Cactus Theater

Cactus Theater is a historic performance venue in Lubbock, Texas, whose identity has evolved from a suburban movie house into a regional center for live music, musical theater, community programming, and youth performance. The building was constructed in 1938 by Lubbock businessmen Joe H. Bryant, M. A. Sanders, and Glenn Woody as the city’s first suburban neighborhood cinema. Designed in the Art Deco style by architect Robert Maxey, the original theater was intended to show second-run films and seated approximately 720 people. Its period features included a “washed air” cooling system and a prominent marquee fitted with more than 750 feet of neon lighting, reflecting the technological and architectural ambitions of late-1930s American neighborhood cinemas. The theater operated for roughly two decades. By the late 1950s, however, Lubbock’s entertainment market had become substantially more competitive. The city had seventeen movie theaters and six drive-in theaters, and the older Cactus could not maintain its position against these alternatives. It closed on May 6, 1958, ending its first life as a cinema. The building was later incorporated into the redevelopment of Lubbock’s Depot District. In 1993, Don Caldwell and a group of investors acquired the property and undertook a major refurbishment. The renovation converted the former cinema into a venue capable of presenting live performances as well as films. The original balcony and the slope of the main floor were retained, while a full stage was added. The theater’s wooden seats were eventually replaced with 383 modern seats, and the former projection booth was redesigned for stage lighting. Murals by artist John Russell Thomasson, depicting the landscapes of Caprock Canyon, connected the restored interior to the cultural and geographical character of West Texas. After reopening in the mid-1990s, Cactus Theater developed a broad programming profile. Its schedule included concerts, nostalgia programs, gospel performances, holiday productions, theatrical plays, local-artist showcases, and programs intended to introduce new performers. Recurring or notable offerings included Nostalgia Nights, the Cactus Family Christmas Celebration, Gospel Night, Cactus Cuties showcases, new artist showcases, and performances by The JD’s, a doo-wop group associated with the late musician and producer Don Allison. The venue also presented works ranging from Fiddler on the Roof, The Odd Couple, Jesus Christ Superstar, Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story, The Rainmaker, Hello, Dolly!, and Oklahoma! to locally written productions such as Heavenly Country and Holy Rock ’n Rollers. The theater has served both as a touring and regional music venue and as a platform for West Texas talent. Artists associated with its performance history include Joe Ely, B. J. Thomas, Gary Morris, Jerry Jeff Walker, and The Maines Brothers Band. Its youth-oriented work has included the Cactus Cuties, a vocal group coached and managed through Terri Caldwell Music, as well as later programs such as Holly Ave and Cactus Kids, which focus on developing young performers and emerging artists. The Cactus Cuties gained attention beyond Lubbock through television appearances and widely viewed online performance videos, while the theater remained the group’s principal local performance setting. Cactus Theater’s significance therefore rests on continuity as much as scale. It preserves a 1930s Art Deco theater structure while functioning as a flexible modern venue. Its programming links film-era architectural heritage with live music, musical theater, family entertainment, and arts education. The theater continues to represent an important cultural facility in Lubbock’s Depot District and a recognizable outlet for local and Texas-based performers.

Cactus Theater began in 1938 as Lubbock’s first suburban neighborhood movie theater. Joe H. Bryant, M. A. Sanders, and Glenn Woody developed the building, which was designed by architect Robert Maxey in an Art Deco style. It was built as a second-run cinema with approximately 720 seats. Its amenities included a washed-air cooling system and a large neon marquee extending for more than 750 feet, features that helped distinguish it in the prewar and wartime cinema market. The theater remained open for about twenty years. By 1957, Lubbock had seventeen movie theaters as well as six drive-in theaters. The growth of these competing formats weakened the Cactus’s business, and the theater closed on May 6, 1958. The building subsequently stood apart from its original role as the city’s suburban cinema. A new chapter began in 1993, when Don Caldwell and a group of investors bought the property as part of the redevelopment of Lubbock’s Depot District. The renovation retained important elements of the original auditorium, including the balcony and the sloping main floor, while adding a full stage for concerts and theatrical productions. The original wooden seating was later replaced with 383 modern seats. The former projection booth was adapted for spotlights and other stage functions. Artist John Russell Thomasson painted murals of Caprock Canyon on the interior walls, giving the restored venue a visual connection to the surrounding West Texas landscape. Following its reopening in the mid-1990s, Cactus Theater operated as a flexible live-performance and movie venue. Its programming included concerts by Texas and regional artists, theatrical productions, gospel events, family shows, holiday programs, nostalgia presentations, and showcases for local and emerging musicians. The theatrical repertoire included both established works and locally created productions. Music performers associated with the venue included Joe Ely, B. J. Thomas, Gary Morris, Jerry Jeff Walker, and The Maines Brothers Band. The JD’s, a doo-wop group founded by the late Don Allison, also became part of the theater’s performance history. Youth programming became another important part of the venue’s identity. The Cactus Cuties, originally composed of Baylee Barrett, Blaire Elbert, Andi Kitten, and Madeline Powell, performed at the theater under the coaching and management of Cameron Caldwell through Terri Caldwell Music. The group later appeared on television and attracted significant online attention after a national-anthem video circulated widely. Andi Kitten left the group in 2010, and Makenzie Patton subsequently joined the remaining members. The group later ceased performing as a unit, but its association with the venue remains one of the theater’s best-known examples of local talent reaching a national audience. Cactus Theater has also hosted programs designed to nurture younger performers and new artists, including Holly Ave and Cactus Kids. Through this combination of heritage preservation, professional concerts, theatrical work, family programming, and arts development, the theater has remained a recognizable cultural institution in Lubbock. Its history illustrates the transition of a traditional neighborhood cinema into a community-oriented performing-arts venue.

• 2010

  Andi Kitten leaves the Cactus Cuties

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Andi Kitten departs the group for personal reasons; Makenzie Patton joins the remaining members soon afterward.

• 2008

  Cactus Cuties video becomes widely viewed

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  A Cactus Cuties national-anthem performance video receives millions of views and expands the group’s visibility beyond Lubbock.

• 2007

  Cactus Cuties appear on Disney Channel

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The youth vocal group associated with the theater is invited to guest star on Cory in the House.

• 1995

  Refurbished theater reopens

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The restored venue resumes operations with a stage, retained balcony and floor slope, redesigned projection booth, and updated seating.

• 1993

  Property acquired for Depot District redevelopment

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Don Caldwell and investors purchase the building and begin its conversion into a live-performance and movie venue.

• 1958

  Original cinema closes

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The theater shuts down on May 6 after facing competition from Lubbock’s expanding network of cinemas and drive-ins.

• 1938

  Cactus Theater opens as a suburban movie theater

  [1]Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Joe H. Bryant, M. A. Sanders, and Glenn Woody open a 720-seat Art Deco second-run cinema designed by Robert Maxey.

A historic West Texas theater that combines preserved Art Deco character with live music, theatrical productions, community entertainment, and talent-development programs.

• Concert programming

  Live music concerts

  Cactus Theater presents live music by local, Texas-based, and touring performers. Its historical programming has included artists working in country, popular music, gospel, nostalgia, and other regional styles, making the venue both a community stage and a stop for established performers.

• Theatrical productions

  Musical theater and plays

  The theater’s stage has supported productions of well-known musicals and plays, including Fiddler on the Roof, The Odd Couple, Jesus Christ Superstar, Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story, The Rainmaker, Hello, Dolly!, and Oklahoma!. It has also presented locally written musical plays such as Heavenly Country and Holy Rock ’n Rollers.

• Arts development

  Youth and emerging-artist programs

  Programs including Cactus Kids, Holly Ave, Cactus Cuties showcases, and new-artist showcases provide performance opportunities for children, young singers, and developing local talent. These initiatives extend the venue’s role beyond presentation into community arts development.

• Community programming

  Family, holiday, gospel, and nostalgia programs

  Recurring or notable formats have included Nostalgia Nights, the Cactus Family Christmas Celebration, Gospel Night, and other family-oriented events. These programs use the theater’s historic setting for accessible community entertainment and seasonal performances.

• 1993

  Conversion from cinema to live-performance venueStrategy

  Background

  The former movie theater was acquired during redevelopment of Lubbock’s Depot District after its original cinema business had ended.

  Action taken

  Investors led by Don Caldwell refurbished the building, preserving its balcony and floor slope while adding a full stage and adapting the projection booth for stage lighting.

  Aftermath

  The renovated venue reopened in the mid-1990s and established a continuing role in concerts, theatrical productions, community events, and youth programming.

  Source

1. 1Cactus Theateren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cactus Theater official websitecactustheater.com