After $41 Million in Renovations, San Francisco’s Castro Theatre Is Ready for a Sam Smith Residency

After five years and $41 million, Bay Area-based independent promoter Another Planet Entertainment (APE) is ready to reopen San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre this Friday (Feb. 6). The more than 100 year-old building is set to become a marquee concert venue for the promoter, which already operates some of Northern California’s most beloved independent venues, including The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent, both in San Francisco, along with Oakland’s Fox Theater.

The restored venue will reopen with a community benefit screening of beloved cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on 35 millimeter film. The upcoming lineup is filled with LGBTQIA representation, including drag shows, queer films and music artists in the queer community, including a 20-night residency from pop star Sam Smith that runs from Feb. 10 to March 14.

APE CEO Greg Perloff and the company’s president of concerts and festivals, Allen Scott, had been working on the programming for years, says Mary Conde, APE’s senior vp of production and general manager of The Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. She adds, “There was always [the idea that] this opening has got to be spectacular. We have to land on the world stage in a very significant way.”

APE worked with Smith for many years, including their several appearances at the promoter’s marquee festival, Outside Lands. Now, they’ve landed at APE’s Castro Theatre, making it one of just two stops selected for their To Be Free residencies after New York, where he played Brooklyn’s Warsaw Club.

“Sam was so lovely and so interested in the space,” says Conde. “They really wanted to know more about the history and the architecture and the legacy of the building that just made all of this even more incredible than the fact that you’ve got 20 shows with one of the most significant artists of our time.”

APE was in the market for a 1,400-capacity venue to complement its Bay Area roster, and the Nassar family, which has owned and operated the single-screen movie house for more than 100 years, was ready for a change in the midst of an increasingly difficult film exhibition business. The Nassar family will now serve as landlords of The Castro Theatre, as APE has agreed to restore the aging building to its former glory.

Restoring a Timothy Pflueger building to its original shine hasn’t been easy or cheap for the promoter. The restoration has included the revitalization of the ceiling’s stunning original artwork, along with the sgraffito murals and a long hidden historic proscenium, all masterfully restored by Evergreene Architectural Arts. Detailed artwork throughout the building was buried under two inches of sticky nicotine residue that needed to be dissolved, while ornate plaster fixtures built into the walls were touched up and redecorated with gold leaf.

Lighting fixtures were rescued by lighting manufacturer Phoenix Day, including a chandelier originally installed in 1937 after the original one was destroyed by a fire. “When we took it down, we found the company that built it in 1937, and the great nephew of the person who built it in 1937 is the one who did the restoration on it,” says Conde. “I love that family connection back to the craftsmen who made this place come alive.”

APE also restored the exterior of the building by remodeling the roof of the marquee and bringing the blade sign back to life in full neon.

In addition to extensive restoration, APE also brought much of the venue up to date. All of the original electrical and plumbing systems were replaced, allowing APE to install an HVAC system (its first) and add restrooms. For the first time, The Castro will feature a fully ADA-accessible orchestra, stage and dressing rooms.

“This was a building that really needed an intervention. It had gone through 100 years of not a ton of maintenance work,” Conde tells Billboard.

Despite the steep cost of renovations, The Castro was the best choice for APE, explains Conde. When venues were shuttered in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, APE’s Perloff continued to pay the staff and told them to take the time to follow through on projects they were normally too busy for. For Conde, that meant securing a 1,400-seat venue in San Francisco.

After looking at real estate all over town, Conde heard the Nassar family was looking to change its business model at The Castro. Given its location in a well-known nightlife area and deep history, that meant not having to establish a reputation from the ground up.

“When we started working with [the Nassar family], our architect and our team of preservationists, it became apparent to us it was a feasible model,” says Conde. Not only does it have the mid-level capacity APE was looking for, but it will now feature “trundle-style” tiered seating that can be tucked away and pulled out for various seating configurations. “We’re really hoping that the infusion of people and that direct and indirect economic boost will help bring more retail, more nightlife, more restaurants,” he continues. “We really want a thriving neighborhood, and I think that that will come up around our theater.”