The American Conservatory Theater was designed by Bliss and Faville, one of the most prominent architectural firms in San Francisco. Walter D. Bliss and William B. Faville are known for their designs of other San Francisco landmarks, such as the St. Francis Hotel (1904) and the Bank of California (1908). Construction of the theater began in 1909. The building's exterior reflects the late Victorian tradition, blending elements of neoclassicism with evidence of a baroque influence. The facade is primarily of yellow brick and polychrome-glazed terra-cotta. At 5:04 p.m. on October 17, 1989, less than two hours before ushers were to open the theater's doors to patrons expecting to see the A.C.T. season opener, George Coates's Right Mind, disaster struck once again. During the Loma Prieta earthquake, the proscenium arch collapsed, ripping a two-thousand-square-foot hole in the ceiling and crushing the front-of-house lighting bridge and the first six rows of orchestra seats beneath tons of fallen plaster. Miraculously, no personal injuries were sustained. The theater was closed, but with the help of thousands of individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies throughout the nation who contributed to the Geary Theater Capital Campaign, A.C.T. raised more than $28.5 million to complete the renovation and seismic stabilization of the building in 1996.