The famed 104-year-old Castro Theatre — one of Northern California’s most distinctive landmarks — is set to return to the spotlight after a yearlong, $40 million renovation project.
The gussied up theater’s first new booking happens this Friday, with a sold-out screening of “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” a film in keeping with the theater’s role as the heart of one of the world’s best known and most historic LGBTQ communities. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Castro Community Benefit District.
Yet, the Castro will be showing more than just movies this time around.
In a move that has drawn controversy in the neighborhood and beyond, the refurbished theater will now also host live music — programmed and promoted by Another Planet Presents, the Bay Area concert powerhouse that also books the Fox Theater in Oakland, Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the annual Outside Lands festival and other musical events and venues.
Sam Smith, the multiplatinum-selling crooner behind such hits as “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One,” will be the first act to take the newly restored stage on Tuesday — the start of a remarkable 20-show run for Smith at the Castro.
The historic theater, an architectural gem and long the heart and soul of the central-city neighborhood, was opened in 1922 by the Nasser brothers, whose family still own the venue today. Yet, Another Planet Entertainment took over management of the theater in 2022 and have paid all of the renovation’s $41 million price tag — which is reportedly some $26 million more than originally budgeted. In turn, Another Planet received a long-term lease to operate the theater.
While there is considerable debate over Another Planet funding the rehab and ushering in the venue’s new role as a music house, what’s not in dispute is the impact the renovation on the building itself.
In short, it looks absolutely marvelous — ready to shine in a way that, at least visually, it probably hasn’t done so in decades.
During a tour of the refurbished theater earlier this week, Another Planet representative David Perry said the overall goal was to bring the venue back to its beginnings.
“It’s exactly as Timothy Pfleuger designed it back when it originally opened in 1922,” Perry said of the famed architect/interior designer, whose many other notable efforts include the Paramount Theatre in Oakland and the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company Building (which was once the San Francisco’s tallest building. “(The Castro) was Pfleuger’s first theater and he really went all out.”
During the tour, Perry walked a BANG reporter and photographer around several construction workers — who were still busy putting the finishing touches on the building. Perry seems confident, however, that the Castro would indeed be ready for its closeup by opening night on Friday.
The art and architectural restoration is absolutely stunning, having removed decades of grime — especially from the ceiling — and allowed the original design to really sparkle. The blend of Spanish, Asian, Italian and Art Deco styles — which was a really popular mix at the time, although one that defied easy design categorization — practically pulses from the walls and ceilings now.
The impact of the project is that it feels like you’re walking into the Castro for the first time. And that’s probably true even for those who have visited dozens (or more) times before.
Despite a feeling of “newness,” the overarching goal of the project was to alter as little as possible — even though there are certain areas of the theater that may well have benefitted from a change.
“These are original 1922 seats,” Perry says as we walk through the mezzanine. “They are historic and they are very uncomfortable. You may quote me on that.”
Later, we’d go down to the orchestra level and see some of the new seating — which, indeed, is a lot more comfortable (and spacious) than the higher-up historic seats. These floor seats are also removable, so that promoters can have open-floor space when needed for concerts or other events.
The theater capacity is 1,400 — but it will only reach that number during open-floor/standing room shows. The seated shows can reach around 900 people, which is about 300 fewer than what the Castro previously held. The loss of 300 seats, Perry explains, was necessary in order to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations.
Other changes include a long-overdue installation of a heating/air-conditioning system — a first for the theater.
“As you know if you’ve been here many times in the winter, it’s cold,” Perry says. “And in the summer, it’s stifling hot.”
Perry then gets to the one thing that will soothe countless moviegoers’ anxious thoughts:
“The other important thing is the popcorn will be real,” he says, meaning that it will be popped in-house.
The concession stand, however, will be movable. That means that it can be out front in the relatively small lobby when films are being shown, then moved to inside the main theater area for concerts. Expect the regular type of movie concessions to be available — candy, popcorn, drinks — as opposed to the type of food items you could buy at nearby restaurants.
“The whole idea is to really generate business for the restaurants and bars (in the area),” Perry says, who then goes to quote a study reportedly done for the Chicago Loop area. “For every dollar that is spent on a film or concert, it generates $12 in revenue for area businesses.”