By Ed Decker –
(Editor’s Note: The publishers of the San Francisco Bay Times, upon learning that Ed Decker would soon step down from his nearly five decades of inspired, dedicated leadership at the New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC), asked him to provide his thoughts about some of NCTC’s most memorable, significant productions over the years. Since he has produced or directed over 500 productions for NCTC, the Bay Times asked him to look back on a select number of NCTC productions. Here’s what he shared.)
It’s almost impossible to “pick favorites,” but I’ve chosen 7 for your consideration. But first, an NCTC snapshot timeline:
1981
This year marked the founding of the New Conservatory Theatre Children’s Theatre Company and School as a progressive arts education program. In response to my and Co-Director Sue Lipton’s transition from running ACT’s Young Conservatory, a group of parents led the way to our founding, insisting that we open up our own conservatory that they then dubbed as the “New” Conservatory. Our first home was at the Unitarian Center on Franklin and Geary. We offered after-school, weekend classes, satellite in-school workshops, and family matinee performances—all of which we still do today.
1984
We moved into 25 Van Ness as tenants shortly after the basement theatres had been constructed. Our landlord at the time was Zephyr Entertainment.
1986
We launched our YouthAware touring program for Northern California schools. The cornerstone program of YouthAware was our AIDS Prevention and Education program, for grades K-12. Funded by the Federal Centers for Disease Control, these plays were the first in the nation to use theatre as a teaching tool during the HIV/AIDS pandemic. There were four age-appropriate plays: A Bunny’s Tale, (K–1); Do Rappers Two (Grades 2–4), and Get Real (Grades 5–8)—all written by Doug Holsclaw; and The Inner Circle (Grades 9–12) by Patricia Loughrey.
Over the 10+ years these plays toured, they reached 500,000 Nor Cal youth and there were an additional 500,000 licensed performances around the world. A documentary of the project called Health in View was made in 1992. The Inner Circle was translated to Spanish, Dutch, German, and Afrikaans.
YouthAware still tours for the San Francisco Unified School District to this day. It features scripts developed directly with young people on topics that include bullying, homophobia, Holocaust education, mindfulness, cultural awareness, health and wellbeing, to highlight a few.
1992
The New Conservatory Children’s Theatre Company & School became known as the New Conservatory Theatre Center. Shortly thereafter, NCTC acquired the master lease for our home at 25 Van Ness.
1994–1995
NCTC expanded its operation to include queer and allied storytelling for the stage.
2002
NCTC New Works/New Voices Play Lab launched to commission and develop new work that expands the canon of LGBTQIA+-themed plays.
Production Highlights
Terrence McNally Partnership
NCTC produced and I directed the West Coast Premiere of Terrence McNally’s Corpus Christi. This began my long-term friendship with McNally and NCTC became the San Francisco home for his work. All told, NCTC has produced 13 of his plays including The Ritz (2002), A Man of No Importance (musical 2004), Crucifixion (an NCTC commission in 2005), Some Men (2009), A Perfect Ganesh (2010), Lips Together Teeth Apart (2012), The Lisbon Traviata (2013), Mothers and Sons (2016), The Nance (2017), It’s Only a Play (2018), and Master Class, & Love! Valour! Compassion! (late 1990s).
Rights of Passage (which I co-authored with Robert Leone)
My husband and I travel the world gathering stories from the LGBTQIA+ community. This work was in partnership with Amnesty International, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Watch, and queer and allied citizens around the globe. The stories were woven into a 2012 world premiere for NCTC.
A Conversation With Lily Tomlin
NCTC hosted an evening in 2002 with the legendary star who was interviewed by author and playwright Jewelle Gomez, who is now also a San Francisco Bay Times columnist. Lily was in town on tour with The Search for Intelligent Signs of Life in the Universe.
When Pigs Fly by Howard Crabtree and Mark Waldrop
NCTC presented the West Coast premiere in 2003 of this zany gay musical review. It would return to the NCTC stage again 15 years later!
This Bitter Earth by Harrison David Rivers
NCTC commissioned and premiered this powerful story about love, race, and activism. It launched a continuing partnership between NCTC and the playwright Harrison David Rivers that has included the commission of Interlude (radio and stage version)—a personal reflection of a gay Black man’s experience during the transformative events of 2020—and the West Coast premiere in 2023 of We Are Continuous, which is a play that explores family, love, and identity.
Before the Sword by Andrew Alty
A 2023 world premiere commission imagined the inspiration for T.H. White’s classic The Sword in the Stone.
The Gulf by Audrey Cefaly
NCTC’s in 2024 presented the West Coast premiere of this powerful and tumultuous lesbian love story set in the Deep South.
Ed Decker is the Founding Artistic Director of the New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) in San Francisco, which he helped start in 1981. In January 2026, he will pass the leadership of NCTC to Ben Villegas Randle.
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