Z Space

Z Space is a regional theater and performing arts company located in San Francisco, California. Z Space commissions and develops its own works; it also presents works created by other organizations. It was founded in 1993 by David Dower, as the outgrowth of earlier theatrical productions staged by artists known as the Z Collective, and was known for a time as the Z Space Studio. Dower was succeeded in 2007 by Lisa Steindler, who currently serves as Z Space’s executive artistic director. Lori Laqua is Z Space’s executive director.

In its first 15 years, Z Space developed and produced artistic works that were staged in a variety of San Francisco Bay Area theaters. In 2009, Z Space moved into its own full-time facility in San Francisco’s Mission district, situated at 450 Florida Street. The 13,000-square-foot facility originally was constructed in the 1920s as a tooling factory for the American Can Company. During World War II, the building was converted into military use, making airplane parts. The building's interior was transformed into the Project Artaud Theater in 1971.

Z Space’s performances span a variety of disciplines, including theater, dance, visual art, music and performance art. Through its Z Space New Works program, the organization develops unique plays from initial concept to on-stage production; it also provides technical residencies in which artists can make use of the entire facility, including the stage, lights and sound system to test and develop their concepts.

Other signature programs at Z Space include Word for Word, an in-house theater company that transforms works of literature verbatim to the stage, and Youth Arts, Z Space's outreach to schools, which promotes literacy and engages students’ creativity.

In 2011 and 2012, Z Space’s notable presentations have included works by the Joe Goode Performance Group, Killing My Lobster, Big Art Group and the Paul Dresher Ensemble. In 2015 Composers, Inc. presented the premiere of Allen Shearer's opera Middlemarch in Spring at Z Space.

During the past decade, productions originating at Z Space have won national recognition including the Helen Hayes Award and the Kesselring Prize. From 2001 through 2005, 15 productions developed by Z Space earned Critics Circle nominations. In 2005, The People’s Temple was awarded the Will Glickman Award for “Best New Play.” That work was developed during more than four years at Z Space; it premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. In 2007, American $uicide, by Mark Jackson, was nominated by the American Theatre Critics Association for the annual ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award, honoring new scripts produced outside New York City.