What Castro Theatre does

The Castro Theatre is a 104-year-old historic movie palace located in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, operated under management by Another Planet Entertainment (APE), which assumed operations in 2022. The venue functions as a multi-format entertainment and cultural hub, hosting film screenings, live music, comedy performances, and community events for Bay Area audiences. Its physical footprint supports approximately 1,400 standing or 1,150 seated attendees, with the building itself constituting a designated heritage landmark.

In 2026 the venue completed a $41 million renovation carried out by Evergreene Architectural Arts. The renovation preserved historic character while adding ADA-compliant seating, modern HVAC, and what is described as the world's largest digital organ — capabilities that materially broaden the range of programmable events, including organ-accompanied screenings and large-scale live music productions. Notable upcoming bookings include a 20-show Sam Smith residency and performances by Paul Cauthen, Lucero, and Kurt Vile, indicating a deliberate reweighting toward live music alongside the venue's traditional film and community programming.

Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales distributed via Ticketmaster and TicketWeb, with event-specific dynamic pricing rather than subscription or contracted enterprise sales. The venue employs 11-50 staff. A community-facing partnership with BuildIT supports LGBTQ construction advocacy, reinforcing the venue's longstanding cultural positioning within the Castro neighborhood and broader San Francisco arts ecosystem.

Name

Castro Theatre

Legal name

The Castro Theatre

Website

https://castrotheatre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Castro Theatre is a 104-year-old historic San Francisco movie palace operated by Another Planet Entertainment, hosting film screenings, live music, comedy, and community events for Bay Area entertainment audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Historic movie theater
• Live entertainment venue
• Film screenings
• Live music concerts
• Comedy shows

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to film screenings, live music concerts, comedy performances, and community events. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and TicketWeb platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Castro Theatre is a historic 1922 movie palace venue in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood, operated under management by Another Planet Entertainment. It sells tickets to in-person live entertainment events including classic and contemporary film screenings, live music concerts (both standing-room and seated), comedy performances, and community/cultural events. Capacity is approximately 1,400 for standing events and 1,150 for seated shows.

Product overview

The Castro Theatre is a single-venue offering operated by Another Planet Entertainment, featuring a revitalized historic theater space that hosts three main service lines: film screenings (including classic films, sing-alongs, and film festivals), live music performances (standing-room and seated concerts), and comedy/community events. The 2026 renovation added modernized amenities while restoring the original 1922 architectural design, enabling the venue to accommodate both cinema and musical programming with capacity of approximately 1,400 for standing events and 1,150 for seated shows.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Screenings Classic and contemporary film screenings for general audiences and film enthusiasts, including special events such as sing-alongs (e.g., Encanto Sing-Along), anniversary celebrations, and film festivals like the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
• Live Music Performances Standing-room and seated live music concerts featuring diverse artists across genres (e.g., Paul Cauthen, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Lucero), introduced as part of the post-renovation programming expansion by Another Planet Entertainment.
• Comedy & Community Events Comedy shows and community gatherings including special events, anniversaries, drag shows, and cultural celebrations hosted at the venue for the Castro neighborhood and broader San Francisco community.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Another Planet EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Another Planet Entertainment entered into an exclusive partnership with the Castro Theatre in 2022 and funded the $41 million rehabilitation of the building. The company took over management of the theater and will now program live music alongside films, expanding the venue beyond movies to include live music programming.
• Evergreene Architectural ArtscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvergreene Architectural Arts masterfully restored the ceiling's stunning original artwork, sgraffito murals, and a long hidden historic proscenium as part of the $41 million renovation project.
• BuildITminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuildIT, the world's first LGBTQ construction advocacy organization, played a major role providing specialized trade professionals to the renovation project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: Major cinema chain specializing in repertory programming, special events, and dine-in screenings. It competes with the Castro in the premium film-screening / special-event category (pride screenings, cult-classic tours), though it lacks the Castro's live-entertainment and music programming.

Direct peers

• The Independent: The Independent is an APE-managed intimate SF music venue (~500 capacity) showcasing indie and emerging acts. While smaller in scale, it sits inside the same APE portfolio and competes for SF artist's mid-tier routing decisions where the Castro now positions itself.
• Masonic Auditorium (SF): The Masonic is another APE-operated historic SF venue (~3,000 capacity) hosting concerts and private events. It is a direct internal-portfolio comparator to the Castro and a likely substitute venue for artists evaluating SF dates.
• Bill Graham Civic Auditorium: Another Planet-operated large-format SF event venue (~7,000 capacity) hosting concerts, family shows, and galas. Another APE sister venue in the Bay Area live-event portfolio that competes for headline and corporate-event business.
• Fox Theater (Oakland): The Fox is a revitalized historic theater in Oakland operated by Another Planet Entertainment that hosts concerts, comedy, and community events. It is both a sister APE venue (same operator, similar renovation playbook) and a direct competitor for Bay Area live-music bookings, providing a strong unit-of-comparison for the Castro.
• Regency Ballroom: The Regency is a restored SF historic venue (~1,400 capacity, close to Castro's seating size) hosting concerts, comedy, and private events. Comparable in scale, vintage, and mixed-event format, making it a near-direct competitor for SF dates.
• The Fillmore: The Fillmore is a historic SF live-music venue (~3,500 capacity) presenting a similar mix of concerts, comedy, and community programming. It competes with the Castro Theatre for the same SF touring-artist book and overlapping adult audience, making it the most direct comparable in product, audience, and category.
• Palace of Fine Arts Theatre: Historic SF performing arts venue (~970 capacity) presenting concerts, lectures, and cultural events in an iconic landmark setting. Closely parallels the Castro's mix of heritage status, film/community programming, and lower-volume live performance format.
• Warfield Theatre: The Warfield is an SF live-music theater (~2,300 capacity) presenting mostly concerts and comedy. It draws from the same touring-artist pool as the Castro and is one of the most frequently booked downtown SF music venues.
• Greek Theatre (UC Berkeley): Another Planet-managed outdoor amphitheater in Berkeley (~8,500 capacity) hosting concerts in a collegiate setting. Sister venue in the APE portfolio that competes with the Castro for Bay Area summer touring acts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thecastro_sf
• Xx.com/Castro_Theatre
• Facebookfacebook.com/castro-theatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/castro-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Castro Theatre