-About Us-
History
Our Mission Statement
B Street Theatre is one of the region’s most enduring and celebrated entertainment destinations. We create and inspire community through exceptional live performances and the highest-quality educational programs. We also serve as a trusted incubator for new theatrical works and professional artists at our world-class Sacramento home, The Sofia.
You Are On Native Land
This land (now known as the City of Sacramento) is the current and ancestral home of the Southern Maidu people, the Valley and Plains Miwok people, the Nisenan people,
the Patwin Wintun people, and the Wilton Rancheria Tribe.
The Sofia would like to honor these Indigenous people who for thousands of years have been the caretakers of the land where we now live, work, and play.
For more information about land sovereignty: #LANDBACK
Who We Are
For over 35 years, B Street Theatre has delighted audiences of all ages. Founded by actor Timothy Busfield in 1986 as Theatre for Children, Inc., the company’s first focus was a touring theatre company for children.
In 1991, to broaden the success of the B Street Theatre School Tour, Timothy Busfield and his brother Buck Busfield created B Street Theatre. Most of the plays produced yearly are world, national, West Coast, or regional premieres.
In 2002, the organization embarked on a third endeavor to allow families to experience live, professional theatre together. The B Street Theatre Family Series produces a four-show season of professional theatre presenting plays for school field trips during the week and the general public on weekends. Now, celebrating 20 years, the family series has captivated more than 500,000 children and their families since inception.
In 2002, B Street Theater launched a capital campaign for new construction of its current home, The Sofia, a 49,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2018 and founded by Buck Busfield.
Recognized as one of Northern California’s top professional theatres, we’ve produced more than 100 new plays, 60 of which are world, national, West Coast, or regional premieres.
In addition to plays, we host local, national and international artists and acts in all performance genres including music, dance, stand-up comedians, live podcasts and more.
What We Do
Entertainment for Everyone
Since bursting into the Sacramento scene, B Street Theatre continues to keep critics raving and audiences coming back for contemporary productions ranging from popular classics to first time debuts. Our three-theatre playhouse on Capitol Avenue in Midtown is home to our Mainstage and Family Series, each created to house quality, intimate theatre for audiences year-round. Recognized as one of Northern California’s top professional theatres, we’ve produced more than 100 new plays, 60 of which are world, national, West Coast, or regional premieres.
In addition to plays, we host local, national and international acts. Weekly we host concerts in all genres, stand-up comedians, live podcasts and more!
Mainstage
Since 1991, B Street Theatre is where audiences turn to see the most popular and talked about plays of our day . Whether it’s prodding the mind, tugging at the heart or just tickling the funny bone, B Street always strives to connect deeply with audiences of all tastes, temperaments and sensibilities.
Family Series
The B Street Theatre’s Family Series is Northern California’s only fully professional, resident theatre for children. This beloved and highly acclaimed series, brings the joy of live theatre to children through exciting, original plays and lively adaptations of classic novels, stories and tales. Now, celebrating 20 years, the family series has captivated more than 500,000 children and their families since inception.
Presenting and Partnerships
The Sofia: Home of the B Street Theatre is a state-of-the-art entertainment venue which hosts local, national and international artists. In addition to high-quality theatrical performances, The Sofia also hosts concerts and comedy in our 355 seat Sutter Theatre. Previous acts have included renowned artists such as John Waite, the late Ed Asner, Tuck and Patti, Jackie Greene, Tycho and more! In addition to presented acts, The Sofia serves as a home for other artistic partners such as The Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus, Teatro Nagual and more.
New Comedies Festival
The Sofia: Home of B Street is the host of the nationally recognized New Comedies Festival. Since its inception in 1986, the B Street has been an incubator for new work with a strong commitment to fully producing new plays. The annual New Comedies Festival presents readings of four, original comedies. The four playwrights receive a four-day workshop with talented directors, actors and dramaturgs. The workshop week culminates in two, public readings where audience members can engage with the new-play-process. Audience members who see a reading of each of the four plays are invited to submit their feedback as to which play they would like to see produced on B Street’s Mainstage. The B Street Theatre commits to producing a minimum of one of the four New Comedies Festival Finalists in their upcoming Mainstage Season! Submissions for the annual New Comedies Festival open in December with the finalists to be determined and announced by June of the following year.
Education
Classes for Kids & Adults
The B Street Conservatory provides classes in technique and scene study to adult actors discovering their unique talents. During the Summer months, the program focuses on young people ages 8 – 17 with one-week and two-week camp sessions. Instructors are B Street regulars who hold MFA’s from American Conservatory Theatre of San Francisco or other top training programs in the U.S. and have regional and national acting credits.
Workshops & Residencies
B Street’s Teaching Artists go to schools and other organizations leading playwriting workshops, after-school theatre programs, story telling and skills-building workshops for children and adults. Most of our playwriting workshops are core to B Street’s mission statement, which is to promote education and literacy, social interaction and cultural enrichment.
Awards & Affiliations
B Street Theatre is proud to be awarded the 2025 Outstanding Theatre Award by the National Theatre Conference!
In keeping with our dedication to supporting new plays, B Street Theatre is proud to be a Core Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN), which describes itself as “an alliance of professional theaters that collaborate in innovative ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays.”
B Street joined the NNPN as Associate Members in 2015 and quickly became Core Members by 2016. We went on to host the 2018 National Showcase of New Plays, and our 2019 New Comedies Festival had the honor of receiving NNPN Collaboration Funds. B Street has also produced three plays for NNPN’s flagship Rolling World Premieres program: Bars and Measures, Not Medea, and Halftime with Don.
Our Artistic Director, Lyndsay Burch, serves as the President of the NNPN Board and we look forward to future collaboration with this vital organization! She was also recently accepted as a member of the National Theatre Conference, a not-for-profit organization made up of distinguished members of the American Theatre Community.
B Street Theatre has been named Best Live Theatre (14 consecutive years) by The Sacramento News & Review and Best Performing Arts Organization 13 times by Sacramento Magazine.
board of directors
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Board Member Emeritus; CO-FOUNDER, B Street Theatre; FOUNDER, The Sofia; Artistic Director (retired)
Board Member Emeritus; FOUNDER, Theatre for Children, Inc.; CO-FOUNDER, B Street Theatre; Artistic Director (retired)
Immediate Past Board President
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Board Member Emeritus; CO-FOUNDER, B Street Theatre; FOUNDER, The Sofia; Artistic Director (retired)
Board Member Emeritus; FOUNDER, Theatre for Children, Inc.; CO-FOUNDER, B Street Theatre; Artistic Director (retired)
Immediate Past Board President