Mike Hume’s Historic Theatre Photography

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Texas is the second-largest US state by both area and population. It boasts the fourth largest city in the US (Houston) and the second most populous state capital (Austin). Accordingly, Texas has numerous theatres ranging from grand opera houses through mid-size theatres and small community playhouses.

Theatre Tours

Details of theatre tours in Texas.

Theatre Timeline

An interactive timeline of all theatres in Texas.

Upcoming Special Events

Special events happening at theatres in Texas.

Texas

Austin Scottish Rite Theater

The Scottish Rite Theater is the oldest theatre in Austin, originally erected in 1871 as a German opera house. The theatre is notable for being home to a large number of 100+ year-old painted backdrops by Sosman & Landis, and a fully operable 19th Century wooden “Brown’s Special Counterweighted” flying system.

Aztec Theatre, San Antonio

The Aztec Theatre opened in June 1926 as a Mesoamerican-themed atmospheric movie theatre, generally considered the most elaborate example of its kind throughout the entire United States. Despite triplexing in the 1970s and an extended period of closure in the 1990s/2000s, the theatre has been restored to its 1920s glory and is currently an active live entertainment venue managed by Live Nation.

Brauntex Theatre, New Braunfels

The Brauntex opened its doors in January 1942 as “the modern theater in the beauty spot of Texas”. Although there were many other movie theatres in town, when the state-of-the-art Brauntex opened, it was the best. It became even more popular after a major fire destroyed the Palace, one of New Braunfel’s popular downtown movie theatres.

Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, San Antonio

Originally opened as Turner Hall, the space now occupied by the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre has been associated with the arts since 1879. The current theatre, the second to have been built on the site, was built by developer Thomas Brady and opened in 1914.

Gaslight-Baker Theatre, Lockhart

The Gaslight-Baker Theatre is a historic theatre located in Lockhart, TX. The theatre opened as the Baker Theatre in 1920, built and operated by Colonel A.D. Baker until his death in 1936. The theatre survives as a community theatre owned an operated by Lockhart Community Theater.

Majestic Theatre, San Antonio

The Majestic was designed by theatre architect John Eberson, famous for his “atmospheric” theatres throughout the United States. The Majestic was completed in 1929 for Interstate Theatres under the management of Karl Hoblitzelle, and was built on the site of the Royal Theater (1909). It is the fifth theatre in San Antonio to bear the name “Majestic”.

Paramount Theatre, Austin

The Paramount Theatre opened in October 1915 as the Majestic Theatre, designed as a vaudeville house. It was one of the early theatre designs by noted Chicago theatre architect John Eberson, who would go on to become most associated with his concept of “atmospheric” theatres throughout the United States. Eberson designed over 1,200 theatres however only around 25 survive to this day.

Stateside at the Paramount, Austin

Stateside at the Paramount was opened as the State Theatre in December 1935. It was built by Interstate Theatres and designed by theatre architect W. Scott Dunne, who designed theatres throughout Texas and Oklahoma including the Plaza Theatre (El Paso, TX) and Texas Theatres in Palestine, Sweetwater, Seguin, and Dallas.

Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, San Antonio

The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts was completed in 2014. It is built on the site of, and incorporates parts of, the 1926 San Antonio Municipal Auditorium. The Tobin Center has two main performance spaces, an additional outdoor Riverwalk performance plaza, and several flexible interior event spaces.

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