TheatreWorks

TheatreWorks is Silicon Valley’s premier nonprofit performing arts organization, and has served as a launching point for many works, including Tony Award–winning shows.

TheatreWorks began in 1970 when the city of Palo Alto requested a youth theater program to help deal with turbulent times in the nation. The first show, Popcorn, was an original musical highlighting the clash between generations in the community. The group played shows in various locations wherever they could find space, including parking garages.

By the 1980s, TheatreWorks had transformed into a substantial professional theater company while still retaining its community service aspects. The group launched its first formal theater education program in 1990. At the start of TheatreWorks’ 50th Anniversary Season in 2019, the company received the Regional Theatre Tony Award.

As of September 2023, TheatreWorks is aiming to earn $3 million to save its programming. Like many local theaters, it was shuttered for an extended period of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and is still attempting to bounce back and grow its ticket sales. As many theaters across the nation attempt to win back their former audiences, TheatreWorks is bound to survive thanks to its rich roots and history of excellence in the Santa Clara Valley.

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