From Single-Screen Cinema to Live Music Venue

The Guild Theatre
Menlo Park, CA

The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California, is a $25M renovation that transformed the last single-screen cinema on the San Francisco Peninsula into a vibrant 500-person live music venue for the Peninsula Arts Guild. The extensive renovation inserted a tiered orchestra level, a new balcony and loge, two bars, subterranean production support spaces, and generous performer amenities, all within the footprint of the existing theater. In a nod to the building’s cinematic heritage, the new Guild retains the ability to host art film screenings as well.

The Shalleck Collaborative served as theatre and AV consultants on the project, providing consultation on the architectural and engineering aspects of the facility as a performance and event space, as well as the full scope of theatre production systems and AV systems. Our work directly shaped the technical heart of the venue: the state-of-the-art sound system and remotely controlled video capture system that we helped specify and integrate allow for live streaming of performances while delivering a superb in-house audio and visual experience for every audience member. By bringing deep expertise in production systems to the design team, we helped translate an ambitious program into a fully realized, intimate and technically sophisticated venue that serves both performers and audiences at the highest level.

Completion: 2022
Audience Capacity: 500 / Square Footage: 11,000 SF
Architect: CAW Architects
Scope: Theatre & AV Consulting
Photo Credit: Bruce Damonte
See What’s Playing: The Guild Theatre