Audience members pile into their seats getting ready to watch a show at the Castro Theater; on this particular day it happens to be a “Sound of Music” sing-a-long. The crowd becomes quiet as they see the nested podium in the middle of the stage rise.

On the podium is a theater organ and David Hegarty, an older gentleman wearing a light brown tweed jacket. He sits comfortably, moving his hands masterfully along the different level of keys on the instrument while his feet move and push the pedals below. The audiences begin to clap and cheer.

Since taking the stage in 1976, Hegarty has been playing the organ at the Castro Theater for almost 40 years.

While pursuing a classical music career in Ohio, Hegarty realized he wanted something different and decided to move to San Francisco and “take a chance,” he said. Within two weeks of arriving, he landed a gig subbing and playing the organ at the Castro Theater. Eventually he became the senior organist for the theater.

Back to Gallery The Regulars: Organist at the Castro keeps musical... 2 1 of 2 Photo: Manjula Varghese, The Chronicle 2 of 2 Photo: Manjula Varghese, The Chronicle



“I prefer playing music that appeals to the masses,” Hegarty explained when talking about playing more popular music, even though he studied and enjoys the headier organ literature.

Hegarty plays for his audiences hoping to recreate an experience that audiences would have had back in the 1920s and 1930s. “The organ is part of the atmosphere like the architecture,” Hegarty said.

Putting a lot of thought into what he plays during the intermissions at the theater, Hegarty said, “I try to tie it into the movie that is playing that evening.”

He hopes to create a unique and enhanced experience for his audience.

The Regulars is a weekly photo and video column that offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in the Bay Area, caught in routine activities of modern urban life. Watch more Regulars videos at www.sfchronicle.com/theregulars/.