Theaters come in two sorts - cinema (in movie theaters), and live-performance theaters.

Live performance

Live performance theaters are part of Sacramento's arts and cultural scene. The major theater venues for Sacramento include the Sacramento Convention Center which governs the Community Center Theatre, and the Memorial Auditorium.

The Russian-American Music Academy of Roseville regularly offers community productions of operas and operettas. Theater companies with professional stature include California Musical Theatre and Music Circus which bring many famous directors and performers from New York City and Hollywood to perform in their productions, the Sacramento Theatre Company, and the B Street Theatre. Additionally, each summer Sacramento is home to the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival. Now in their 22nd year,the Festival produces shows in the amphitheatre in beautiful William Land Park from late June until early August.

There are also a number of dance performances that qualify as theater.

Cinema

In terms of cinema, Sacramento is also home to the Sacramento French Film Festival, a cultural event held every year in July that features U.S. premiers of French films and classic masterpieces of French cinema. In addition, Sacramento is home to the Trash Film Orgy, a summer film festival celebrating the absurd, B-movies, horror, monster, and exploitation.