Another Planet Entertainment Partners With San Francisco’s Historic Castro Theater

On Wednesday, San Francisco's Castro Theater announced a new partnership with Bay Area live events behemoth Another Planet Entertainment (APE).

With APE’s support, the beloved Castro District-favorite will be transformed into a live events venue after 100 years of operating as the community’s premiere film theater in the historic San Francisco LGBTQ neighborhood.

As Another Planet gears up to take over the venue’s programming next year, company officials reiterated in an exclusive interview with the SF Chronicle that events currently on the theater’s schedule will go on as planned until renovations begin later this year.

In the interview, CEO and founder of Another Planet Entertainment, Gregg Perloff, said that they are planning to broaden the programming at the 1,400-capacity venue to include live music, comedy, and more community events.

Before the theater’s grand reopening set for next year, construction and infrastructure changes will take place during a six to eight months closure, the date will be determined later this year, pending permits and a green light from the city.

While Perloff states that many of the planned changes won’t be noticeable to most patrons, they will positively affect the customer experience.

Besides restoring the iconic marquee and “Castro” neon lettering outside the building, Another Planet has plans to improve the theater's sound, lighting, and production by installing a new screen, updating the sound system, adding a new electrical system and HVAC, and expanding the lobby and backstage areas.

The concert promotion company co-produces the Golden Gate Park music festival, Outside Lands, and promotes concerts at many of the Bay Area’s venues it has previously partnered with to aid in restoration: the Fox Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theater in Berkeley, and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Since Elaine Nasser Padian and Steve Nasser’s grandfather built the theater in the early 1900’s, the Castro Theater has remained under ownership of the families, Bay Properties, Inc., and will continue to do so during the new partnership.

“We want people to say Another Planet has changed the cultural identity of the Bay Area,” said Perloff. “We want this neighborhood to really explode with this pairing.”

The Castro Theater is still operating independently as renovations have yet to begin.

Catch the US’s oldest film festival, San Francisco International Film Festival later this spring at the Castro, from April 21-May 1, and the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival from June 16-26.