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About

About

Curran

Built in 1922, the Curran has housed some of the biggest productions in theater history, including more pre-Broadway engagements than any other theater in San Francisco. Productions that have been staged at the Curran prior to moving to Broadway have included FENCES in 1987 and WICKED in 2003. The Curran hosted five years of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, becoming the show's longest domestic run outside of New York City.

The Curran has maintained a reputation over the course of its life as one of the premier live entertainment venues in North America. Under the curation of eight-time Tony Award-winner Carole Shorenstein Hays, almost a century after it welcomed its first Bay Area audiences, the Curran recently completed a major restoration and renovation, reopening the 1,600 seat venue in January 2017 with the groundbreaking musical FUN HOME.

Since then, the Curran welcomed even more incredible productions, including HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, as part of the Ambassador Theatre Group family. On September 11, we bid adieu to HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, following 297 performances -- making it the longest-running play in the history of the city. We are extremely proud to be the West Coast home of this production both before the pandemic as a two-part show and after the pandemic when it made a triumphant return as a one-part.

We intend to continue as a cultural hub for all of the Bay Area and are working hard to find exciting shows to thrill and entice, now that the Curran is no longer occupied by a certain boy wizard.

Our Mission

Our goal has been to create a new kind of artistic hub here in San Francisco—one that engages new and existing audiences, and attracts the most visionary artists in the world, by presenting bold, daring work. The Curran continues to search the globe for the kind of works we’ve always dreamt would play this stage.

History & Future

Born into a wealthy Missouri family that owned a wheel manufacturing company, Homer Curran veered away from the family business, opting instead to pursue his passion in the arts by traveling West to study music at Stanford University. While a student, Curran established himself as an accomplished pianist, composing scores for musicals and operas.

Curran moved to San Francisco after graduating and spent eight years gaining management experience in the local theater community. The construction of the Curran Theatre became possible in 1920 when Curran formed a business partnership with Shubert Incorporated, one of the most successful New York theatrical corporations throughout the 20th century.

In order to compete with a rival theater company, Shubert created a national chain of theaters and designated San Francisco as the premiere West Coast destination. Having spent over a decade in the local theater community, Curran provided the Shuberts with an invaluable understanding of San Franciscans’ interests. In exchange, the Shuberts’ single handedly funded the construction and ensured first-rate productions from New York and Europe. Since opening to the public in 1922, the Curran has staged over 8,000 performances.

  • OKLAHOMA! at Curran: Chorus members in OKLAHOMA! pose outside the theater before a 1959 performance.

  • FOOLISH NOTION: The winter of 1946, there was an extremely tight turnaround of 1 day between Tallulah Bankhead's performance in FOOLISH NOTION and OKLAHOMA!. Despite having opened on Broadway three years earlier to overwhelming critical acclaim, this was the first time OKLAHOMA! had toured the West Coast. Throughout the three week run of FOOLISH NOTION, audiences anxiously waited in line for OKLAHOMA! tickets.

  • The Lobby buzzes with excitement as eager patrons rush to their seats for the second performance of the hit stage-thriller PRESCRIPTION: MURDER starring Agnes Moorehead, Tommy Mitchell,  Patricia Medina, and Joe Cotton. January 16, 1962.

  • SONG OF NORWAY: The theatre's namesake, Homer Curran, was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1884. After graduating from Stanford University, Curran laid his roots down in California and played an integral role in shaping the San Francisco theater community and advancing West Coast theater as a whole. Along with founding the Civic Light Opera Company in 1939, Curran co-authored the books for the operetta SONG OF NORWAY & MAGDALENA, A MUSICAL ADVENTURE, and was also a successful producer.

Press

Curran Press Office

press@sfcurran.com
450 Geary Street, Suite 301
San Francisco, CA 94102

National Public Relations

Rick Miramontez - DKC/O&M

Bay Area Public Relations

Julie Richter - Charles Zukow Associates
415-296-0677

Careers

We're always on the lookout for dedicated and passionate individuals hoping to join our hardworking team at the Curran although we are not hiring for any specific roles at the moment.

Curran strongly values a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunity employer.