Great Star Theater, Historical theater in Chinatown, San Francisco, United States

The Great Star Theater at 636 Jackson Street is a 410-seat theater built in 1925 for Chinese opera. It is the last Chinese theater in any Chinatown in the United States. The venue shows films and alternative events, and it is a stop on ghost tours of San Francisco.

This venue opened in 1925 as a competing entertainment destination to the Mandarin Theater, created to serve the Chinese-American population. It quickly became a gathering place for community entertainment and cultural presentations in the neighborhood.

The theater's name changed from Great China to Great Star, and it is the last Chinese theater in any U.S. Chinatown. Chinese opera once ran up to five hours, with patrons chatting, eating snacks and reading newspapers during performances. Operas now appear mainly on occasions such as the Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn festivals.

You can reach the venue by contacting management through email at management@GreatStarTheater.org or by phone at (415) 735-4159 to ask about upcoming events and rental options. Reaching out in advance helps ensure you get accurate information about current performances and availability.

As an infant in 1941, Bruce Lee appeared in the Cantonese film "Golden Gate Girl", directed by his family friend Esther Eng, playing a newborn girl. His father performed on this stage, and Lee reportedly slept in the nearby alley as a child.