Castro Theatre to go dark for at least a year. Here’s the last day to watch a show

Date:

An exterior view of the historic Castro Theatre in the Castro District of San Francisco.

An exterior view of the historic Castro Theatre in the Castro District of San Francisco.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

The last day of programming is scheduled for Feb. 4. 

Another Planet Entertainment, which took over management in January 2022, confirmed it is ready to move forward with plans to transform the theater into a multipurpose venue. The company secured approval from city officials over the summer to remove fixed seats on the orchestra floor, replacing them with motorized platforms that can remove seating when concerts and other non-seated live events are hosted in the auditorium. 

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“Another Planet Entertainment is thrilled to begin the work to restore the Castro Theatre to its 1922 architectural glory and ensure its continued place in the hearts of film lovers, music lovers and the LGBTQ+ community,” said Mary Conde, senior vice president for Another Planet, in a statement released on Monday, Dec. 11.

An interior view of the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

An interior view of the historic Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Among the planned enhancements, the lobby concession area will be replaced by mobile concession stands at the back of the auditorium and in the mezzanine lobby. Other changes include the addition of a backstage green room, acoustic upgrades and a new ventilation system. Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades, featuring ramps and accommodations for wheelchair-accessible seating, are also part of the renovation.

Conde said that these changes aim to transform the 100-year-old building at 429 Castro St. into a vibrant live events space. She added that the Castro, designed by renowned San Francisco architect Timothy Pflueger, will become “a venue that respects its heritage while embracing new, and ever more diverse audiences.”

Overseeing the preservation work is the Evergreene conservation company in New York, known for its contributions to venues like San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre and New York’s Radio City Music Hall. 

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

“One of the defining features of the Castro is the tent-like painted ceiling which has been obscured from view for decades,” Jeff Greene, executive chairman and founder of Evergreene, said in a statement. “This element will be conserved and restored along with the unique sgraffito murals on the side walls to bring the whole back into harmony with Pflueger’s original vision.”

Opponents of the restoration plan stand wearing “Save the seats” T-shirts during a community meeting at the Castro Theatre about the planned renovations of the historic space on Aug. 11, 2022. 

Opponents of the restoration plan stand wearing “Save the seats” T-shirts during a community meeting at the Castro Theatre about the planned renovations of the historic space on Aug. 11, 2022. 

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle 2022

Since assuming management from the Nasser family, which has owned the venue since 1922, Another Planet Entertainment has encountered fierce resistance from community groups. A major sticking point of the $20 million renovation plan was the proposal to replace the movie theater’s existing 800 house seats, installed in 2001, with raked seating and tiered standing. 

The nonprofit Castro Theatre Conservancy, a leading opposition group, advocated for maintaining the theater as a single-screen venue with fixed orchestra-level seating.

In response to the most common criticisms, Another Planet Entertainment officials have made commitments to allocate a third of the Castro Theatre’s programming to film festivals and screenings. Additionally, it has pledged to feature LGBTQ+ artists and activities at least a quarter of the time.

Advertisement

Article continues below this ad

Details about the last show at the Castro Theatre will be announced at a later date, but Another Planet spokesman David Perry told the Chronicle the event will celebrate the local community and is expected to be star-studded.

The Castro Theatre renovation project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025.

Reach Aidin Vaziri: [email protected]

Share post:

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related