Popular San Francisco Movie Theater Shut Down Due To 'Emergency Repairs'

The AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco has been shuttered for nearly a week now after the theater suddenly shut down during the middle of screenings last Tuesday, April 12. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported that the theater cited "an issue with emergency lighting" as the reason for the unexpected closing.

“Kabuki will be closed for emergency repairs until further notice,” read signs taped to the locked doors of the theater on Sunday, according to SFGATE. “We’re so sorry for the inconvenience.” 

On Monday morning (April 18), a spokesperson for AMC, Ryan Noonan confirmed to the online news source that an issue with the AMC Kabuki 8's emergency lighting resulted in the indefinite closure of the popular theater saying it was "necessary to operate the building." As for a reopening, the theater still isn't sure. "We're hoping to have the issue resolved soon, but we do not have a reopening timeline yet," Noonan told SFGATE via email. 

The Kabuki Theater first opened in 1960 as a large dinner theater as part of the original Japan Center mission to highlight Japanese culture. It's also the first authentic Kabuki theater in America, designed with a proscenium, stage entrance/exit ramp, revolving stage, and trap doors, according to the theater's Wikipedia page.