Brauntex Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Brauntex Theater
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Brauntex Theater in 2010
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 Brauntex Theater
Location in Texas
Brauntex Theater
Location in the United States
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| Location | 290 W. San Antonio, New Braunfels, Texas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by | Edwin A. Hanz, Hanz Construction Co. |
| Architect | Jack Corgan, W.J. Moore |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000240 |
| Added to NRHP | March 24, 2008 |
The Brauntex Theatre is a historic building in downtown New Braunfels, Texas. It first opened in 1942 as a movie theater. Today, it is a popular place for live shows and performances. This special building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized for its important history.
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A Look Back at the Brauntex Theatre
The Brauntex Theatre first opened its doors in January 1942. This was a time when the United States had just entered World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor. People in New Braunfels needed a place to relax and feel better. The theater offered a way to escape worries and even catch up on war news.
The first movie shown was Birth of the Blues, starring Bing Crosby. At that time, New Braunfels had other movie theaters. However, the Brauntex was the newest and most modern. A big fire at another local theater, the Palace, made the new Brauntex even more important to the city.
The Griffith Company owned the theater. Its design was similar to an older theater in Oklahoma. The Brauntex was a key part of downtown New Braunfels for 50 years. Many people remember special moments there. For example, actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez visited while filming the John Wayne movie, The Alamo. In the 1960s, the theater became integrated, meaning everyone could sit anywhere they wanted.
Bringing the Brauntex Back to Life
Over many years, the Brauntex Theatre slowly lost its shine. It used to have fancy ushers and bright neon lights. But eventually, the seats broke, and the building became dusty and worn.
In September 1998, a group of people from the city and county decided to save the theater. This group included artists, engineers, lawyers, and bank officials. They all wanted to bring the old theater back to its former glory. Their plan was to turn the old movie theater into a full-scale performing arts center. This new center would be run by the Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre Association.
The plan had to pause because of big floods in Central Texas in October 1998. Once New Braunfels recovered, the renovation plan started again. In July 1999, the Association became an official non-profit group. They chose leaders and began working to raise money. On December 10, 1999, the Association officially bought the Brauntex Theatre.
The Big Renovation Project
Work on the theater began almost right away. People drew up plans, shared ideas, and raised money for the big makeover. One of the first major tasks was to make the small movie stage much larger. This new stage would be big enough for live performances. Another important change was to fix the balcony. The previous owner had closed it off to create a second small theater.
Many local groups helped with the renovation. This included the USMC Junior ROTC from New Braunfels High School. A group of women, who called themselves the "Brauntex Sweatshop," even sewed 600 new seat covers!
The renovation was finished quickly. The grand reopening of the Brauntex Theatre was a huge success. The San Antonio Symphony performed on the new stage, and the opening night was completely sold out. The Brauntex Theatre was once again a proud and important part of New Braunfels.
See also
