Media contact:  DP&A, Inc. / David Perry (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Renovation and Restoration of Castro Theatre to Begin Spring 2024

February 4 is Final Day of Programming Prior to Top-to-Bottom Architectural Restoration of Landmark & LGBTQ+ Community Icon by Another Planet Entertainment

Completion Scheduled for Summer 2025

11 December 2023 – San Francisco. Another Planet Entertainment (www.apeconcerts.com), stewards of the landmark and iconic LGBTQ space, the Castro Theatre (www.castrotheatre.com), will begin the long awaited restoration of historic venue beginning in early spring 2024. The final day or programming will be February 4.

“Another Planet Entertainment is thrilled to begin the work to restore the Castro Theatre to its 1922 architectural glory and ensure its continued place in the hearts of film lovers, music lovers and the LGBTQ+ community,” said Mary Conde, Senior Vice President for Another Planet. “In addition to restoring the magnificence of Timothy Pflueger’s original design, the Castro Theatre will now be more ADA accessible in the audience, onstage and backstage to all. Additionally, a state-of-the art heating and air conditioning system will be installed, providing comfort and healthful ventilation.  Finally, improved concessions, an expanded lobby, the restoration of the original proscenium arch and new, comfortable and flexible seating will make the Castro a venue that respects its heritage while embracing new, and ever more diverse audiences.”

“One of the defining features of the Castro is the tent-like painted ceiling which has been obscured from view for decades,” noted Jeff Greene, Executive Chairman and Founder of Evergreene, the firm overseeing the preservation work. “This element will be conserved and restored along with  the unique sgraffito murals on the side walls bring the whole back into harmony with Pflueger’s original vision.”

EverGreene was founded in 1978 by Greene, a trained mural artist and innovator, when he was only twenty four years old. Since then, EverGreene has grown from the small painting studio to the largest specialty contractor in the U.S., focused on the preservation of historic buildings, artifacts, and works of art. The EverGreene team has contributed to the restoration and preservation of many of our country’s most significant and iconic masterpieces. From surveys and condition assessments, conceptual planning and design, to the implementation of large scale restoration efforts, we provide custom solutions for complex adaptive reuse and heritage preservation efforts. Evergreene’s multi-disciplinary teams are comprised of conservators, designers, craftspeople, artists, and project managers, bringing specialized education, training, and experience to every project.

Guided by the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), Evergreene’s conservation work is implemented at the highest standard under the supervision of our two AIC Fellows and 10 Professional Associates.  Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with regional offices in Chicago, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, EverGreene works with private, public, and sacred space clients nationwide.

Beginning in 2022, Another Planet Entertainment has partnered with Bay Properties, Inc., owners of the Castro Theatre, on an evolution and preservation of San Francisco’s world-renowned entertainment and LGBTQ community landmark. With a long-standing history of working to preserve and improve historic buildings such as the Fox Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theatre in Berkeley and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Another Planet seeks to enhance the Castro Theatre by implementing significant improvements to the sound, lighting, production, HVAC and the theatre’s trademark marquee and blade sign, among other facets of the building: all of this, always, with an eye to honoring its unique place in the lives of the Castro and celebrating its communities and residents.

media contact:  Perry (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Obie Award-Winning
 and Tony Award finalist nominee
WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME
by Heidi Schreck is Dezart Performs’ second production of the season from January 19-28, 2024

11 December 2023 – Palm Springs, CA:  The acclaimed WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME by Heidi Schreck is Dezart Performs (www.dezartperforms.org) first production of 2024, running January 19 – 28. Part history lesson, part family drama, the Tony Award Nominee and Pulitzer Prize Finalist is a “boundary-breaking play that breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans” (Forbes). When it opened on Broadway in 2019, The New York Times hailed it as “not just the best play to open so far this season, but also the most important.” “It would be hard to identify a work for theatre with its finger more on the pulse of America right now” (The Washington Post).

“In this unique and envelope-pushing play, it’s an uproariously funny, moving, critically challenging and politically charged play,” says Dezart Performs founding artistic director Michael Shaw. “It is a civics lesson, a cry from the heart and a feminist anthem that reminds us again and again that our country was shaped by founding fathers, not founding mothers.”

Profoundly intertwined with Schreck’s life, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME chronicles the playwright’s maternal line from her great great grandmother onward, examining how the Constitution and its complexities helped shape and sometimes devastate their lives. Toggling back and forth from the present day to the past, the play starts with fifteen-year-old Heidi chronicling how she earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States.  However, the “psychotically polite” young woman with a crush on Patrick Swayze quickly merges with hilarious – and enlightening – result in an exploration of the “penumbra” that is the “hot and sweaty document” of Heidi’s research.  As Heidi states throughout the play, the Constitution is a crucible in every way: for her family, and for the generations of families this document made by-and-for cisgender white men continues to guide.

As noted by The Guardian: “This funny, tragic and deeply unsettling tour de force shows who the US constitution serves — and who it lets down.”All performances take place at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club) 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs. Ticket prices are $48 – $55 and may be purchased online at www.dezartperforms.org , or by calling (760) 322-0179. Showtimes are Fridays at 7:30pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 7:30pm; Sundays at 2pm and 7pm.

Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley.

16th Dezart Performs’ Season Listing

WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME 
A dramatic comedy written by Heidi Schreck
Directed by Craig Wells
January 19 – 21; 26 – 28

2019 Pulitzer Prize finalist
2019 Tony Award nominated, Best Play
2019 Obie award for Best New American Play
2019 Off-Broadway Alliance Award, Best New Play
2019 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Play

Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

“…brilliantly crafted show, harrowing and funny and humane, that accesses the political through the deeply personal.”
– New York Magazine

“A highly entertaining, deeply informative and ultimately hopeful examination of the document that impacts every single one of us, every single day of our lives.”
–Chicago Sun Times

“This funny, tragic and deeply unsettling one-woman tour de force shows who the US constitution serve — and who it lets down.”
– The Guardian

*    *    *

A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD 
A drama written by Samuel D. Hunter
Directed by Michael Shaw
March 1-3; 8-10

2022 Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play

A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD unfolds in a cubicle where two seated people unexpectedly choose to bring one another into their fragile worlds. Keith, a mortgage broker, and Ryan, a yogurt plant worker seeking to buy a plot of land that belonged to his family many decades ago, realize they share a “specific kind of sadness.” At this desk in the middle of America, loan talk opens up into a discussion about the chokehold of financial insecurity and a bond over the precariousness of parenthood. With humor, empathy and wrenching honesty, Hunter commingles two lives and deftly bridges disparate experiences of marginality.

“Must-see heartbreaker of a play!”
– The New York Times

“Another extraordinary play by Samuel D. Hunter!”
– New York Stage Review

“Easily one of the best of the year!”
–The Wall Street Journal

“…one of the most moving new plays of the year!”
– TheatreMania

“‘A Case for the Existence of God’ Finds What Connects Us All and Holiness in Humanity.”
–The Observer

*    *    *

MR. PARKER
A drama written by Michael McKeever

Directed by Randy Brenner
April 12 – 14; 19 — 21

At 54 years old, Terry Parker finds himself at a crossroads in his life. After the loss of his partner of 30 years, he finds himself suddenly single and unable to adjust to a world that has moved on without him. After a night of heavy drinking, he wakes up with a 28-year-old bartender-slash-Uber-driver. These two very different people begin a tentative relationship, and what starts out as a one-night stand becomes a journey of self-discovery for a man trying to let go of the past and move forward, while dealing with the pressures of being middle-aged, gay and alone in the ever-changing landscape of today’s America.

“A very intelligent, absorbing look at contemporary relationships and the conflicts that keep us all from aging with joy and peace of mind. This play is a real discovery!”

– Rex Reed

“The protagonist of this new play by Michael McKeever steps gingerly out of grief’s stasis and into the unknown.”
–The New York Times

Thursday, December 7, 2023   

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org    

SAN FRANCISCO PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT NEW CONSERVATORSHIP LAW TO HELP PEOPLE STRUGGING WITH SEVERE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER  

Under Mayor Breed’s Executive Directive issued in October, City Departments are prepared to begin implementing SB 43 law changes at the beginning of January 2024  

 SB 43 expands the definition of “grave disability” to include those who live with severe substance use disorder and those who are unable to provide for their own personal safety or necessary medical care  

San Francisco, CA – Mayor London N. Breed today announced that San Francisco will be ready at the beginning of January to operationalize Senate Bill 43, a change in State mental health conservatorship laws that expands the eligibility requirements to compel people struggling with severe substance use disorder to get the care and support they need.  

Signed by Governor Newsom last October, SB 43 goes into effect on January 1, 2024. Immediately after the bill was signed into law, Mayor Breed issued an Executive Directive to City Departments to ensure that San Francisco was ready to implement this new policy at the beginning of January.  

Senate Bill 43 expands California’s Lanterman–Petris–Short (LPS) conservatorship law by updating the criteria for determining if a person is “gravely disabled,” the standard for LPS conservatorship eligibility.  

SB43 expands the definition of Grave Disability in two important ways:  

• The law provides a legal basis for conserving individuals who are Gravely Disabled due to the impacts of a severe substance use disorder alone. This adds to the current definition that only allows for conservatorships based on serious mental illness or chronic alcoholism.  

• The expanded definition adds inability to provide for necessary medical care, and/or personal safety to the current definition of food, clothing, and shelter that is related to their mental illness or substance use disorder.  

This will address a situation where psychiatric emergencies involve the use of multiple substances (e.g. methamphetamines and opioids including fentanyl).    

Mayor Breed’s Executive Directive coordinates and gives direction to departments, including the Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS), the City Attorney’s Office, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) to implement SB 43. The Executive Order provides oversight and coordination, sets implementation timelines, and requires departments to train staff on the expanded definition of grave disability with an improved collaborative workflow.  

The Departments are prepared for the law to go into effect on January 1, 2024. At that time, the Public Conservator will begin to receive referrals under the newly established criteria set forth by SB 43. If deemed eligible after an assessment, the Public Conservator will file petitions with the court to conserve those individuals. For additional information on SB 43 and its implementation in San Francisco, visit this link.  

“People are struggling with severe substance use and mental health challenges in our City to the point where they cannot help themselves. When we have an opportunity to put a new solution into place, we must work quickly to do everything we can to implement it,” said Mayor Breed. “Conservatorship is a complex and long legal process, which is why moving quickly to put the pieces into place is imperative. I want to thank the staff at the various City agencies who have been working hard to ensure that, come January, we are ready to start helping people and changing lives.”  

As part of the conservatorship process, the Superior Court appoints a public conservator to authorize psychiatric treatment of a person who meets the legal definition of grave disability. If the Court determines a person meets the criteria, they can be placed under conservatorship for up to one year, and the conservatorship can be renewed annually if the individual continues to meet the criteria. Only psychiatrists and clinical psychologists may make referrals for conservatorship and only the Public Conservator may file petitions. After appointment, the Conservator works with other City departments to ensure conservatees are receiving proper treatment.    

“Conservatorship is the intervention of last resort. We hope that by working in close collaboration with our City partners to implement the expansion of SB 43, it will help people who need it most,” said Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the Department of Disability and Aging Services. “Although SB 43 does not change the procedures of existing conservatorships, it will allow us to help people who are not able to provide for their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, personal safety or necessary medical care due to a severe substance use disorder and/or mental health disorder.”  

“The Department of Public Health continues to expand our portfolio of treatment options for those in need while offering a range of services including early intervention, crisis response, as well as inpatient and outpatient care,” said Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax. “SB 43 provides us another opportunity in our larger system of care and support to help those with the most acute behavioral health needs.”  

“The previous definition of grave disability was written in the 1970s. Today’s societal challenges are different than they were 50 years ago,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “I am proud of the work our attorneys did to shape and advocate for this expansion of state law. We are ready to assist our clients in ensuring SB 43 is implemented effectively in San Francisco.”  

Over the last several years, Mayor Breed has advocated for a broad range of statewide conservatorship reform, working closely with State Senator Scott Wiener and other State and City leaders, including State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, to successfully pass and implement mental health conservatorship process improvements.  

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Protect Our Marilyn Statement 

“We want to thank the Palm Springs City Council for their serious consideration and for voting to adopt the initiative ordinance which amends the  Downtown Palm Springs Specific Plan to facilitate the vacation of a portion of Museum Way in order to provide permanent pedestrian access and the installation of the “Forever Marilyn” Statue at its present location which has become so cherished a part of downtown. We are hopeful, that after hearing the overwhelming support for keeping the statue in its current location, that those minority voices in opposition will cease from further attempts to block the will of the people at huge taxpayer expense.”

— David Perry, Protect Our Marilyn Campaign 

MEDIA CONTACT:

For Hilton Union Square San Francisco/Parc 55:
David Perry
+1 415 676-7007 news@davidperry.com

Ho! Ho! Hilton!

San Francisco’s Hilton Union Square and Parc 55
Have a Sleigh-Full of Holiday Offerings, Special Bevvies & Bargains

1 December 2023 – San Francisco, CA: This holiday season, the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and its sister property, Parc 55 San Francisco, a Hilton Hotelare set to dazzle guests and locals alike with a variety of festive offerings. From stunning decorations to exclusive events and dining experiences, these iconic hotels are at the heart of San Francisco’s holiday celebrations including a “Magical Meet-and-Greet With Santa” December 9 & 16 at Cityscape, the highest lounge in San Francisco with 360° views of the Bay, Golden Gate Bridge and glittering skyline: also the perfect spot for Hilton’s “Countdown with a View” on New Year’s Eve. 

“We wanted to make it easy for the Jolly Ole’ Elf to land, so what better place than our 46^th floor City Scape Lounge,” quipped Peter Hart, Hilton Complex General Manager. “Our Holiday schedule has something for the whole family: Santa for the kids, and signature cocktails and mocktails for the big kids to lift their spirits along with Selfie-ready backdrops, special skating packages with the Union Square Ice Rink, and the best views in town for ringing in 2024.”

Holiday Decorations Make for Festive Instagramable Moments:
Both hotels are fully adorned for the season, featuring 15-foot tall Christmas trees and grand garlands. Unique to Hilton San Francisco Union Square is a 7-foot-tallsnow globe in the main lobby, offering a creative selfie opportunity with a 3D model of the Golden Gate Bridge. Another highlight is the “Santa’s throne” set up in the Tower 3 lobby, surrounded by presents and lights for the perfect holiday photo.   Parc 55 also has a 9-foot-tall “selfie booth” that guests can walk inside of and pose for photos among piles of presents and a crackling fireplace.  

Sweet Spirits and Festive Holiday Meals:
The lobby bar at Hilton San Francisco Union Square is adding the “In Sweet Spirits” cocktail menu, featuring delights such as the ‘Be Merry Cosmopolitan’ and ‘Festive Fizz’. Parc 55’s Cable 55 restaurant has beentransformed into a ‘Cozy Cabin Holiday Pop-Up’, complete with over-the-top decorations, and special holiday menus for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Some of the seasonal elixirs at the Hilton are: 

• The Drink That Stole Christmas 
(Bacardi, Midori, St. Germain, lime juice, kiw and basil)

• Chai Moose Nog
(Ron Zacapa rum, kahlua, eggnog, chai, and served in a moose mug)

• Abuelita’s Mexican Hot Chocolate
(Don Julio Blanco, hot chocolate, cinnamon whip

• Pumpkin Spice Latte Martini
(Ketel One, pumpkin puree, espresso, pumpkin spice)

• Santa’s Sangria
(red wine, brandy, apple cider, apples, oranges,blackberries, cinnamon, cloves, star anise)

• Cozy Cabin Sour
(Johnny Walker Red Label, lime juice, activated charcoal, egg white)

• Maple Bacon Old Fashioned
(bacon-infused Woodenville, maple syrup, walnut bitters)

• Festive Fizz
(Tanqueray gin, Moët & Chandon, lemon juice

The Parc55’s iconic CABLE55 overlooking the Cable Car Turn-around also features some zero-proof “mocktails” to life your spirits:

• Holiday Mule 15
(cranberry juice, ginger beer, lime juice)

• Peppermint Espresso Martini 16
(seedlip spice, cold brew, peppermint)

• Blackberry Smash
(blackberry, lime, mint)

Plus, the Parc 55’s “Cozy Bites” selection includes:

• Moose Muchies
(roasted sweet & spicy bar nuts & seeds)

• Reindeer Flight Mix
(cereal mix, white chocolate, coconut & almonds)

• Cozy Cabin’s Cheese Ball
(creamy mix of cheese, bacon, pecan & chives)

• Polar Bear Turkey Slider
(roasted turkey, cranberry, horseradish)

In addition to special seasonal cocktails, guests will enjoy all their familiar favorites on the cocktail menu including Buzz Sparkle Pop, Cityscape’s photo-worthy signature libation featuring Buzz Bar alcoholic popsicles submerged in a glass of sparkling white wine. Other drinks include neighborhood-inspired creations such as Golden Gate, featuring Bozal EnsambleMezcal; Pacific Heights, made with Nolet’s gin and Riondo prosecco; and Cole Valley, a floral blend with a base of Ketel One Botanical Vodka and Yellow Chartreuse. The menu also includes small plates, Bay Area craft beer and wine, top-shelf liquors, and a private reserve collection featuring rare vintages from prominent wineries such as California-based Stag’s Leap, Duckhorn, and Raymond Vineyard.

“These holiday specials at Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 are the perfect complement to the vibrant holiday events happening in Union Square,” said Marisa Rodriguez, CEO of the Union Square Alliance. “Union Square has always been the heart of the City, and a long-cherished tradition during the Festive Season. Guests at both hotels are a snowball’s throw away from San Francisco’s only outdoor ice-skating rink next to the towering Macy’s Great Tree, and from December 15th-24th, our special Union Square Winter Walk featuring music, food, holiday market, and fun activations for the whole family.”

Opened in 1964, Hilton San Francisco Union Square is the largest hotel in California and an architectural landmark known for dramatic lighting and signature events.  Both the Hilton and Parc 55 are at the very heart of  San Francisco’s world-class Union Square with its internationally recognized retails brands, restaurants and Broadway style theatre. Also nearby are such offerings as the Asian Art and steps away are the world-famous landmark Cable Cars, carrying visitors ‘halfway to the stars’ and to such iconic destinations as Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Nob Hill, North Beach and the famous Alcatraz Island Tours. 

Aside from the Hilton’s special New Year’s “Countdown with a View” package, usual Cityscape Lounge hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5pm to 11pm. Premium corner seating areas are available for reservation. All other seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Corner reservations may be made by emailing SFOFH-F&B_Management@hilton.com.   For guest room reservations please visit Hilton.com or call (415) 771-1400.  

About Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Opened in 1964 and instantly a landmark on the City’s storied skyline, Hilton San Francisco Union Square is the largest hotel in San Francisco and the largest on the West Coast, featuring 1,921 rooms and more than 135,000 square feet of meeting space. The property is located in San Francisco’s theater district, two blocks from Union Square. Amenities include an outdoor pool, four on-site dining outlets, a 24-hour fitness center and the acclaimed City Scape Lounge atop the 46^th floor: highest in the City.  

About Parc 55, a Hilton Hotel Parc 55, a Hilton Hotel is adjacent to the Hilton Towerand features city and Bay views from all of its windows. At the lobby drive in entrance, guests are greeted by the giant iconic sculpture “San Francisco Yesterday and Today” by famed local artist Ruth Asawa. These seven sculpted panels present a cavalcade of San Francisco sights and scenes – both historical and modern. Cast in glass-fiber-reinforced concrete, the one-of-a-kind artwork was made with old-world craft techniques rarely duplicated today.

About Hilton  
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,400 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in 124 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for six consecutive years. Hilton has introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 173 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can’t buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. 

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts 
For over a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has set the benchmark for hospitality around the world, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests’ evolving needs. With more than 600 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are located in the world’s most sought-after destinations for guests who know that where they stay matters. Experience a positive stay at Hilton Hotels & Resorts by booking at hiltonhotels.com or through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Learn more about Hilton Hotels & Resorts at stories.hilton.com/hhr, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.