Cactus Theater facts for kids
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| Address | 1812 Buddy Holly Avenue Lubbock, Texas U.S. |
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| Coordinates | 33°34′42″N 101°50′41″W / 33.57839°N 101.84473°W |
| Owner | Cactus Theater Inc. |
| Type | Movie theater |
| Capacity | 426 |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Cinema, live event venue |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1938 |
| Opened | 1938 |
| Reopened | 1995 |
| Architect | Robert Maxey |
| Website | |
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Cactus Theater
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000447 |
| Added to NRHP | May 8, 1998 |
The Cactus Theater is a cool theater located in Lubbock, Texas. It's a place where you can enjoy live music, exciting musicals, and fun plays.
Contents
History of the Cactus Theater
Building Lubbock's First Suburban Cinema
In 1938, three businessmen from Lubbock built the city's very first movie theater outside the main downtown area. Their names were Joe H. Bryant, M. A. Sanders, and Glenn Woody.
The theater was designed by an architect named Robert Maxey. It had a special look called Art Deco style. This style uses cool geometric shapes and bright colors.
The Cactus Theater was built to show "second-run" movies. This means it played films after they had already been shown in the bigger, fancier theaters. It could seat 720 people! The theater also had a special "washed air" cooling system. This was an early type of air conditioning. It also had a bright sign called a marquee with over 750 feet of glowing neon lighting.
Closing Its Doors in 1958
The Cactus Theater stayed open for 20 years. But by 1957, there were 17 other movie theaters in Lubbock. Plus, six new drive-in theaters became very popular. All this competition made it hard for the older Cactus Theater to stay in business. So, the Cactus Theater closed on May 6, 1958.
A Remodeled and Reopened Theater
Bringing the Cactus Back to Life
In 1993, a man named Don Caldwell and some other investors bought the Cactus Theater. This was part of a plan to improve Lubbock's Depot District. They worked hard to fix up the theater. They wanted it to be a place for live shows and movies again.
The refurbished theater still has its original balcony and sloped floor. The stage is also the same. But the old seats were replaced with 400 new, comfy ones. The old projection booth was changed. It now has spotlights and modern sound and light equipment.
Celebrating West Texas Culture
To honor West Texas, artist John Russell Thomasson painted amazing murals on both walls. These murals show scenes from Caprock Canyon.
Today, the theater hosts many different shows. These include "Nostalgia Nights" and "The Cactus Family Christmas Celebration." They also have "Gospel Night" and "Cactus Cuties" showcases for local artists. Famous artists like Joe Ely and B. J. Thomas have performed there.
Live Plays and Musicals
The Cactus Theater also puts on live plays and musicals. Some popular shows they have featured include Fiddler on the Roof, The Odd Couple, and Jesus Christ Superstar. They have also shown Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story and Oklahoma!. The theater even helps local writers by showing their new musical plays. Two examples are Heavenly Country and Holy Rock ‘n Rollers.
The Cactus Cuties
A Group of Talented Singers
The Cactus Cuties were a very popular singing group from the Cactus Theater. Cameron Caldwell coached and managed these talented girls. The original members were Baylee Barrett, Blaire Elbert, Andi Kitten, and Madeline Powell.
In 2007, the Cuties were invited to be on Disney Channel's "Cory in The House." Around the same time, in early 2008, their first YouTube video became super popular. The video showed five Cactus Cuties singing their own version of the "Star-Spangled Banner." It quickly got over three million views in just one month! People loved their unique harmonies and their charming personalities. By 2017, the video had more than 10 million views.
Performing on National TV
The Cactus Cuties performed on many big shows. They appeared on The Rachael Ray Show and the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. They also sang at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. They were even on Oprah Winfrey's "Search for the Most Talented Kids."
You can find their singing on a compact disc and a DVD. Both are called Cactus Cuties: Live at the Cactus 2009. In September 2010, Andi Kitten left the group. Makenzie Patton then joined the remaining three girls.
The Cactus Theater still helps young artists. They have programs like "Holly Ave" and "Cactus Kids." These programs help new talent grow and shine.
See also
