Yucca Theater (Midland, Texas) facts for kids
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| Address | 208 N Colorado St. |
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| Location | Midland, Texas |
| Coordinates | 31°59′56″N 102°04′35″W / 31.9988955°N 102.0765014°W |
| Capacity | 550 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1929 |
| Renovated | 1981 |
| Architect | H.B. Layman |
The Yucca Theater is a famous theater located in Midland, Texas. It first opened its doors in 1929. An oilman named Thomas S. Hogan planned to build it in 1927. The theater was designed to go along with the nearby Petroleum Building. When it first opened, the Yucca Theater showed movies and hosted live variety shows called vaudeville.
Today, the Yucca Theater is a special Texas historic landmark. It is home to a popular yearly show called the Summer Mummers. This show runs every Friday and Saturday night from early June until the Labor Day weekend. Each summer, there are usually about 30 performances. The show includes a funny play called a melodrama and a musical variety show known as the olio.
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History of the Yucca Theater
The Yucca Theater building was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick. It features large cut sandstone blocks, marble, and columns. The style looks like ancient Assyrian architecture. Inside, the theater was designed by H.B. Layman. It had golden bulls, lotus flower lamps, and a two-level balcony. This old Middle Eastern style was popular in the late 1920s. This was partly because King Tut's tomb had been discovered a few years earlier.
Planning for the theater began in 1927. It officially opened on December 5, 1929. It first featured both live vaudeville acts and movies. Over the years, the theater mostly showed movies. The original Yucca Theater closed in 1974.
Bringing the Yucca Theater Back to Life
In 1981, many volunteers worked hard to restore the Yucca Theater. They saved it from being torn down. They kept the original design with its golden bulls and winged lions. One change they made was replacing the old seats with tables and chairs. This created a cabaret-style seating area.
Special crews were hired to add new features. They built a tiered floor for the new seating. They also updated the technology, like the sound system. The theater can now hold over 1600 people. After the restoration, the Yucca Theater became the permanent home for the Summer Mummers show. Other performances, like Broadway in the Basin, also use the theater. In 2008, a brand new sound system was installed.
The Summer Mummers Show
The Summer Mummers is a very popular show that takes place at the Yucca Theater.
How the Summer Mummers Started
In the 1800s, street performers were sometimes called "mummers." The Midland Community Theatre (MCT) decided to put on a show in the summer. That's how the name "Summer Mummers" came to be. Their first show was in 1949 and was called "The Drunkard." Art Cole, the director of MCT, was in that first show.
In the early years, the Summer Mummers performed in different places. These included VFW halls and the old theatre center. After the Yucca Theater was restored in 1981, it became the new home for the Summer Mummers. They still perform only at the Yucca Theater today. The money earned from the Summer Mummers helps support the Midland Community Theatre.
What to Expect at the Show
The Summer Mummers show has two main parts.
The Melodrama Play
The first part of the show is a Vaudeville-style melodrama. A new, funny play is written locally every year. Sometimes, older scripts are used again. Each play usually has a general "theme," like superheroes or zombies.
The story often follows a similar pattern. A kind heroine and her friend get into trouble. A villain and his friend try to take advantage of them. The villain wants money and to win the heroine's affection. Then, a hero and his friend show up to challenge the villains. There's a struggle, and the hero always wins! The villains are defeated, the hero and heroine fall in love, and their friends also find a connection.
- Main Characters
The names of the characters change each year. However, the same basic types of characters are always in the play:
- The Hero – This character is always shown as being good and honest. They are often mentioned as having graduated from Texas A&M University.
- The Hero's Sidekick – This is the hero's loyal friend. He usually tries to do what's right. He is often shown as being a bit silly, but he can be quite clever.
- The Heroine – Like the Hero, she is often shown as being innocent and kind. She always stands up for what is right.
- The Heroine's Sidekick – She is the heroine's best friend. She looks out for her friend and often teases the Hero's Sidekick.
- The Villain – This character is always driven by wanting money. In every play, the Villain tries to kidnap the Heroine.
- The Villain's Sidekick – This character is easily convinced to do bad things. He helps the Villain with his evil plans, hoping to get money.
The Moviola Film
The moviola is a short, silent film. It is sped up and filmed in black and white. A small team makes a new moviola every year. It shows the characters continuing the story in different parts of Midland. The moviola uses funny visual jokes and includes appearances by local famous people. It uses title cards to show dialogue and announce the intermission. During the melodrama, a movie screen drops down. It shows parts of the moviola to help the story move forward and give the actors a short break. With modern technology, the moviola now includes special digital effects.
The Olio Variety Show
After the melodrama finishes, the olio begins. This part of the show has about 20 short acts. It's like a funny musical variety show. All the acts are set to music and usually last 90 seconds or less.
