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The Giratablas Theater is an alternative space, which since 1997 houses proposals from independent groups of various artistic styles, including shows from the Giratablas Theater group.

The theater distinguishes for its constant professional programming of innovative performances, from both experienced and new talents, especially in the field of theatrical art. Here are also developed activities related to dance, music, literature, visual art and video. It has a stage of 36 m² and capacity for 90 spectators. In Giratablas Theater you can enjoy contemporary classical and experimental plays, from both universal and Costa Rican authors. The short seasons of the groups allow the viewer to enjoy during the year a variety of proposals.

In these 15 years of uninterrupted programming at the Giratablas Theater, more than 1500 national and international artists and over 300 groups have presented. Giratablas Cultural Association is an alternative cultural space that provides to both the physical and human planes, different areas for the development of initiatives in the area of cultural management and stage production.

The Giratablas Theater encourages projects that emerge from civil society, not only for the benefit of a large group of artists, but also to support research, production and artistic training. The option to implement projects of social interest through its association is made possible thanks to the mode of working as a counterpart with organizations and institutions with shared objectives.

Functions for adults are regularly scheduled Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sundays at 6 pm. For the whole family and especially for the smallest ones, the Children’s Theater program is on Sundays at 11 am and 2 pm. The Giratablas Theater is located diagonal to KFC in Barrio La California.

Address: Diagonal to KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Barrio La California, district: Carmen, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.932014,-84.064844 (9°55’55.25″N, 84°03’53.44″W)
Phone:+(506) 2253-6001

Address map: Click here to view directions from Central Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Giratablas Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica at Google Maps

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Built in 1892 as a theater and started working as a movie theater from 1920, projecting back then silent films and nowadays is still active, making it the oldest theater in San José. In 1999 it was declared Historic Architectural Heritage. The Municipality of San José wants to buy it to use it as the Municipal Theater. The theater has witnessed all sorts of cultural and social events throughout its history.

In August 1890, the Spanish businessman, Tomás Garita, began the construction of a new theater building, inaugurated in 1891 under the name “Variedades Theater” (Varieties Theater) with 384 seats. Its facade was decorated with images of dance, theater, lira, as well as masks and dragons. For the inauguration, the featured presentation was the French opera “La Mascota” (The Mascot) by Edouard Audran and by the Fajardo Vazcona company of Spanish Zarzuela and Operetta.

Once built the National Theater, the Variedades Theater functioned as an alternative to this. Costa Rica did not have a theatrical culture and that’s why the National Theater attracted a little public, while the presentations of zarzuelas at the Variedades Theater sold out. Artistic presentations that couldn’t be presented at the National theater for space reasons, were mounted at the Variedades.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s, the Variedades Theater gave significant space to social, cultural and politicalevents of the then burgeoning Costa Rican society. Presentation of silent movies began in 1906, together with zarzuelas and plays, becoming one of the most important cultural spots in the capital, as audience was very diverse, given the characteristics of the different shows that housed.

Its walls and three floors of seats, were the first to hear on June 10th, 1906, the powerful voice of the national tenor Manuel “Melico Salazar”. Beginning in the twenties, the Variedades Theater was devoted to the cinema. In November 1930, the theater projected the first Costa Rican film, “El Retorno” (The Return), directed by the Italian Romolo Bertoni and produced by Mario Urbini, owner of the theater at that time.

The theater was declared Architectural Heritage of Costa Rica, according to Executive Decree No. 28249-C, published in La Gaceta No. 232 on November 30th, 1999. Currently owned by the Leasing Company S.A., the theater remains projecting movie films, but several upgrades have been made to have the same technology in sound and image as the modern cinema malls. In recent years, there have been some activities such as the Costa Rican Film Festival, plays, concerts with groups like Malpais or the Nicaraguan Perrozompopo and other cultural activities and comedy shows such as “La media docena” (The half-dozen), among others.

The municipality of San José, has raised the idea of acquiring the property to make the Municipal Theater, and give a permanent place to the newly created “San Jose Theater Company”. If this goal becomes a reality, San José would have three big theaters, the beautiful National Theater, the grandiose Melico Salazar and the most ancient of the three, the Variedades Theater, which would end up turning San José into an icon of the Latin American theatrical culture.

Address: On 5 St., between central and 1st avenues, district: Carmen, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.934417,-84.076322 (9°56’3.90″N 84°4’34.76″W)
Website: www.teatrovariedades.com
Phone:+(506) 2222-6108

Address map: Click here to view directions from Central Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Variedades Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica at Google Maps

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Torres theater is recognized not only for being the only theater with VIP, but also for specializing in customer satisfaction. Under the leadership of the beloved actress Maria Torres, remembered for her work on the television program “Caras Vemos”, alongside with Marcia Saborío. Now she works with great success setting world renown plays in her own theater. For Torres, the opening of her own theater, in 2003, has been the greatest experience of her career as an actress.

The theater has capacity for 153 people, 133 of which will be comfortably seated in the audience and 20 in what has been designated as the VIP lounge (for very important people), this is an area which has armchairs with two places and tables, bathroom and is the only place in the theater where you can consume liquor and food during the function.

“We want this space to be open to the public from Monday to Monday with alternative theater, forums, dance, concerts and music. Also, the Torres Theater offers the potential to make presentations, force sales events and special business events. It will also conduct makeup seminars and theater courses for adults and children”, said the actress.

The theater has a Home Teather sound with eight speakers. For the opening, Torres began assembling the stage with the play “Tras de palo, cuernos”, the first one she wrote 14 years ago.

In addition, from October 2009, Torres opened a new theater: the Torres Theater 2, also in San Jose, and as well promoted by the Valverde Torres Productions company. This theater has bathrooms and special seats for disabled people, 132 seats in the pit and 20 preferential (VIP) with the latest technology. Furthermore, as a novelty, the new theater made available to the public a childcare service, which has closed circuit monitoring and capacity for ten children.

This center will provide care for both theaters and was born because “many parents stopped going to see plays because they didn’t have trustworthy people to take care of their children to attend functions,” said Johanna Valverde, co-owner of the project.

Torres Theater is located 175 west of the Santa Rita clinic or from La Casa del Tornillo at Paseo de los Estudiantes, 125m east, next to the Musical Parking in San José, and Torres Theater 2 is located in 8 Avenue, also in San José.

Address: in 8 Av., between 11 and 13 St., district: Catedral, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10104.
GPS Coordinates: 9.930192,-84.073858 (9°55’48.69″N, 84°04’25.89″W)
Schedule: From Thursday to Sunday at 8 pm.
Phone:+(506) 2256-4295 / 2258-6078

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Torres Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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In a small theater hall located on 2nd Avenue, on the south side of the Plaza de la Democracia in San José, is the Sala de la Calle 15 Theater.

Gerardo Arce, began his career as an actor in 1971 at the founding of the National Theater Company, where he worked until 1983 as an actor and it is precisely in that year that he devotes to the independent theater, after resigning to the Company, he joins the 56 Theater, under the leadership of Juan Fernando Cerdas. There he worked in plays of Dario Fo, Simon, Chekhov, Juan Fernando Cerdas and Rubén Pagura. Along with this group the Sala de la Calle 15 Theater was created.

Address: in 2nd avenue, between 13th and 15th streets, district: Catedral, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10104.
GPS Coordinates: 9.932428,-84.073294 (9°55’56.74″N 84°04’23.86″W)
Schedule: From Friday to Sunday at 8 pm
Phone:+(506) 2223-7482 / 2258-9461

Sala de la Calle 15 Theater is now the new Urbano Theater.

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Sala de la Calle 15 Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Address:

in 13 St. between 2nd and 4th avenue, district: Catedral, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10104.
GPS Coordinates: 9.931492,-84.072756 (9°55’53.37″N, 84°04’21.92″W)

Schedule:

From Thursday to Sunday at 8 p.m., for reservations at 9 a.m.

Phone:

+506 2222-5281 / +506 2221-3461

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Molière Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Molière is an independent theater which opened its doors to the public in the year 2000. Characterized for being one of the funniest theaters, as well as for bringing the best works that have been in Costa Rica, such as “The Full Monty”, “Gigolo by Accident” and many other successes.

Molière Theater is the original, you can be sure that you will not regret it. Do not miss the opportunity to visit and enjoy great works and great actors.

Molière Theater is located in San José, 50 m south of the southwest corner of the Plaza de la Democracia, or 50 m north From Echandi Doctors.

The Lucho Barahona Theater is located in front to the Asian Restaurant Tin Jo in San José, Costa Rica.

Address: between 6 and 8 Av., 11 St., district: Catedral, canton: San Jose, provincia: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10104.
GPS Coordinates: 9.930556,-84.07405 (9°55’50.00″N 84°4’26.58″W)
Schedule: From Friday to Sunday. Ticket office open from 3 p.m.
Phone:+506 2223-5972
  

Address map: Click here to view directions from Central Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Lucho Barahona Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica at Google Maps

Lucho Barahona, an actor and director, came to Costa Rica along with fellow actors from El Ángel Theater of Santiago, after the military coup in Chile in 1973. Here he repeated the formula, and soon attracted the Costa Rican television with “The Struggle of Lucho” and with their new cafe-theater.

“When we arrived there was only The Harlequin Theater (El Arlequin). Today there are over 20 independent theaters”, he recalls, who now is the director of the Lucho Barahona Theater.

In 2007 he received the award to the most oustanding by the ICU (Independent Theater Union) with the best work of the year: “Come quick that I have a dead”, and the Award for Best Director.

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La Esquina Theater (The Corner theater) invites you to spend a pleasant moment with us, marked by 10 years of life and more than 100 plays of laughters and fun. La Esquina Theater waits for you 100 meters west of the Magaly Movie Theater or 100 meters south of the Former train Station to the Atlantic, in Barrio La California, San José.

Address: 1st Av., 21st St., district: Carmen, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10101.
GPS Coordinates: 9.934031,-84.069033 (9°56’2.51″N 84°4’8.52″W)
Schedule: From Friday to Sunday at 8 p.m. onwards
Phone:+506 2257-0223

Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO La Esquina Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.

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This little movie theater, which is named after the famous English actor, shows American, European and Spanish films. Almodóvar, for example, would be a typical offering. If you are a fan of movies, you can enjoy the selection of unconventional theater that Sala Garbo’s Laurence Olivier Theater offers. Check the local newspaper for information about what is shown. Films in languages other than Spanish have subtitles in Spanish.

Address: 28th St., between paseo colon and 2nd avenue, district: Hospital, canton: San Jose, province: San Jose, Costa Rica. Zone postal code: 10103.
GPS Coordinates: 9.934244,-84.091683 (9°56’3.28″N 84°5’30.06″W)
Phone: + (506) 2222-1034

Address map: Address map: Click here to view directions from La Sabana Park, San Jose, Costa Rica TO the Laurence Olivier Theater in San Jose, Costa Rica.