The Star Theater opened on 18th August 1956 with the movie "Moby Dick" starring Gregory Peck.
The theatre boasted the largest marquee in San Diego County. It is 65 feet wide and 6 feet high. Above the marquee carrying out the name theme is a field of flashing and twinkling stars; for company the stars have an electrical waterfall cascading from 48 feet in the air.
The auditorium was fitted with surround speakers built into the ceiling of the theater, for the 'then new' stereophonic movies.
The Star Theater remained in the hands of the Siegel family until 1980 when they sold it to an outside developer. It changed hands several times eventually operating as an 'Adult porno' movie theatre from 1987. From April 1989, it returned to showing regular release movies again (although the first offering was the 'R' Rated "Skin Deep" and "Seige of Firebase Gloria").
The Star finally closed to movies in September 2000 when the building had been purchased by the Poinsettia Center for the Performing Arts as a performing arts center.
It is now home to the Coast Kids Theatre and the Star Theatre Company. They have installed 446 plush new seats (the current capacity), new lightboard and sound systems. The stage is 33 feet deep, by 40 feet wide.
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