“As a matter of fact, since you hired Mary Poppins, the most extraordinary things seem to have come over the household.” –Mrs. Banks

Over the years I have always had a single rule regarding shows like Peter Pan and MARY POPPINS: If you can’t get Peter or Mary to actually fly in the air, then please please please don’t do either show.  I have sat through so many Peter Pan productions where they try everything else to give the sensation of flight and not a single one of them work.  The same with MARY POPPINS. There’s nothing more magical than seeing a performer, playing the most famous umbrella-wielding nanny in movie and theatre history, high in the air flying above us.  It’s what separates theatre from TV or film–they’re actually there, hovering over the audience, like a trapeze act at the circus but with added meaning.  It should be Magical with a capital M.  And there’s nothing more thrilling.

But after watching MARY POPPINS performed by the talented souls at the St. Petersburg City Theatre, I may have to amend my hard-lined rule. Because director Jeffrey M. Lukas’ projections are a marvel of creativity, heart and talent.  They burst with energy and work stupendously at helping tell this tale.  Mr. Lukas is a true artist in this capacity and should open his own business creating these types of projections for the stage and elsewhere; they’re that good.  While you may feel a smidgen of disappointment at the start when we don’t see Mary gliding down onto Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane…please don’t fear, that disenchantment lasts only for a second.  Soon those wondrous projections take over and all is well with the world of Mary, Bert and the Banks family.  No, not for a second can they replace the jolt and joy of seeing actual characters hoisted into the air, but they come mighty close.

It also helps that the cast members in this production, from ensemble to leads, are a dynamic delight from start to finish, from stage right to stage left, from top to bottom. Every review of MARY POPPINS seems required to use some form of Mary’s description of “practically perfect,” so here’s mine:  This production may not be perfect, practically or otherwise, but it ranks as one of the better community theatre shows that I have attended (and I have experienced and reviewed hundreds of them).    

We all know the story of MARY POPPINS, the charismatic nanny that through cleverness and magic actually saves a family, or more specifically, the patriarch of that family.  The stage musical differs from the famous Julie Andrews movie in a variety of ways, but its dance numbers, longer and more robust, are even more exciting. 

My main qualm with the show is that it is waaay too long for its own good, especially Act 1.  This has to do with the musical itself, not with this particular production.  The songs of Mr. and Mrs. Banks are sung quite well here, but they seem to stop the show dead in its tracks.  (I feel the same way about Max and the Baroness’s songs in The Sound of Music that were smartly cut from the movie.) When the parents squabble in MARY POPPINS, it’s like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf suddenly interrupting Matilda, and the show never seems to end.  And this gripe comes from a reviewer who actually cheered a five-hour production of The Iceman Cometh.  Here, all the great numbers certainly thrill the audience, but it just keeps on going and going.  We keep thinking Act 1 is done, but then more things happen, more squabbling, and it seemingly never stops at the proper moment.   

Mr. Lukas is a fine director, with a great eye for staging, and he keeps the pace going as best as he can.  He even has actors appear in front of the main curtain so the next scene can be set up, but even this becomes rather repetitive. The show could use some trimming, and I would start with the “Playing the Game” number which arrives late in Act 1 and comes across as odd rather than magical.  With grown-ups dressed as toys, including a clown that could give Pennywise his run for the money in the scare department and a large rabbit costume that seems to belong in a Diane Arbus photograph, this is one creepy number that I can’t get out of my head no matter how hard I try.

It’s also a shame that the parents’ songs are the ones that slow down the ride, and it’s no reflection on the amazingly talented performers in these roles: Dave Davies and Kendra Van Wynsberghe.   Mr. Davies has turned being a curmudgeon into an art form, huffing and puffing and seeming so distant from his children.  You feel his sorrow when he understands how wrong his life has been up to now, his eyes tearing up, and we applaud his transformation. As his wife, Ms. Van Wynsberghe is stellar, her chin always up, balancing her social status with her love for her children and her cold husband. Her “Being Mrs. Banks” is beautifully accomplished.

In the titular role, Tammy D. Lukas almost makes you forget some actress named “Julie Andrews.”  She has a sparkle in her eye, both of mischief and magic, and hits amazing notes in her songs, such as the iconic “A Spoonful of Sugar” (where she creates real onstage magic thanks to the ingenious set pieces by Kari Kennedy, John Manion and Alan Rosenthal) and of course “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius” (which should have ended Act 1). 

As her chimney sweep buddy and narrator of the tale, Bert, the very likable and talented Bill Shideler is simply marvelous, leading his tap-dancing chimney sweep friends in a hearty and wow-worthy “Step in Time.”  Stacie Steinke, who I recall as a lovely Mrs. Potts in Tarpon Arts’ Beauty and the Beast a year ago,  makes for a sweet bird lady with one of my favorite songs from the show, “Feed the Birds.” 

Sara Heller has an astonishing voice as Mrs. Corry.  Bearded Alan S. Rosenthal sports the perfect look for both Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman, and Rudy Gonzalez brings heart to the small role of the pitiable John Northbrook.  Sandra Huerte gets to scowl and growl with the best of them as the put-upon, overworked maid, Mrs. Brill, while Grace Hood squeezes the most out of her role of the humorless Mrs. Smythe. Xaviar Molina Delgado stands out with remarkable vocal chops as the houseboy, Robertson Ay, and Nona Edelson gets a moment or two as Miss Lark with her cuter-than-cute furry puppet dog, Andrew.

The ensemble gets a total workout as either dancing statues, chimney sweeps or “Jolly Holiday” park dwellers.  They include Willow Barner, Polly Croucher, Leyla-Jade Curbelo, Sarah Duncan, Aida Gonzalez, Richard Walters, an enthusiastic Taylor Landau, a seemingly-in-every-scene Vaughn Wassamer, Christian McCormick, Bri Middleton, Jeff Morris, and Sharon Davis (the latter as Queen Victoria). Special mention must go to Shaun Cleppe and Cadance Hughes who both prove to be incredible dancers.

Topping the list of standouts are the two young performers who portray the Banks children: Josie Yanda as the pouty Jane and Sebastian Kuoch as the eye-rolling Michael. These two really shine, always in character, always reacting to the craziness surrounding them, with strong vocals and fine acting.  Obviously a seasoned performer at such a young age, Ms. Yanda has a palpable energy that exudes from the stage; she’s an amazing vocalist and equally good at acting and, more importantly, reacting. 

As for yon Mr. Kuoch, this is his very first show, which means we are dealing with a prodigy here, and if he ever wants to make the stage his home for life, then he obviously has the talent and the stamina for such an undertaking (and this is not something I say lightly).  Watching these two inspiring performers, I thought that if SPCT ever does Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, then they already have the perfect Veruca Salt and Mike Teevee…just putting it out there.

My vote for Best in Cast goes to Jovana Zaremba as the evil rival nanny, Miss Andrew.  Donning black like a sadistic nun, she’s like a Nanny of Doom.  “She looks like something that can eat its young,” someone says of her.  Ms. Zaremba’s “Brimstone and Treacle” at the start of Act 2 is one of MARY POPPINS’ best numbers.  What a voice! I could watch a musical with her terrifying character as the lead for an entire evening.  As it stands, she steals the stage for ten minutes here and then exits, leaving all of us breathless and in awe.

Technically, the show is quite good.  The aforementioned projections save the day, and Rachel and Thea Fennell’s lighting design also works well (with a nod to light operator Allen Coyle and spotlight operator David Sweat).  The pre-recorded music sometimes blasts too loud where we can barely hear some of the singers, and there were a couple of mic glitches (including a young performer coughing into a microphone offstage during “Step in Time”).  Stacie and Stefanie Lehmann’s many, many costumes are appropriate for the most part (though I still can’t shake the grown-ups as bizarre toy costumes in “Playing the Game,” and Mrs. Corry’s creamsicle-colored dress left me scratching my head).  Music Director Dawne Eubanks gets great vocal work and terrific harmonies from the large cast, and Mr. Lukas’ choreography is outstanding.

Sadly, all things must come to an end, and this sold-out production of MARY POPPINS closes today (Sunday, October 8) after only two weeks.  It’s such a big hit that I wish they could expand it for three weeks, so every child has the opportunity to experience the magic of Mary and Bert and the chimney sweeps, but obviously that’s a magic act too impossible to perform.     

This was my first venture to the SPCT, which has been around since 1925.  It’s what I call a Goldilocks Theatre–not too big, not too small, just right.  Entering it, you get the feeling of being inside a giant shoebox.  The bright red curtain and blood-colored walls that surround the audience seem perfect for a production of Sweeney Todd instead of everyone’s favorite nanny.  I had heard quite a bit of buzz about this particular production of MARY POPPINS, and that can be either good or, well, not.  Sometimes I may hear a show is grand and then I see it and it’s like experiencing a flat tire while driving; that’s when a production didn’t live up to the hype.  That’s not the case here.  All the buzz was right.  This may have been my first foray at the St. Petersburg City Theatre, but hopefully it won’t be my last.

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MARY POPPINS did not open at the Memphis Theater this past weekend. In fact, DISNEY’S MARY POPPINS didn’t open last weekend. nope There was a kick-off for cheers and a lot of hustle and bustle: MARY POPPINS from DISNEY AND Cameron Mackintosh. Yes. That’s the “official title,” and for good reason. Disney and superproducer Cameron Mackintosh (PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, CATS, and LES MISERABLES) are both known for spectacular and over-the-top production values, as well as their take on MARY POPPINS (based on Australian author PL’s 1934 eight-volume series) Travers and the film from 1964) fits well with their “more is more” approach to entertainment. When it premiered on Broadway in 2006, it was nominated for seven Tony Awards and ran for more than six years – a real hit! However, putting the name Disney or Cameron Mackintosh in front of a musical’s title doesn’t guarantee that a non-Broadway production will be any good – especially if it’s being performed by a community theater.

There’s no guarantee of that unless it’s produced by the Theater Memphis’ caretaker – executive producer Debbie Litch. Like a godsend that came down from heaven (without an umbrella) almost 20 years ago, Litch has made Theater Memphis the premier destination for guaranteed quality entertainment in the MidSouth. Make no mistake, Debbie Litch’s staging of DISNEY AND Cameron Mackintosh’s “MARY POPPINS” is supercalifragilisticexpialid awesome!

Being an executive producer in a theater is a gargantuan task and Litch has tackled it with enthusiasm, panache and a wink over the years. Like Poppins himself, Litch appeared at the Memphis theater when it was most needed, pouring delicious spoonfuls of sugar everywhere to help transform this centuries-old community theater into a pristine organization. Not only has she recruited the best directors, actors and designers in town, she has nurtured them and somehow retained them. This production fits well into the Memphis and Litch Theater catalog and represents perhaps the culmination of Litch’s tenure.

As most already know, MARY POPPINS tells the story of a “magical” nanny who suddenly appears to rescue a family of four (two spoiled children, a distant father and a struggling mother) to help them embrace the joys of childhood and appreciate childhood power of imagination. Nominated for 13 Academy Awards, the song burst onto the American scene in the mid-1960s, introducing families to unforgettable tunes like “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.” . While some details of the story may be forgotten, the songs certainly are not.

To be clear: This MARY POPPINS is not for small children. Disney and Mackintosh inflated a two-hour film into a three-hour musical, but it still works for tweens and older folks who have an affinity for the songs, a taste for nostalgia, and/or a taste for masterful theatre.

As befits their talent, Litch has once again enlisted the talented directing/choreographing team of Jordan Nichols and Travis Bradley to direct this gargantuan production, and they deliver like never before. This duo has seemingly got half the town together to put on a show that is sure to blow your mind. No detail is left to chance as Nichols and Bradley ensure everyone involved knows what needs to be done and how to do it in perfect harmony. This show is a “machine” in that it is highly organized, focused and executed with amazing precision. The song “Precision and Order” is undoubtedly an example of this group’s approach.

Choreographically, this could be her best endeavor yet. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is fun and engaging as the cast spells each letter of the song faster and faster. It’s mighty impressive, and yet it’s somehow crowned by the chimney-sweep-rooster number over the London rooftops (“Step in Time”) in Act Two – a fantastic number in which Mary’s friend Bert literally climbs a wall and dances headlong across the ceiling and down the other side. It’s an impossible feat (or inability?) accomplished on Broadway and underscoring the Memphis Theater’s fearless commitment to holding nothing back. You can’t help but cheer.

Technically, this show is solid in design and detail. Amie Eoff’s costumes have never been better. Each performer is meticulously dressed in early 20th century British clothing that appears to have been made from scratch and measured to perfection. Jason Eschhofen’s sound design blends well with the orchestra and never allows the music to drown out the vocals. Nicole Northington’s lighting maintains the mood of each song, and her wraparound lighting is rich and colorful – especially the deep lavender. (The only criticism might be that the follow-up spots struggled to keep up with the actors’ movements on opening night, which should improve over the course of the run.) Finally, the Jack Netzel-Yates set covers exteriors and interiors in all of London (rooftops, parks, bedrooms and playrooms) with such skill that there is never any doubt as to where we are as the scenes transition. It’s another robust design for Nezel-Yates.

Mary Poppins Ensemble

This could arguably be the strongest cast ever assembled on a Theatrical Memphis stage. Every artist gives 110% and it’s impossible to believe that they all have a regular “day job” singing and dancing, isn’t it? While each deserves high praise, there are a handful of performances that deserve mention:

Calvin Ellis as George Banks, Lauren Duckworth as Winifred Banks,
Braxton Gibson as Michael Banks, Sophia Fleer as Jane Banks

Played by Calvin Ellis (George Banks), Lauren Duckworth (Winifred Banks), Sophia Fleer (Jane Banks) and Braxton Gibson (Michael Banks), the members of the Banks family thoroughly impress as a strict/distant father, worried mother and finally teachable children. They all have an “arc” and are changed at the end, but not before they feature wonderful vocals and impressive choreography.

Tracy Thomas, who portrays both the bird woman and Miss Andrew (George Banks’ fearsome childhood nanny), lulls you into melodic comfort as the bird woman before reappearing in act two as Miss Andrew, singing soprano notes that will make your hair stand on end be left standing (in the best possible way).

Wyatt Pendleton as Neleus

Wyatt Pendleton shines with his ballet moves as the statue of Neleus comes to life. His pirouettes, arabesques and big jetes represent all the beauty this show has to offer.

It’s hard to think of a better cast choice for Mary Poppins herself than Lynden Lewis. Lewis has the singing skills, mannerisms and demeanor of a guardian angel with a wry sense of humor. She carries the show well and embodies a loving mentor that any child would love to have. Her style, elegance and grace almost make you think she really flies.

Russell Lehman as Bert

Finally, Russell Lehman will blow your mind as Bert the Chimney Sweep (another guardian angel in disguise) in a performance that rivals the best ever seen on a Memphis stage. Every movement, every word spoken and every facial expression is exuberant and full of joy. His demeanor is cheerful, positive, and exudes a vigor that will overwhelm you. Born for the role, he delivers an explosive performance that audiences will not soon forget.

It’s almost cruel to recommend attending this incredible show as it’s already sold out for the remainder of the event (although more performances continue) but if possible it’s a ‘must see’. It’s rare for a production (especially a community theater production) to match, let alone outperform, the material, but Theater Memphis has done just that. Yes, the show runs a little longer than necessary and some situations seem artificial, but the cast and crew elevate the viewing experience to such a level that it doesn’t matter at all. As the Memphis Theater wraps up another successful season, it’s clear that DISNEY AND CAMERON MACINTOSH’s “MARY POPPINS” (executive producer Debbie Litch) is practically perfect in every way.

Now until July 2, 2023

Photos by Carla McDonald

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The renovation of the historic theater drew attention from within the mainstream LGBTQ community, sparking debate about nostalgia for what the 100-year-old building represented and what it could be next.

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — San Francisco is renovating its popular Castro Palace theater and approving major changes to the theater that some San Franciscoers have debated for months.

The Planning and Historic Preservation Commissions met for the first time Thursday to consider code changes to allow the $15 million redevelopment project to move forward.

The renovation of the historic theater drew attention from within the mainstream LGBTQ community, sparking debate about nostalgia for what the 100-year-old building represented and what it could be next.

In 2022, San Francisco residents learned that management had been signed with Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. Another Planet manages numerous prestigious venues throughout the Bay Area, including the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland, and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco.

Another Planet’s renovation plans included installing an HVAC system and heating system, restoring murals and decorative elements, and adding a security gate to the front.

The company wants to remove the theater’s sloped floor and orchestral seating to make way for tiered platforms that will accommodate standing audiences and serve alcohol. The Nasser family, who have owned the theater since it opened in 1922, say the planned renovation is the only way to keep the company financially stable.

In February, the Historic Preservation Commission recommended that the Oversight Board extend monument status to the interior of the theater, since the exterior was a listed building in the 1970s. Many people protested in February, saying the 1,400-seat theater offered fellowship in shared experiences that included watching old-fashioned movies, joining in sing-alongs and just hanging out with like-minded people — many of whom had fled their home countries to San Francisco’s hometowns across the country to live their lives openly.

Public comments on Thursday lasted more than four hours. So many people stood waiting for comment that they had to be asked to temporarily leave.

Drag artist Donna Sachet, often referred to as the “First Lady of the Castro,” is supporting the renovation of San Francisco’s Castro Theater. (Screenshot via Courthouse News)

Drag artist Donna Sachet, known as “the First Lady of the Castro,” advocated for the theater’s redesign.

“We are entrusting our Castro Theater to a local community group willing and able to invest more than $15 million in a faded venue,” said Sachet.

The Friends of Castro Theater Coalition claimed Another Planet has not been transparent or inclusive with the LGBTQ community and has not signed an agreement promising to hold public community events during the 180 days it will be open.

Some speakers opposed serving alcohol indoors, noting that the removal of fixed seating has ruined other theaters — like San Diego’s North Park Observatory, which is now classified as a public nuisance.

Others have dubbed it “gentrification,” turning the theater into an expensive venue that only a few can afford. Tab Buckner said it was already too expensive for working-class people to enjoy private venues.

“Given the huge wealth gap in our region, are you going to make this any worse?” Buckner asked. “That’s no offense to our allies, but also keep in mind the types of venues that will be open frequently with these proposals. I can imagine that many straight men who drink heavily come out of the concerts.”

Some parents support the theater, which offers more capacity for various community events to revitalize the Castro neighborhood. A large group of homeowners who live near the theater also support the project.

The Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved motions to allow nightly entertainment and interior and exterior modifications, including the removal of the permanent seats. They included some conditions, including that $1.1 million in conservation work must first be completed.

The planning commission then voted 4-2 to approve the planning code change and certification allowing bars to operate at night.

Another Planet pledges at least 25% LGBTQ programs – including a partnership with non-profit residency program Oasis Arts, which hosts local LGBTQ artists – and said it’s never aimed to focus on private events.

In addition, it must meet twice a year with the Castro Cultural Quarter and obtain at least half of the concessions from local companies.

Another Planet refused to register private and ticketed events. Commissioner Kathrin Moore said without her one could not be sure how affordable ticket prices would be – and the commission then decided to require reporting of free or discounted events.

“The problem with theater refocusing is that theater isn’t going to be as affordable as it is right now,” Moore said.

Moore, along with Commissioner Theresa Imperial, opposed approving the project. She said she was disappointed with the “unresponsiveness of the applicant”.

“Rarely have I seen that in a discussion as high profile as this one,” Moore said, thanking the audience for many passionate arguments to save the theater.

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Rotimi speaks appreciatively of the relaxed nature of his relationship with the organization — how inspired he is by his fellow artists, and particularly the flexibility it affords him to create work at his own pace, rather than by an organization-imposed deadline or including a guideline for producing commercially viable work.

“It’s a[kind of]freedom,” he notes, “not feeling pressure to conform to a certain standard.”

SPACE 124 in the Artaud project. (Courtesy of SPACE 124)

Project Artaud: collective power writ large

Founded in 1971, Project Artaud (499 Alabama St.) is one of the oldest artist-run live work spaces in the country. It serves as a home for nearly 100 members who lead the project together while nurturing their individual artistic and creative practice.

As you would expect from an organization named after the influential French theater maker Antonin Artaud, building performance spaces was an important part of the project’s creators’ vision. Today, the impressive industrial building (once the headquarters of the American Can Company) houses several public venues managed by tenants and one – SPACE 124 – managed by the project.

With each space and theater group operating independently, Project Artaud is a place of endless possibilities. Each week, audiences can discover the highly specialized work of the Theater of Yugen, a touring powerhouse or new musical at the 244-seat Z Space, gripping new works by local playwrights at the Z Below, a celebration of dance works at the Joe Goode Annex, or the heady Heights of an aerial performance at SPACE 124.

While each space has its own vibe and audience, cross-pollination is part of the overall ecosystem. Fury Factory – a biannual festival of ensemble performances curated by jokesFURY prior to its dissolution in 2021 – cleverly capitalized on their proximity, presenting multiple touring and local artists, workshops and talks simultaneously and in close proximity to each other. But even without a festival on site, the venues are linked by a shared history and Project Artaud’s focus on creating and preserving artistic space together.

“I’m so glad I was a part of that time,” says Lizzy Spicuzza, a Project Artaud member since the early ’80s and current program manager of SPACE 124. “It’s also part of my story.”

The Stage Werx Theater offers a 70-seat space in the heart of the mission. (Ty McKenzie)

The Stage Werx Theater at 446 Valencia Street is not a multi-stage venue. But one look at what’s on offer suggests it has to be – it’s home to such a wide range of artists and performance styles.

Would you like to perform a musical about a cat allergy? Exploring the surrealist medium Exquisite Corpse as an ensemble production? Reading the works of HP Lovecraft naked on stage? Ty Mckenzie, owner of Stage Werx, a staple of the San Francisco underground, won’t tell you no.

As the seemingly tireless engine working behind the scenes to create this supporting microcosm, Mckenzie had to learn to do whatever it took to (literally) stop the lights (literally).

The only thing I don’t do is plumbing,” she says of her workload. “I can plumb, but I drew a line. I do everything else – from accounting to production, from electrics to roof repairs.”

A staple of the Stage Werx calendar is improv including (up until this year) Endgames Improv and currently the delightfully wacky Cirque Oui-Et! (or Circus Yes-And), who mix their long improv shows with burlesque, puppetry, drag and clown. And similar to a separate improvisation show, the guiding principle of Stage Werx could be described as a “yes and”.

Mckenzie, the human embodiment of this principle, still doesn’t pay for her work at Werx, instead focusing on the ephemeral rewards of a job well done – and the satisfaction of supporting local artists.

“I love the work they do here and it fills me with boundless energy to provide a clean, well-run, state-of-the-art venue so they can focus on their craft. It’s a love-love situation,” she says. “And who doesn’t want to spend their days surrounded by love?”

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SAN FRANCISCO — While the cultural significance of San Francisco’s venerable Castro Theater is undisputed, heated debate rages on over a proposed renovation plan that would replace the theater’s seats.

The plan drew a violent reaction after it was revealed that the tenant was planning to remove the first floor seats. Opponents say it would mar the theatre’s history, while proponents say it would help revitalize the venue.

Joe Sangiardi moved to San Francisco with his husband four years ago to live together in the Castro District.

“We wanted to be part of a legacy that we can live into, that we can live our lives here and be a part of something much bigger than ourselves,” Sangirardi said.

Sangiardi says he loves the neighborhood, the sense of community, all the unique local shops and of course the iconic theatre.

“It’s the cornerstone of our community here in Castro,” Sangirardi said.

Rob Byrne also loves the theatre. He has been attending shows for over 35 years.

“We moved to the Bay Area in 1987 and I’ve been coming here since the day we moved here. It was an absolute Mecca for us,” said Byrne, who is a member of the Castro Theater Conservancy.

But while both Sangiardi and Byrne share a common love for the centuries-old venue, they differ dramatically when it comes to what they think is best for its future.

The Castro’s owners announced last year that they were working with local promoter Another Planet Entertainment (APE) to refurbish the venue and convert it into a mixed-use facility capable of hosting both films and concerts. The plan would require the permanent seating to be removed from the venue’s ground floor.

Sangiardi said when he found out about the plan he was excited.

“I mean, we’re talking about tens of thousands of people who come to the Castro all the time, not just to go to the theater, but to get drinks, shop or have dinner,” Sangirardi said.

But Byrne had the opposite reaction. He believes that this would essentially hollow out the theater and turn it into a concert hall rather than a mixed-use space.

“Converting this space into a single-use, live-music-only venue, with flat floors, no seating, and operating only a few days a month is simply a crime against the City of San Francisco,” Byrne said .

The two residents of the Castro district are not alone in their disagreement. The controversy has become so heated that the board of directors intervenes.

In April, the city’s Land Use and Transportation Committee voted to designate the Castro’s seats as part of its historic landmark.

If that decision stands, when put to a full vote by regulators in May, it will essentially halt APE’s plans.

Sangiardi says he’s concerned that APE could shut down their project altogether.

“To look at a massive investment in our community it’s such a vote of confidence in the future and I think it would really be a disservice to a lot of the work that people have done in our community if they tried to end this deal and stop this investment in our community,” Sangiardi said.

Byrne disagrees.

“APE is not the only organization that can fund a complete renovation and keep the place available and active and vibrant 365 days a year,” Byrne said.

Both residents say they will continue to rally support for their respective sides and lobby for city officials every day until that final vote.

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The Castro Theater opened on Castro Street in 1922, and Pflueger later designed famous movie theaters like Oakland’s Paramount Theater and famous San Francisco cocktail lounges like the Top of the Mark.

“The Castro is sort of a grab bag of Beaux-Arts, Spanish Baroque, Renaissance and a variety of other styles,” said architectural historian Gerard Koskovich, “including some Art Deco elements.”

This mix of styles creates a whimsical setting designed to transport audiences into a world of fantasy and cinema.

The interior of the Castro Theater in 1927. (San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library)

In the beginning, the Castro showed silent films, often accompanied by live music from a variety of instruments, most famously Castro’s Wurlitzer organ. The Castro catered primarily to the working-class community in the Eureka Valley, then considered a remote suburb outside of bustling San Francisco.

“Back then, people expected to see a mixed program … some short films, maybe a newsreel, and then a feature film,” Koskovich said.

When the film’s sound arrived, the Castro received speakers installed in a large burlap-lined hole in the wall behind the square cinema screen. When film went wide screen, so did the Castro: another screen was built just a few yards in front of the original screen and proscenium, and over time the old, golden square faded into oblivion. It remains visible in the Castro backstage if you can climb the stairs.

With its 1,400 seats, the Castro was considered small for the time. In San Francisco alone, there was competition from giants like the El Capitan on Mission Street; Now a parking lot, the Cap had twice as many seats as the Castro. Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “The World’s Finest Theater,” Fox Theater on Market Street (on the site where Fox Plaza is now located) had 4,651 seats.

The average cinema in 2023 has around 150 seats.

The larger theaters like Fox and El Capitan showed the big blockbusters or premieres, while Castro’s repertoire consisted mostly of second or third screenings—films that had already been played in the larger theaters.

The interior of the Castro Theater in San Francisco on August 10, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The gay Castro

De-industrialization and white flight changed the composition of the Castro in the 1950s and 1960s. Then the gay community moved in. By all accounts, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon — a lesbian couple who became longtime community activists — were the first openly LGBTQ people to move into the Castro in 1953.

“In the 1950s, this declining working-class neighborhood began to evolve into a gay enclave,” Koskovich said. The Castro’s first gay bar — dubbed the Missouri Mule — opened in 1963. “And in the early ’70s,” Koskovich said, “the Castro was very clearly labeled as a gay neighborhood.”

Mel Novikoff was then a programmer for the Castro Theater and quickly discovered a strategy to bring the neighborhood’s fast-growing gay community to the theatre:

“Bringing back old film, mixing it with art house films and foreign films,” Koskovich said. This is key to understanding this emerging urban public, he added: “These were people who had fled their gritty, monochromatic hometowns and moved to San Francisco because they wanted to pursue a sophisticated, exciting, cosmopolitan cultural life.” Novikoff has understood that.

“And what came out at the Castro Theater,” Koskovich said, “was the fact that there were a lot of crazy movie queens in San Francisco. You just had to watch a double bill of The Women and What Happened to Baby Jane? often dressed like their favorite characters or dressed to mock some of the characters, often reciting the best lines of dialogue.

In the outside world, it wasn’t necessarily safe to be openly gay. But in the Castro Theater, gay people — mostly gay white men — felt safe to express themselves.

In 1977, the Castro Theater was recognized as a beacon for the LGBTQ community when it became San Francisco’s 100th historic landmark, protecting the exterior from demolition or alteration.

What are you wondering about the Bay Area, its culture, or people that KQED is designed to study? Ask Bay Curious.

A sanctuary

“Before there were effective treatments around 1996, staying in the community as an AIDS sufferer was impossible,” Koskovich said. In San Francisco alone, nearly 20,000 people died during the AIDS crisis — “the overwhelming majority of them gay men under 50,” Koskovich added, with the majority of them living within two miles of the Castro District. “So imagine the impact of this epidemic, not just on the city but also on this particular neighborhood.”

The Castro Theater became the chapel of a community mourning the loss of a generation of young men.

“It was a place to go after you finished the two memorial services that week for people you knew,” Koskovich recalled. “You could spend a few hours escaping to a movie or a live show. They could bring sick people and they could sit quietly in a safe, secure and comfortable place knowing that if they have any signs they will not be excluded [of AIDS], such as Kaposi’s sarcoma lesions. That people would not withdraw from them. They could remain part of the community that had been built there.”

During the ’90s and 2000s, Castro Theater’s involvement and visibility in the LGBTQ community continued to grow under the watchful eye of programmer Anita Monga. She ushered in the era where film festivals like Frameline were held in theaters, as well as major film premieres.

In 2008, the Harvey Milk biopic Milk, much of which is set at the Castro, had its world premiere at the theater. In preparation for the event, the film studio funded a facelift for the Castro’s exterior, giving it a 1970s shine.

Atmosphere at the world premiere of “Milk” at the Castro Theater on October 28, 2008 in San Francisco. (Steve Jennings/WireImage)

The future of an icon

During the COVID-19 pandemic, theaters and concert halls have been closed. Although still owned by descendants of the original Nasser brothers, the Castro Theater came out in 2020 under new management, a company called Another Planet Entertainment. APE is a locally owned concert production company founded in 2003, which also manages the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, Fox Theater in Oakland and the Outside Lands Festival.

APE announced plans to refurbish the Castro Theater, including removing the cinema-style fixed seating and adding tiered areas for standing room concerts. The reaction of the film community was quick and determined.

The Castro Theater Conservancy, a community organization whose mission, according to its website, is to protect the theater “as a cultural and entertainment venue for films and live performance,” announced the creation of the Save the Castro Theater campaign in response.

Michael Petrelis holds a sign that reads “Save the Seats” during a town meeting about Another Planet Entertainment renovations at the Castro Theater on August 11, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

What followed were rallies, the online #SaveTheSeats campaign and hundreds of chain emails sent to officials asking that the seats and their layout at a tourist attraction be given special protection.

The Historic Preservation Commission accepted public comments for and against the proposed land marker on February 1, 2023 at San Francisco City Hall. More than 100 people lined up and waited for hours to speak. A majority of public comments opposed proposed changes to the Castro Theater seating.

The HPC voted to recommend the Castro Theater as a landmark, but came close to specifically naming the seats in its recommendation to the San Francisco board of directors. The Castro Theater will have seating, but how many and what type is still up in the air.

Some members of the film community see the changes proposed by APE as destroying a cultural space. On the other hand, there are people who imagine a future in which queer concerts play just as much a role as queer cinema. Either way, the iconic Castro Theater will remain a part of the San Francisco experience for generations to come, whether as a beloved community space or an aging relic of a bygone era.

A final decision on his fate could be made at a board meeting on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at San Francisco City Hall.

The post San Francisco’s Castro Theatre: A Cultural ‘Temple’ Dealing with a Combat for Its Future appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — In meeting room 400 on the top floor of San Francisco’s spectacular Beaux Arts City Hall, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission met Wednesday to discuss two issues: their own budget and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors whether Should this be the case, extension of landmark status to the interior of the Castro Theater (the exterior was listed as a historic monument as early as the 1970s, making it a San Francisco Historic Landmark #100).

It would be six hours before they finally got to the budget.

San Franciscans still love extravagance, despite the onslaught of money-oriented technology over the past 20 years, and the extravagant — and many of those with less extravagant inclinations — came to voice their opinions on this proposal. Slightly more than 100 people, including a few celebrities, approached the commission, pushing the meeting well past its scheduled end time and forcing the commissioners to move the meeting to another room after the 5pm deadline.

Eddie Muller of Turner Classic Movies spoke out in favor of the landmark, noting that he had organized successful screenings of noir films at the Castro, drawing crowds that stretched around the block. Eric Reed Boucher, better known to fans as Jello Biafra, told the commissioners: “The Castro was built not to be just any cinema, but to be a great theater.”

“There is a reason for everything else [film] Festivals are choosing to hold their festivals there,” Boucher said. “Its magical.”

Some addressed the board a little more memorably than others. Susan Englander, a cheery old lady in a San Francisco Giants cap and dressed in red like many in the audience who showed up to show their support for extending landmark status to the interior of the historic Castro Theater, began her testimony on the commission .

“I just want to witness what the Castro means to me-e-eans!” she sang before recounting her first date as a bisexual woman at her beloved movie palace. In fact, her testimony was similar to many others’ testimonies in this regard. For a few generations of LGBT San Franciscans, the Castro’s place in the community and their own lives are iconic.

At stake is the interior of the 100-year-old Castro Theatre, a fabulous movie palace that is widely loved and definitely showing its age. Like the surrounding neighborhood, long plagued by the problems of skyrocketing rents and rising homelessness, the Castro Theater has seen better days, and efforts to revitalize the grand old cinema have been tumultuous at best. After 100 years, the cinema is showing its age and the effects of delayed renovations.

A year ago, San Franciscans were surprised by the news that management of the theater had been handed over to Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. As the manager of numerous well-respected venues throughout the Bay Area such as the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland and both the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, the addition of the Castro was a big deal for the company.

Another Planet’s renovation plans, prepared by Palo Alto, California-based CAW Architects, called for extensive renovations of the entire building, including the installation of an HVAC system and heater (the theater is notorious for its lack of heat), the Restoration of the murals and decorative features as well as numerous other details throughout the building. Recent torrential storms in California have flooded the basement, said David Perry, spokesman for Another Planet, and the roof is also leaking.

However, one point in particular stood out. Another Planet wanted to remove the theater’s sloped floor and orchestral seating to make room for tiered platforms that would allow event producers to remove seating for standing audiences and accommodate other types of events. If films have been shown in the theater, Another Planet insists the seats could be replaced.

Many disagreed, and the most vocal of them turned up for Wednesday’s meeting. While this is not the first time large and noisy gatherings have been held on the subject, it is the first real step towards starting the renovation work.

Like Englander, many of those who spoke up remembered first dates, and many more remembered finding a sense of themselves as gay men and lesbians. The Castro Theater, they said, offered community in the shared experiences of watching old movies, attending sing-alongs, and just hanging out with like-minded people, many of whom had fled their hometowns across the country to live in San Francisco live their lives openly.

“It was at the Castro that we discovered our stories and defined our community,” said Robert Gray, sharing fond memories on the theater’s balcony, which also hosts live organ performances before the films begin. “The organist wasn’t the only fan of big organs at the Castro,” Gray joked.

Some find the Castro Theater magical.

“San Francisco residents are called unicorns, and that’s what the Castro Theater is,” said Serafina Miller, interim president of the California Art Deco Society. Recalling the numerous sing-alongs she took her daughter to, she said as a black woman she was sensitive to the impact the theater’s potential loss would have on a marginalized community.

Lesbian filmmaker Monica Noland recalled meeting her partner at the screening of a Barbara Stanwyck film. “Here in San Francisco,” she said, “we have the right to brag at one of the finest theaters in the world, and that’s worth saving.”

But while the majority of those who turned up to speak in person opposed Another Planet’s proposals, there were many who disagreed. For example, the majority of incoming calls supported the proposal. One of the commissioners later commented on the fact that it was the proponents of landmark status who actually showed up in person.

Six hours later, after providing their own comments and recalling their own memories of the Castro, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend landmark status for the theater’s interior. Next, the topic goes to the planning commission and finally to the supervisory board. As some Commissioners have noted, there will be more meetings.

At 6:30 p.m., six hours after their meeting started, they finally moved on to the budget.

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The Coolidge Corner Theater (“The Coolidge”) today announced its weekly children’s shows for Winter/Spring 2023. The new season will begin on Sunday, January 1 at 10:30 am with a screening of the popular stop-motion classic, Shaun the Sheep, designed to engage all ages.

Throughout the season we’ll be welcoming back Coolidge favorites like Josh and the Jamtones, Little Groove and illusionist David Garrity.

And of course, as New England’s premier movie destination, we can’t resist the opportunity to introduce a new generation to classic movies like The Great Muppet Caper, The Fantastic Mr. Fox and My Neighbor Totoro.

The lineup for the Coolidge Kids Shows for Winter/Spring 2023 is as follows: All shows are approximately one hour long unless otherwise noted.

MOVIE: Shaun the Sheep

Saturday 31 December and Sunday 1 January at 10:30am

The woolly hero of Aardman Studios is the star of a British animated series that follows his crazy adventures on a small farm. Now, in his own full-length adventure for the big screen, the mischievous sheep hatches a plan to throw sand in the farmer’s eyes so the flock can have fun. Shaun’s barnyard antics accidentally send the farmer to the big city where he develops amnesia, prompting Shaun and friends to embark on an epic rescue mission. The result is a fun, imaginative film that is accessible to children of all ages.

Running time: 85 minutes.

Recommended from 2 years.

The Stacey Peasley Band

Saturday 7 January at 10:30am

The Stacey Peasley Band has entertained and engaged families for over a decade! A teacher for 10 years and a professional singer for 25 years, Stacey Peasley combines her love of children and music into a lively performance that engages children and creates memorable and fun sing-alongs that features performances throughout the greater Boston area. Peasley lives in the Boston area with her husband and three children, who continue to inspire her. Their music has been featured on radio programs nationwide, including Sirius XM’s Kids Place Live.

Recommended from 2 years

Davey the clown

Sunday 15 January at 10:30am

Davey the Clown is a physical comedian, juggler, unicyclist and accordionist. His show includes juggling, amazing magic, incredible unicycling (on a 6 foot unicycle!), crazy antics, balloon sculpture, audience participation and a rubber chicken! Plus accordion music and a parade with volunteers from the audience! An hour of entertainment to make kids (and adults) laugh.

Recommended from 2 years.

MOVIE: The Great Muppet Caper

Saturday 21st January and Sunday 22nd January at 10:30 am

Stop the press! It’s the crime of the century – and investigative reporters Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo are out to solve the case in this song-filled, star-studded extravaganza directed by the legendary Jim Henson. Our heroes arrive in London to interview Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg), a high fashion designer whose priceless diamond necklace has just been stolen. But when Kermit mistakes pretty receptionist/model-wannabe Miss Piggy for her aristocratic employer; it’s love at first sight. Unfortunately, Lady Holiday’s scheming brother (Charles Grodin) is also courting the hot-blooded pig so that he can frame her for another brazen jewel heist. Now it’s up to Kermit and his Muppet buddies to clear Piggy’s name and catch the real culprits.

Running time: 97 minutes

Recommended from 5 years

MOVIE: My Neighbor Totoro

Saturday 28 January and Sunday 29 January at 10:30am

Often considered one of the best children’s films of all time, Hayao Miyazaki’s watercolor ode to childhood fantasy is both a delightful, exciting adventure and a nuanced portrait of youth, innocence and growth. In order to be closer to their mother, who is bedridden in a rural hospital, Satsuki and Mei move with their father to a remote rural village, only to find that the countryside is home to a family of gentle creatures who take in these young magical girls new journey.

Dubbed in English. Running time: 1h 25m

Recommended from 5 years

Wayne Potash

Sunday, February 5 at 10:30 a.m

“A great musician for little kids,” Zooglobble writes of singer/songwriter Wayne Potash. Wayne and his band put on high-energy shows that delight young audiences with sing-alongs, dancing, hopping and heaps of good-natured fun, with songs like “Lobster Dance,” “Shy Shark,” and “BIG, I’m Big.” Rambles notes, that Wayne “sings the most memorable tunes in American music with a gracious vocal delivery that has the audience singing along.” Performances include Boston Harborfest, Boston Children’s Hospital, Club Passim, Cambridge River Festival, Museum of Science , the Children’s Museums of Boston and Rhode Island, and hundreds of shows for festivals, schools, libraries, and parks and recreation departments throughout New England.
Recommended from 2 years.

MOVIE: The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Saturday, February 11 at 10:30 a.m

Mr. and Mrs. Fox (George Clooney, Meryl Streep) live an idyllic family life with their son Ash (Schwartzman) and visit young nephew Kristopherson (Eric Anderson) – but after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves to be too much for Mr. Fox wild animal instincts. He soon reverts to his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief, endangering not only his beloved family but the entire animal community. Trapped underground and with insufficient food, the animals band together to fight the evil Farmers – Boggis, Bunce and Bean – who are determined to capture the bold, fantastic Mr. Fox at any cost. Roald Dahl’s classic book was brought to life in glorious detail by visionary director Wes Anderson and his team of stop-motion animators.

Running time: 87 minutes
Recommended from 6 years.

MOVIE: Mary Poppins

Sunday, February 19 at 10:30 a.m

Experience the exceptional animation and award-winning music of the original Mary Poppins presented on our big screen! Julie Andrews made her screen debut and won an Oscar for her portrayal of the “virtually perfect” nanny who revolutionizes the orderly Banks family in this exceedingly frail, freedom-loving Disney classic. Alongside Dick Van Dyke as the lovable chimney sweep Bert, Mary Poppins is full of unforgettable songs and dazzling special effects.

Running time: 2h 19m

Recommended from 3 years.

Saturday 25 February at 10:30am

Illusionist David Garrity presents “Magic & Beyond,” a one-person illusion show that features unique theatrical and visual magic, audience participation, comedy to a custom edited musical soundtrack. Garrity uses visual magic and illusions in combination with music, pantomime, situation comedy and audience participation to entertain viewers of all ages and backgrounds. Recommended from 2 years.

The Airborne Comedians

Sunday March 5 at 10:30 am

The Airborne Comedians are two artists who have traveled the world performing their energetic, unorthodox comedy juggling show to the delight of all ages. Dan Foley and Joel Harris throw and catch bird baths, lawn chairs, electric guitars and baseball bats in their hilarious juggling routines while balancing on 6 and 7 foot tall unicycles! A safe bet to make you laugh. Recommended from 2 years.

Little groove

Saturday March 11 at 10:30 am

Come to Coolidge for an interactive music experience with your child. The show is designed for children under the age of 8 who will have fun using real instruments such as drums, shakers and tambourines. You will also interact with dolls, bubbles, balls, pom poms and parachutes! Kids will enjoy being part of the musical experience, using their bodies and voices to sing along to catchy songs that help build important motor and social skills. Parents and carers are encouraged to take their children to the musical experience.
Recommended from 1 year.

Josh and the Jamtones

Sunday March 19 at 10:30 am

Josh and the Jamtones is an exciting Boston-based rock ‘n’ roll family band working towards a single goal: to create a unique and original musical experience that parents can enjoy together with their children. After over 100 shows, a full-length release and three separate EPs in 2011, the Jamtones family burst onto the national stage in 2012 with a brand new album. The band is led by frontman Josh Shriber, owner of The Wildly popular Jammin’ With You!, a 5,000 square foot music and instruction studio and performance center in Wellesley, MA. Recommended from 2 years.

FILM: Kid Flicks One from the New York International Children’s Film Festival

Sunday March 26 at 10:30 am

Kid Flicks One, a collection of short films curated by the New York International Children’s Film Festival, welcomes all budding cinephiles to this lively, fun-filled international program. Whether you’re dreaming up the fantastic, like a cat the size of a house, or the practical, like finding a beloved teacher or summer romance, these shorts are sure to surprise and delight.

Running time: 49 minutes

Recommended from 5 years

Tanglewood puppets present Sleeping Beauty

Saturday 8 April at 10:30am

The production of Sleeping Beauty by Tanglewood Marionettes begins with a brief demonstration of the art of puppetry. Through humorous interaction, viewers get to know different characters, from simple hand puppets to sophisticated marionettes. A classic tale that will appeal to children of all ages, Sleeping Beauty begins in King Felix’s great hall by celebrating the birth of Princess Aurora. The party goes awry when the Wicked Witch arrives and curses Princess Aurora. Does the curse come true? Will someone with a “true heart” show up? You’ll know when you see the presentation of this most popular Tanglewood Marionettes story.

Recommended from 3 years.

The Coolidge’s screens are accessible by elevators. Booster seats are available for small children. All screens are equipped with a variety of options for guests who are hard of hearing, deaf, blind and/or visually impaired. For accessibility questions or to request special accommodations, please email info@coolidge.org.

All events are at 10:30am unless otherwise noted; Visit coolidge.org for tickets and show times. The Coolidge Corner Theater is located at 290 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA. Tickets to the Kids’ Show are $14 general admission and $11 for Coolidge members.

The non-profit Coolidge Corner Theater is a leading American independent cinema known for its curated feature film programming and innovative educational, cultural and entertainment programming. The Coolidge is a popular movie theater that welcomes over 225,000 guests a year and has been delighting audiences with the finest cinematic entertainment since 1933.

As well as presenting the very best in contemporary independent cinema, Coolidge has developed a wide range of programming to reach all sectors of the community including: Big Screen Classics, After Midnite, Senior Matinees, Talk Cinema, Science on Screen, Cinema Jukebox, PANORAMA, The Sounds of Silents, Children’s Shows, Rewind!, Box Office Babies and Adult Film Courses. The Coolidge is home to several prominent film festivals and has welcomed film luminaries such as Meryl Streep, Werner Herzog, Jane Fonda, Liv Ullmann, Ethan Hawke, Viggo Mortensen and more. Visit coolidge.org for more information.

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SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — In meeting room 400 on the top floor of the city’s spectacularly beaux arts City Hall, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission met Wednesday to consider two items : its own budget and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors whether to extend landmark status to the interior of the Castro Theater (the exterior was landmarked back in the 1970s, making it San Francisco Historic Landmark #100). It would be six hours before they finally got to the budget.

San Franciscans, despite the onslaught of money-focused tech over the past 20 years, still love flamboyance and the flamboyant — and plenty of those with less flamboyant inclinations — showed up to voice their opinions about that proposal. Easily more than 100 people, including a couple of celebrities, addressed the commission, taking the meeting well past its slated end time, and forcing the commissioners to move the meeting to another room once its 5 pm deadline passed.

Turner Classic Movies’ Eddie Muller spoke in support of the landmarking, noting that he had organized successful showings of noire films in the Castro, drawing crowds that stretched around the block. Eric Reed Boucher, better known to fans as Jello Biafra, told commissioners “The Castro was built to be not just any movie theater, but a great theater.”

“There’s a reason for all the other [film] festivals choose to hold their festivals there,” Boucher said. “It’s magical.”

Some addressed the board a little more memorably than others. Susan Englander, a cheerful old lady sporting a San Francisco Giants cap and dressed in red like many of the others in the audience who showed up to show their support for extending landmark status to the interior of the historic Castro Theatre, began by singing her testimony to the commission.

“I just want to testify what the Castro me-e-eans to me-ee!,” she sang, before going on to recount her first date as a bisexual woman at the beloved movie palace. In fact, her testimony was similar in that regard to the testimonies of many others. For a couple of generations of LGBT San Franciscans, the Castro’s place in the community, and their own lives, is iconic.

At stake is the interior of the 100-year-old Castro Theatre, a fabulous movie palace, widely beloved, and which is definitely showing its age. Like the neighborhood around it, long beset by the issues of skyrocketing rents and increased homelessness, the Castro Theater has seen better days and efforts to revitalize the grand old cinema have been tumultuous at best. After 100 years, the movie house is showing its age and the effects of delayed renovations.

One year ago, San Franciscans were surprised by the news that management of the cinema had been contracted to Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. Already the manager of numerous esteemed venues throughout the Bay Area such as the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland, and both Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, the addition of the Castro was a big deal for the company .

Another planet’s plans for renovations, devised by CAW Architects of Palo Alto, California, called for extensive renovations of the entire building, including the installation of an HVAC system and heating (the theater is notorious for its lack of heat), restoration of the murals and decorative features, and numerous other details throughout the building. Recent torrental storms in California flooded the basement, said David Perry, spokesperson for Another Planet, and the roof leaks as well.

One item in particular, however, stood out. Another planet wanted to remove the theater’s raked floor and orchestral seating to make way for tiered platforms which would allow event producers to remove the seats for standing audiences, as well as accommodating other types of events. When the theater showed films, APE insisted, the seats could be replaced.

Many disagreed, and the most vocal of them showed up for Wednesday’s meeting. To be sure, this was not the first time large, noisy meetings have been held over the matter but it marks the first real step on the path to starting renovation work.

Like Englander, many of those who spoke out recalled first dates, and many more recalled finding a sense of themselves as gay men and lesbians. The Castro Theatre, they said, provided community in the shared experiences of watching campy old films, participating in sing-alongs, and simply being around others like themselves, many of whom had fled to San Francisco from their hometowns around the country, to live their lives openly.

Robert Gray said “Inside the Castro we discovered our stories and defined our community.” He recounted randy memories in the balcony of the theater, which is also home to live organ performances before the movies begin. “The organist wasn’t the only fan of big organs in the Castro,” Gray quipped.

Some find the Castro Theater to be magical.

“San Francisco natives are called unicorns and that’s just what the Castro Theater is,” said Serafina Miller, interim president of the California Art Deco Society. She recalled the numerous sing-alongs to which she’d taken her daughter and said, as a Black woman, she was sensitive to the impact the potential loss of the theater would have on a marginalized community.

Lesbian filmmaker Monica Noland recalled meeting her partner at the showing of a Barbara Stanwyck movie. “Here in San Francisco,” she said, “we have bragging rights to one of the best theaters in the world and that’s worth saving.”

But while the majority of those who showed up to speak in person opposed Another Planet’s proposals, there were plenty who felt otherwise. The majority of the calls that came in, for example, were in support of the proposal. One of the commissioners later commented on the fact that it was the supporters of landmark status who actually showed up in person.

Six hours later, after making their own comments and recalling their own memories of the Castro, the commission voted 6-0 to recommend landmark status for the theater’s interior. From here it goes on to the planning commission and then, finally, the Board of Supervisors. There will be a few commissioners noted, more meetings ahead.

A 6:30 p.m., six hours after their meeting had begun, they finally moved on to the budget.

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SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — The Castro Theater has seen better days.

Still owned by the Nassers, the family of Lebanese immigrants who built it in 1922, the movie palace dominates the rise where Castro, 17th, and Market streets converge. Its colorful blade neon sign reading, simply, “Castro” rises above the marquee, beckoning locals and visitors alike to the LGBT neighborhood, not, it isn’t too hyperbolic to say, unlike the Statue of Liberty’s torch. The Castro sign has been an assurance to countless tens of thousands that, at last, they were home and safe.

But, like the neighborhood around it, long beset by the issues of skyrocketing rents and increased homelessness, the Castro Theater has seen better days and efforts to revitalize the grand old cinema have been tumultuous at best. After 100 years, the movie house is showing its age and the effects of delayed renovations or, in one case, sloppy preservation efforts have taken their toll on the theater’s unique leatherette ceiling, which is stained and cracked as a result of a misguided attempt to preserve it.

One year ago, San Franciscans were surprised — or alarmed, depending upon your point of view — by the news that management of the cinema had been contracted to Another Planet Entertainment, a concert promoter based across the bay in Berkeley. Already the manager of numerous esteemed venues throughout the Bay Area such as the Greek Theater in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland, and both Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, the addition of the Castro was a big deal for the company .

Entrusted with a building many in San Francisco and particularly those in the Castro regard as a jewel among the city’s collection of artistically notable structures, Another Planet vowed from the outset to restore the beloved theater to its glorious original state. Designed by prominent San Francisco architect Timothy Pflueger, whose masterpieces dot the city, the theater is a testament to the Churrigueresque influences on Spanish style architecture proliferating throughout California at the time. Many were already dubious, however, suspicious of the concert promoters’ move into one of the last repertory theaters in town, and the oldest, longest running single screen movie palace.

While the Castro began as a first-run theater, by the time it had hit midlife in the 1970s, it was showing second-run movies. With the influx of gay men into the Castro in the 1960s and ’70s, however, the theater took on a new life. Throughout the following decades, programming at the theater began to reflect the tastes of the LGBT community. Campy old classics like 1939’s “The Women” and 1950’s “All About Eve” (“Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!”) found ready audiences. Live performances, through producers like Marc Huestis and Joshua Grannell — better known as the drag queen Peaches Christ — became regular events. In 1990, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus began their annual Christmas performance “Home for the Holidays,” which has become a holiday tradition.

For cinephiles, particularly LGBT cinephiles, a turning point came in 1977 with the groundbreaking documentary “Word is Out,” featuring interviews with 26 gay men and lesbians about their lives, which premiered at the Castro, and established the cinema as ground zero for LGBT Movie. Other films followed: “The Life and Times of Harvey Milk,” “Buddies,” and “Milk.” Most recently, the Billy Eichner film “Bros” premiered there, as well as “The Matrix Resurrections.”

Now, many wondered, what would happen to the Castro’s legacy of film and other programming for its LGBT audience? Another Planet’s renovation plans, submitted to the San Francisco planning department in March 2020, did little to assure their fears.

Save the seats!

Another planet’s plans for renovations, devised by CAW Architects of Palo Alto, California, called for extensive renovations of the entire building, including the installation of an HVAC system and heating (the theater is notorious for its lack of heat), restoration of the murals and decorative features, and numerous other details throughout the building. Recent torrental storms in California flooded the basement, said David Perry, spokesperson for Another Planet, and the roof leaks as well.

One item in particular stood out. Another planet wanted to remove the theater’s raked floor and orchestral seating to make way for tiered platforms which would allow event producers to remove the seats for standing audiences, as well as accommodating other types of events. When the theater showed films, APE insisted, the seats could be replaced.

It didn’t go over well.

Numerous groups voiced their disapproval, including the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District — a quasigovernmental organization which oversees many aspects of managing the neighborhood — various film organizations, and the Castro Conservancy. Founded by former San Francisco Symphony director Peter Pastreich, the conservancy was founded to present a viable alternative to APE’s management of the theater, insisting they could run the Castro as a nonprofit.

Months of bickering ensued. In August, Another Planet organized a community town hall, inviting representatives of the Castro Conservancy, the Castro Cultural District, and its own executives and the architects to present their visions for the theater. Packing the Castro, hundreds of people turned up, many holding signs reading “Save the Seats!” A question and answer period devolved into two hours of people venting their frustrations with Another Planet — although a handful of people voiced their support for the renovations too.

Just one of many speakers that night, producer Huestis cried out, “Taking out the seats is ripping out the heart and soul of the theater!”

Notably, the ages of those opposed veered older, prompting Astrid Kane, a millennial newspaper editor in San Francisco to recently quip on Facebook, “You can fill a room with pompous windbag historians yammering about ‘UNESCO intangible cultural heritage’ all you want, but you won’t have Gen Z in there, too.”

Since then, little has improved. A later motion by San Francisco District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, whose district includes the Castro neighborhood, sought to extend the theater’s historic landmark status to the interior of the movie palace beyond its currently protected façade. That’s resulted in delays in hearings at the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, where the plans for the theater must be approved before moving on to the planning commission. After more than three months of delays, the Historic Preservation Commission will discuss extending the landmark status this week.

Members of the commission will also be considering a new proposal from Another Planet. Rather than the tiered platforms the company had proposed earlier, it’s put forward plans for a motorized raked floor which, according to APE’s Perry, will allow both the raked seating and standing room.

Perry described the seating as “a win-win-win,” allowing room not only for concerts, but films and LGBT programming. Even so, not everyone is convinced.

Stephen Torres, a vocal critic of Another Planet Entertainment’s plans, and executive co-chair of the Castro Cultural District’s advisory committee, said the proposed changes at the theater are more than mere renovations.

“People are understandably scared,” Torres said. “This means so much to everyone. Even people who aren’t cinephiles, even they understand how important this space is.”

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