Last week, Another Planet Entertainment (APE) took Hoodline on a ‘behind the seats’ tour of the historic Castro Theatre, which included viewing a mockup of the proposed seating modifications and touring the backstage space.

It’s been over a yr since APE has taken over the programming of the 100-year-old Castro Theatre, whereas possession stays with the Nasser household and Bay Properties Inc.

APE has proposed much-needed renovations of the uncared for Castro Theatre, together with eradicating the orchestra-level seating and changing them with four-tiered sections of platforms with detachable seats.

Four of the proposed seating choices on the Castro Theatre. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

In January, APE released new renderings of its proposed modifications to the seating, which features a motorized raked ground.

APE Senior Vice President Mary Conde led Hoodline on the tour, which began with a mock-up of 4 attainable seating choices set on prime of a riser. Two of the seats are manufactured by church-seat producer Bertolini, one other by Eldridge, and one by Series Seating known as the Model Okay chair. 

The video of the motorized ground may be seen whereas sitting within the proposed chairs contained in the Castro Theatre.

“Over the last several weeks, Another Planet has been testing a series of new seats for the Castro Theatre, and we have some more ‘seat tastings’ yet to do,” APE spokesperson David Perry advised Hoodline. “The goal: to make sure we have the most comfortable, most adaptable, and most appropriate seat for film including sightline considerations and cup holders.”

After evaluating the chairs, the tour continued backstage to view the Castro Theatre’s proscenium which APE has additionally proposed restoring.

While backstage, standing water was seen and Conde advised Hoodline the basement was at the moment flooded and inaccessible. According to Conde, 4 sump pumps had been getting used to take away the water from the current storm that flooded the basement.

Additionally, Conde defined {that a} small inexperienced room to the facet of the stage would even be upgraded and expanded.

Looking on the Castro Theatre’s ceiling, Conde advised Hoodline that restoration work will take roughly six months to finish. Restoration staff might want to examine the ceiling intently with a purpose to decide the extent of the restoration work that must be accomplished.

The Castro Theatre’s ceiling may also be restored. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

The again wall of the Castro Theatre was knocked out several decades ago with a purpose to accommodate a bigger display. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

Additional renovations embrace eradicating the lobby-area concession stand, increasing the ladies’s restroom, bettering the air flow and electrical techniques, including a ground-floor dressing room, and probably including an elevator with entry from the foyer stage as much as the second ground.

All of this work is at the moment on maintain whereas District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman’s proposal to update the landmark designation works its manner by metropolis approvals and extra permits are obtained.

In January, the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) voted unanimously in support of recommending the enlargement of the Castro Theatre’s landmark designation to the Board of Supervisors. The Castro Theatre was formally designated as San Francisco landmark #100 on September 3, 1977.

“Another Planet Entertainment has always supported the landmarking of the interior of the Castro Theatre and are gratified by today’s unanimous vote to do so,” stated APE spokesperson David Perry on the time.

However, the listening to left ambiguity across the orchestra-level seats. As homosexual historian Gerard Koskovich defined, the Landmark Designation Fact Sheet “specifically identifies seating ‘configured in classic movie palace fashion in gently curved rows’ as constituting a ‘defining characteristic’ of the Castro Theatre which must therefore be protected.”

Mock-up of the proposed platforms. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline

April is shaping as much as be a marathon month of hearings concerning the theater. The landmark designation will go earlier than the Land Use Committee (Melgar, Preston, Peskin) on April 3, adopted by the total Board of Supervisors on both April 4 or 11, and turns into efficient 30 days after approval. A joint listening to between Planning and HPC is about for April 13.

While the replace will not be official on the time of the joint listening to, Mandelman tells Hoodline, “Planning and HPC have expressed that the updated landmarking will inform their decision-making on the 13th, even though it will not technically have taken effect yet.”

“I take Planning and HPC at their word, and in addition, this project requires at least one approval that can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors,” added Mandelman.

In current months, APE has gained the help from Frameline Film Festival, SF Gay Men’s Chorus, Castro Organ Devotees Association, Movies For Maniacs, Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, and Donna Sachet.

Opponents of the proposed plans embrace the Castro Theatre Coalition which incorporates the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, Castro Merchants, Castro Theatre Conservancy, Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza, Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club, SF Heritage, SF Neon, Dan Nicoletta, Cleve Jones, Joshua Grannell (aka Peaches Christ), and others. [Full disclosure: Steven Bracco, Hoodline’s Castro reporter, is a board member of the CQCD and member of the Castro Theatre Coalition.]

Earlier this month, APE launched a abstract of its community benefits package. “The Castro Theatre and Another Planet Entertainment are deeply committed to revitalizing the iconic theater and ensuring it remains the epicenter of the Castro community for another century,” APE explains. “This project and effort is a prime example of how local businesses and performing arts organizations can support and honor our city’s past while adapting to the realities of future needs to ensure the spirit and operations of the Castro Theatre remain for generations.”

The newest rendering of the proposed standing-room ground plan. | Image: Castro Theatre

“We envision and plan to deliver an eclectic program of film, music, comedy, private and community events, and LGBTQ+ content that is affirming, diverse, and always mindful of the historic neighborhood in which it lives,” added APE. APE states that it has dedicated $15 million to the Castro Theatre’s restoration and upgrades.

APE states that it “pledges that 33% of programming at the theatre will be devoted to film screenings and film festivals hosted by such groups as, but not limited to, the Jewish Film Festival, Arab Film Festival, Cinema Italia, Third I South Asian Independent Film Festival, Berlin and Beyond, and the Silent Film Festival.”

“The robust package of community benefits from Another Planet for the Castro Theatre has been put together with extensive input from local businesses, community members, and stakeholders and is now available online,” Perry advised Hoodline. “As time goes on, additional details will certainly be forthcoming.”

In January, APE told the San Francisco Chronicle that it intends to host 175 occasions per yr — leaving the theater darkish for about 190 days. At 33%, that equates to 58 days of film-focused programming. With 11 days already dedicated to Frameline, that leaves 47 days for all different movie festivals and screenings.

Last week Perry told the Bay Area Reporter, “Daily film screenings are not going to happen again. That’s a fact. Will there be a robust film schedule? Yes.”

“[T]heir idea of their film programming seems to be when someone else comes in and pays for it. How kind of them,” stated longtime Castro Theatre event producer Marc Huestis. “These folks from Another Planet and their high-paid publicist are selling a bill of goods that on the surface seem good, but one only has to scratch the surface to see what is really going on.”

From Bong Joon-ho to Francis Ford Coppola — this is March Madness, Castro type! https://t.co/mHUp8kG57l pic.twitter.com/nMo4Lyl3WS

— Castro Theatre (@Castro_Theatre) February 27, 2020

“What’s shocking to me is how disingenuous APE has been with the community in describing their plans for the Castro Theatre,” stated Castro Merchants board member Terry Beswick. “I am so uninterested in anything they say unless it’s part of a signed contract.”

In March 2020, simply earlier than the pandemic shutdowns, the Castro Theatre was scheduled to be closed for simply at some point. By comparability, the Castro Theatre at the moment has one present scheduled on April 29.

Perry tells Hoodline, “By early April, you’ll be seeing a number of additional confirmations for events coming into the Castro.”