Castro Theatre facts for kids
Front entrance of the Castro Theatre
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| Location | 429 Castro Street San Francisco, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Public transit |   Castro    17th & Castro  |
| Owner | Nasser family |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Capacity | 1,400 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | June 22, 1922 |
| Architect | Timothy L. Pflueger |
| Designated: | 1977 |
| Reference #: | 100 |
The Castro Theatre is a famous old movie theater in the Castro District of San Francisco, California. It became a special San Francisco Historic Landmark in 1976. This means it's an important building that should be protected.
The theater is located at 429 Castro Street. It was built in 1922. The front of the building has a unique style called California Churrigueresque. It looks a bit like the nearby Mission Dolores church. The person who designed it, Timothy L. Pflueger, also designed other movie theaters in California. The Castro Theatre has over 1,400 seats. About 800 seats are downstairs, and 600 are in the balcony.
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The Castro Theatre's Story
The very first Castro Theatre opened in 1910 at 479 Castro Street. Later, it was changed into a store. The bigger, new Castro Theatre that we know today opened in 1922. It is just a few doors away at 429 Castro Street.
The theater is easy to find. It's on Castro Street, close to Market and 17th Streets. It's also right across from the Muni Metro subway station.
The new Castro Theatre had a special opening on June 22, 1922. The mayor of San Francisco, James Rolph, was there. They showed a movie called Across the Continent. The next day, the theater opened to everyone.
The Nasser family built the theater. They still own it today. They also owned many other movie theaters in the San Francisco area. The inside of the Castro Theatre is very fancy and beautiful. It has curved walls and ceilings. It also has a huge "Mighty Wurlitzer" pipe organ. This organ is played before movies and other events. The large neon "Castro" sign outside is a symbol of both the theater and the whole Castro neighborhood.
What Happens at the Castro Theatre Today?
Before the COVID pandemic in 2020, the Castro Theatre showed many different kinds of movies. It also hosted many film festivals. These often focused on movies for the LGBT community and different cultures. Some of these festivals include the San Francisco International Film Festival and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.
In recent years, the Castro Theatre also held special events to honor famous Hollywood stars. Many of these events were put on by a local organizer named Marc Huestis.
In 2008, the theater was used to film a movie called Milk. This movie was about Harvey Milk. He was a San Francisco city leader and the first openly gay elected official in California. The theater's neon sign and front were fixed up for the movie. The movie, starring Sean Penn, had its first showing at the theater in November 2008.
The theater can show modern digital movies in high quality. It can also show old silent films at the correct speeds. The Castro Theatre is one of the few theaters in the world that can show special 70mm films with a separate sound system.
New Plans for the Theatre
In January 2022, a company called Another Planet Entertainment (APE) took over the lease for the Castro Theatre. They plan to have live music concerts there, along with movies and comedy shows. APE also wants to improve the sound, lighting, and heating systems.
Some people who love movies were worried about these changes. They feared the theater might stop showing as many movies. There were also concerns about the future of the famous organ.
Saving the Theatre's History
APE's plans for the Castro Theatre have also faced opposition. People who want to protect old buildings and LGBTQ history are concerned. APE has suggested changing the main floor of the theater. They want to remove the sloped floor and seats. This would make the floor flat for standing-room concerts.
A group called "Save the Seats" has formed. It includes people from the film world and the LGBTQ community. They believe the theater's original seating is a very important part of its history. They argue that the theater can still be successful without changing its classic movie-palace design. Groups like the Castro Theatre Conservancy are working to protect the theater's historic look.
The Castro Theatre Organ
The Castro Theatre has a very special organ. The first organ was removed in 1962. The famous Wurlitzer organ that became a symbol of the theater was added in the 1980s. However, it was moved away in 2015.
A new, very large organ has been installed. It is considered the biggest "hybrid" organ ever built. It has 7 keyboards and many different sounds. It has about 1,200 real pipes. It can also create sounds like a virtual orchestra. The bottom keyboard was made longer to play a full piano.
Even though it's a very large instrument, it still keeps the classic sounds of a theater organ. The design of the organ's console (where the player sits) was made to be very comfortable. This helps the organist reach all the controls easily during a performance.
Gallery
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The original Castro Theatre located at 479 Castro Street
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The beautiful ceiling and Art Deco chandelier inside the theater
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The Castro Theatre showing the movie Milk in November 2008
See also
- Roxie Theater
- Victoria Theater
