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More Castro Theatre pages: history + exterior views | earlier interior views |
Looking in from the back of the main floor as restoration work began. They're anticipating a mid-2025 reopening. It's a shot from "Restoration work at SF Castro Theatre starts..," a March 8, 2024 KTVU story and video from Amber Lee. The restoration work is being headed by Jeff Greene of EverGreene Architectural Arts.
Steven Bracco has a fine shot looking in from the back of the main floor that he included in a April 6, 2024 Facebook post of thirteen photos. Also see "The century old Castro Theatre in SF undergoes a $15 million renovation," a March 25 story and video from ABC 7.
A look to house right. Image: KTVU - March 2024
The murals house right. Image: KTVU - March 2024
A mural detail after cleaning. Thanks to Jeff Greene, the head of EverGreene Architectural Arts, for sharing this photo, as well as six others that appear on the page, in a March 8, 2024 Facebook post.
A sidewall mural detail. These panels were executed using a technique called sgraffito, a process whereby scratching through a top layer of stucco or plaster reveals a contrasting color layer underneath. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024
Another mural feature. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024
A drapery detail. Image: KTVU - March 2024
The front exit house right. Image: KTVU - March 2024
A nice look at the ante-proscenium area. Thanks to Steven Bracco for sharing his photo. It's one of 13 he included in an April 6 Facebook post.
A vista from the balcony. Image: KTVU - March 2024
Looking back toward the booth. Thanks to Steven Bracco for sharing his photo. It's one of 13 he included in an April 6 Facebook post.
A fine shot taken in the balcony by Astrid Kane for her misleadingly-titled April 4, 2024 story for the San Francisco Standard: "Castro Theatre reveal: $15 million renovation finds 100-year-old arch no one knew existed." The arch in question was the original proscenium, hardly a secret. The Standard also has a short video taken during their visit that's on Facebook.
A view up just a bit higher taken by John Ferrannini that appears with his April 5, 2024 Bay Area Reporter story "Public will be able to purchase much-debated SF Castro Theatre seats." The proceeds from sale of the old main floor seats will be donated to Oasis Arts and the Castro Organ Devotees Association.
Up on the "dance floor" as cleaning was beginning. Mary Conde, project manager for Another Planet Entertainment is with Amber Lee of KTVU and Jeff Greene, head of Evergreene Architectural Arts. Image: KTVU - March 2024
A wider ceiling view. Image: KTVU - March 2024
The panoramic shot. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024
Jeff inspecting an area at the edge of the "tented" ceiling. Image: KTVU - March 2024
Finding Asian motifs, including dragons, on the ceiling. Image: KTVU - March 2024
A worker from EverGreene cleaning part of the ceiling. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024
A look at another section of the ceiling. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024
One of many areas needing restoration. This shot, as well as the two below, are from a short March 4, 2024 video from APE appearing on the Castro Theatre Facebook page.
A typical area of painted ceiling detail requiring repair. Image: Castro Theatre Facebook page video - March 4, 2024
A lady in distress. Image: Castro Theatre Facebook page video - March 4, 2024
A ceiling detail by John Ferrannini appearing with his April 5, 2024 Bay Area Reporter story "Public will be able to purchase much-debated SF Castro Theatre seats." The article comments on the ceiling work:
"Atop the scaffolding, Conde [Mary Conde, the APE senior VP in charge of the project] pointed to the work that architect Timothy Pflueger had painted on the ceiling, featuring figures drawn from various Asian cultures. He may have been making a political statement, she said. While Orientalism gripped American popular culture, it was also a time of heavy restrictions on immigration, including a complete ban on Chinese immigration via the Chinese Exclusion Act. 'In 1922, the movie theaters were trying to create a place to escape,' Conde said. 'They wanted to create a fantasy land. We're not 100% sure; he may have been trying to make a political statement that these were beautiful cultures.'
"A previous effort to save the art, however, has helped facilitate its demise. 'When things shifted after the [Loma Prieta] earthquake in 1989, they were trying to help it stay in place,' Conde said, leading to polyurethane being added to the ceiling. The paintings — as well as fixtures such as gold leaf-flaked cherubs suspended on the wall — had already long been caked with soot from cigarette smoke and run-of-the-mill dust. That polyurethane is visibly peeling. 'It was too heavy,' Conde said, then pointing to the ceiling, 'It was the wrong product — so that's the plaster falling apart.'
"A previous effort to save the art, however, has helped facilitate its demise. 'When things shifted after the [Loma Prieta] earthquake in 1989, they were trying to help it stay in place,' Conde said, leading to polyurethane being added to the ceiling. The paintings — as well as fixtures such as gold leaf-flaked cherubs suspended on the wall — had already long been caked with soot from cigarette smoke and run-of-the-mill dust. That polyurethane is visibly peeling. 'It was too heavy,' Conde said, then pointing to the ceiling, 'It was the wrong product — so that's the plaster falling apart.'
"To restore the paintings, 'they are going to have to do tracings of the detail and replicate the parts that have been damaged,' Conde said. 'All of this artwork is hand painted. They [the restorers] are going with a microscope and really analyzing what the colors in the 1920s were.' The restoration work is being done by EverGreene Architectural Arts, Conde said, which has worked in 48 of America's 50 state capitol buildings."
Another strange creature on the ceiling. Thanks to Astrid Kane for the photo, one appearing with her April 4, 2024 story for the San Francisco Standard.
Along the house right wall. The gladiator panel has the look of something done during a "moderne" renovation project. Image: KTVU - March 2024
Jeff talking with KTVU's Amber Lee about all the dirt and stains on some of the plasterwork. Image: KTVU - March 2024
Another angle on the ornament adjacent to one of the gladiator panels. Photo: Jeff Greene - March 2024. Thanks, Jeff!
The center of the ceiling, with chandelier removed. Image: KTVU - March 2024
The proscenium plasterwork, on the left, protected with plywood. Image: KTVU - March 2024
A lovely look down onto the original proscenium. The hole in the back wall was created to accommodate the speaker systems when the theatre went to talkies c.1928. Note the chains at the front of the ante-proscenium that had supported the larger screen that had been installed farther forward. Thanks to Astrid Kane for the photo, one appearing with her April 4, 2024 story for the San Francisco Standard. Also see a short video taken during the Standard's visit that's on Facebook.
A centerline view to the stage taken by Steven Bracco. That floor pattern is original. See Steven's April 6, 2024 Facebook post for a dozen more photos he took during his visit.
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