Now Showing: Historic Theaters in Texas

In today's streaming era, all but lost is the romance of a night on the town, going to the opera house for a vaudeville performance, or catching a flick at the movie palace. But the blinking marquees and wrap-around neon aren't just memories. These icons of yesteryear still exist all over Texas. We've tracked down 60 theaters that have reinvented themselves again and again over the last century to keep their audiences entertained.

Pictured: Ector Theater in Odessa.

Credit: Creative Commons, CinemaTreasures.org

Picture it. The first thing you notice are the marquee lights outside – so bright and twinkly. You buy your ticket and go inside to find your seat, but the smell of popcorn is too enticing, so you swing by the concession stand first. As you get settled in at your seat, the house lights begin to dim. The curtain goes up and the performance begins! This isn’t ancient history or a scene from a black and white movie. Across Texas, historic theaters are still creating this same experience decades after they first opened.

Up on the Marquee

Live entertainment was once the main draw at theaters across the state. For example, the Paramount Theater in Austin, completed in 1915, hosted stage greats like Harry Houdini. But with the dawn of cinema, movies eclipsed an entire generation of stage entertainers, spurring an era of elaborate movie theater design.

Ornate or simple, first run films or live performances, historic theaters touch an emotional note for Texans. That’s why citizens in Wellington, Borger, Eastland, or Paris, just to name a few communities with active, restored theaters, are happy to invite you to the show.

Photo of CLIFTEX Theatre entrance. A neon sign sits above a marquee.

Pictured: CLIFTEX Theatre entrance.

Credit: Courtesy of owner.

From Opera Houses to Movie Palaces

Before streaming, television, or even radio, a night at the theater was one of the biggest shows in town.

In late-19th-century Texas, an “opera house” was often a community's all-purpose entertainment center. By the 1870s, railroads were bringing touring companies into towns across the state, and Texans turned out for plays, concerts, vaudeville acts, and occasionally actual opera. In smaller communities, the “opera house” might simply be a large room above a downtown business. In larger cities, increasingly elaborate theaters offered balconies, boxes, stages, orchestra pits, and the latest theatrical technology.

The interior of the Temple Opera House in Palestine (now demolished).

Credit: Palestine Public Library

Around the turn of the 20th century, moving pictures began appearing as novelties alongside live entertainment. Soon came nickelodeons, inexpensive storefront theaters showing short silent films. By the 1910s and '20s, movies were becoming the main attraction, although many theaters continued to mix films with vaudeville and other live performances.

By the 1920s and '30s, going to the movies wasn't just about what was on the screen. The theater was part of the show. Movie-goers could step beneath a glowing marquee and you might even enter another world: an ornate Spanish courtyard, an exotic palace, or an auditorium seemingly open to a star-filled night sky. These atmospheric movie palaces were designed to make an ordinary evening feel extraordinary.

Everyone Goes to the Movies

By World War II, movies were among America's most popular forms of entertainment. Theaters weren't just places to see a film; they were community landmarks and gathering places. This era is where we find the iconic movie imagery - Saturday matinees, first dates, newsreels, and double features.

Of course, the theater-going experience wasn't the same for everyone. Like other public spaces, many Texas theaters enforced racial segregation, determining where Black patrons could enter, purchase tickets, and sit. Those histories are also part of the stories these buildings preserve.

Saved by the Community

Television, suburban development, multiplexes, and changing entertainment habits eventually emptied many historic downtown theaters. National movie attendance had already fallen dramatically by the mid-1950s. Some Texas theaters closed. Others were divided into smaller auditoriums, converted to new uses, or simply sat vacant.

Yet in communities across Texas, the final credits never quite rolled. Residents, preservationists, nonprofits, and local governments stepped in to save theaters that had been part of their communities for generations. Today, many are once again doing what they were built to do: bringing people together.

A beautifully restored historic theater featuring plush red seats, stunning ornate decor, and an inviting stage with rich purple curtains.

Pictured: The stunning interior of the Plaza Theatre in El Paso

The exterior of the Aztec Theatre in San Antonio before and after renovation.

Credit: Photos: Joseph and Jose Venegas

Same Stage, New Show

Here's where you can still have some fun with what these historic theaters are doing today.

Catch a Flick

Several historic Texas theaters still show movies just like they did when they were originally built. If seeing the next blockbuster in a historic setting appeals to you, then check out these gems.

In Dallas, the Texas Theatre.
In Mason, the Odeon Theater.
In Clifton, the CLIFTEX Theatre.
In Taylor, the Howard Theatre.

See a Live Production

Many historic theaters have evolved over the years and now offer live stage productions. Say "Hello, Dolly!" at theaters like these around the state.

In Odessa, the Globe Theatre.
In Levelland, the Wallace Theater.
In Aransas Pass, the Rialto Theater.
In Palestine, the Texas Theatre.

Hear Live Music

Many historic theaters have created a whole new purpose - live music. Catch your favorite band at one of these star-studded places.

In Lubbock, the Cactus Theater.
In Bertram, the Globe Theatre.
In Alpine, the Granada Theatre.
In Abilene, the Paramount Theatre.

Take in a Touring Performance

From Broadway to regional touring productions, these historic theaters are not to be missed.

In San Antonio, the Majestic Theatre.
In Austin, the Paramount Theatre.
In Beaumont, the Jefferson Theatre.
In Texarkana, the Perot Theatre.

Experience Small-Town Community Theater

Nothing beats a live performance from your friends and neighbors. Take in some fantastic and award-winning community theater at these historic local landmarks.

In Snyder, the Ritz Community Theatre.
In Georgetown, the Palace Theatre.
In Columbus, the Stafford Opera House.
In Midland, the Yucca Theatre.

Admire the Architecture

Many historic theaters are known for their beauty - inside and out - and for special architectural features. For a theater experience like no other, check out these architectural beauties.

In Dallas, the Majestic Theatre's Renaissance Revival atmospheric design.
In Abilene, the Paramount Theatre's Spanish/Moorish interior courtyard.
In Brenham, the Barnhill Center at the Historic Simon Theatre's full restoration of the Beaux-Arts Classic Revival building.
In El Paso, the Plaza Theatre's Spanish Colonial Revival style.

Worth the Price of Admission

The performance may be the main attraction, but don’t let it steal the whole show. Historic theaters are filled with details that tell stories of their own, from dazzling marquees and elaborate interiors to remnants of how generations of Texans experienced a night out. Before you settle into your seat, take a look around. You might be surprised by what you find.

LOOK UP

Never forget to look up when you're in a historic building. You never know what you might see!

In Dallas, the Majestic Theatre was designed with mechanically controlled floating clouds and twilight stars above painted Roman gardens.
In Austin, the Paramount Theatre still has a hole in the ceiling near the St. Cecilia painting that is associated with Houdini’s suspended levitation act.
In San Antonio, the Aztec Theatre features an enormous two-ton chandelier that becomes part of the experience.

LOOK DOWN

Similarly, there are historic theaters that have striking features at your feet.

In Graham, the National Theatre features terrazzo flooring, along with Carrera glass and 1930s fixtures.
In El Paso, the Plaza Theatre has restored decorative flooring and tilework associated with its Spanish Colonial Revival interior.

LOOK OUTSIDE

There are some historic Texas theaters that announce themselves before you even walk inside.

In Dallas, the Kessler's Art Deco exterior has tremendous street presence.
In Spur, the Palace Theater's restored blade sign alone contains 366 incandescent bulbs, and the building retains its curved awning and Spanish Renaissance-influenced exterior.
In Mineola, the Select Theater's revolving neon tower is a fantastic detail.
In Odessa, the Ector Theatre's dark orange brick, green granite, aluminum detailing and its restored wrap-around neon marquee/gridwork practically define midcentury theater curb appeal.

LISTEN

There are even a few historic theaters with features that harken back to their original purpose - the organ. These auditory experiences are not to be missed.

In Beaumont, the Jefferson Theatre's organ rises from the orchestra pit on a hydraulic lift, and the theater’s restored organ remains integral to its historic identity.
In El Paso the Plaza Theatre's long-lost Wurlitzer organ was actually returned as part of the restoration.

The iconic Art Deco Kessler Theater glows at night, its vibrant marquee inviting visitors gathered by the welcoming entrance.

Pictured: The Art Deco exterior of the Kessler Theater in Dallas.

Credit: Sarah Page

Find a Historic Texas Theater

These theaters have survived changing tastes, changing technology, and changing times, but their stories are far from over. Today, many are once again filled with movies, music, performances, and audiences. Explore the map below and find a historic Texas theater where you can become part of its next chapter.