering to school field trips during weekdays and the general public on weekends. To further enrich the educational experience, curriculum materials are developed for each Family Series production, encouraging teachers to integrate the plays’ themes into classroom lessons. Pre-performance classroom activities and post-performance discussions with the cast deepen student engagement by connecting the narratives, theatrical production techniques, and the inner workings of a theatre to their academic studies. Notably, the Family Series stands out as California’s only full-time, professional, resident theatre dedicated to children.
Beyond its celebrated children’s programming, B Street Theatre offers a comprehensive season of both contemporary and classic works for adult audiences through its Mainstage productions. The theatre’s consistent high quality has been recognized by Sacramento Magazine, naming B Street Theatre “Best Live Theatre” in their annual “Best of Sacramento” issue for over a decade. Similarly, readers of Sacramento News & Review have consistently ranked B Street Theatre as the #1 “Best Professional Theater Company” for several years. The play selections for the Mainstage are diverse, ranging from groundbreaking new dramas and comedies, including world, national, regional, and local premieres, to timeless plays that resonate with contemporary audiences.
Since January 2018, B Street Theatre has found its home in the state-of-the-art Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts. This move to “The Sofia” has injected a dynamic new arts venue into the heart of California’s capital. Alongside the main theatre space, B Street has also inaugurated “Upstairs at the B,” a versatile space hosting new play reading brunches, improv and sketch comedy shows, an annual New Comedies Festival of Plays, and B Street’s own podcast, Poison Boot. “Upstairs at the B” also serves as a venue for professional development training for teachers, equipping them with tools to integrate arts education into their classrooms.
B Street Theatre is deeply committed to theatrical education, offering a robust program through its Studio For Young Actors, which includes a popular summer theatre camp for youth, and its Adult Conservatory. These programs provide a wide array of classes in theatrical disciplines, encompassing acting, playwriting, improvisation, sketch comedy, and character development, among others.
A valued partnership with Sutter Health allows B Street to extend its community impact further through the Sutter Child Life Program. The theatre company provides playwriting tutorials and support workshops for children facing health challenges and their families. These initiatives play a vital role in helping patients, their siblings, and parents maintain a positive and productive outlook during difficult times.
In conclusion, B Street Theatre’s multifaceted programming positions The Sofia as the most dynamic arts center in the Greater Sacramento region. Offering a broad spectrum of educational and entertainment opportunities for both adults and children, B Street Theatre also provides a platform for smaller, non-profit arts organizations in the area to perform in a top-tier theatre setting, solidifying its role as a vital and inclusive force in the Sacramento arts community.
