Two years of renovation have culminated in the legendary Castro Theatre in San Francisco reopening this Friday. The historic venue in the Castro neighborhood is regarded as the cultural heart of the LGBTQ+ community and as one of the most recognizable historic cinemas in the United States.
To kick off the new season, the British nonbinary star Sam Smith will perform a total of 20 concerts from February 10 to March 14, 2026, under the title “To Be Free: San Francisco Residency.” Smith explained that the Castro district has long held a central significance for the queer community, and it is an honor to be part of the reopening of this storied theater.
The Castro Theatre was built in 1922 and was originally designed as a cinema by architect Timothy Ludwig Pflueger. It blends elements of Spanish Baroque, Beaux-Arts architecture, Italianate style, and Art Deco. Since 1977 the building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is regarded as the largest and best-preserved historic cinema in San Francisco. It has also gained international recognition as a film location, including for the drama “Milk” (2008) about the gay politician Harvey Milk.
In 2022 the promoter Another Planet Entertainment entered into an exclusive partnership with the venue and invested about $41 million in a comprehensive renovation. The goal was to open the building to a broader range of entertainment. Going forward, in addition to film screenings, the theater will host standing-room concerts, comedy, drag shows, podcasts, and other formats. The venue now seats around 1,400 attendees.
As part of the renovations, numerous historic elements were restored, including ceiling artworks, sgraffito wall paintings, and a long-hidden proscenium arch. The historic chandelier and the iconic neon sign on the facade were rebuilt. The venue also received modern technology.
Im Zuge der Arbeiten wurden numerous historische Elemente restauriert, darunter Deckenkunstwerke, Sgraffito-Wandmalereien und ein lange verborgener Bühnenbogen. Auch der historische Kronleuchter sowie das ikonische Leuchtschild an der Fassade wurden erneuert. Zudem erhielt das Haus moderne Technik.
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