Woodlawn Theatre
Woodlawn Theatre is an Art Deco performance venue in San Antonio, Texas, historically known as a cinema and musical-theatre stage and, since 2025, as a comedy club.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Woodlawn Theatre is a historic entertainment venue in San Antonio, Texas, distinguished by its Art Deco architecture and by a long transition from first-run cinema to live performing arts and comedy. Designed by architect John Eberson, who also designed San Antonio's Majestic Theatre, the building opened on August 17, 1945, as an elegant movie theater serving audiences in the city's Woodlawn area. Its design made it one of the relatively few remaining Eberson theaters and connected it architecturally to the group of Art Deco buildings now associated with San Antonio's Deco District. The venue's best-known cinematic event occurred on October 24, 1960, when John Wayne hosted the world premiere of The Alamo at the theater. The Woodlawn remained an active movie house through the 1960s and 1970s. Santikos Theatres purchased it in 1975, but the venue later closed and entered a prolonged period of vacancy and deterioration. During the following decades, the property passed among a succession of tenants, many of them small theater organizations. The San Antonio Theater Center occupied the building in 1979, and in 1986 the Woodlawn hosted a laser-show tribute to Pink Floyd alongside jazz and blues concerts. Actors Theater of San Antonio, the final temporary tenant of that period, left in 2005. A major revival began in 2006, when Jonathan Pennington leased the property through Amphisphere Theatre Productions. With support from the local community, Pennington rebuilt and modernized substantial portions of the venue and re-established it as a community-oriented stage. The producing operation was later renamed Pennington Productions and focused primarily on musical-theatre productions. Woodlawn Theatre Inc. was formed in January 2012 and took up residence on March 1 of that year. Under this operating structure, the venue continued presenting live theater, particularly musicals, while restoration work addressed both the building's historic character and its public-facing facilities. The restoration program included the repair of the neon marquee with assistance from city funding, extensive lobby restoration, and continuing exterior improvements. In 2013, the property received designation as a City of San Antonio Historic Landmark. The theater's footprint also expanded into an adjoining space that was adapted as a black box theater; from 2014, that space served as the home of the Classic Theatre of San Antonio. Ownership of the larger property changed in May 2018, when 1920 Woodlawn Partners acquired the entire city block, including the theater. In 2022, Woodlawn Theatre Inc. announced plans to leave the facility in early 2023 and change the name of its production company. The organization announced the new name Wonder Theatre in September 2022, while confirming that the building itself would continue to be called Woodlawn Theatre. Wonder Theatre ultimately vacated the building in early 2024. In April 2025, the venue was announced as refurbished and repurposed as a comedy club, with increased seating capacity. The comedy club opened on April 12, 2025, with Pauly Shore as its headliner. The Woodlawn therefore remains an active venue brand whose identity has evolved across cinema, live musical theater, community performance, and comedy while retaining its historic name and architectural significance.
History
The Woodlawn Theatre opened in San Antonio, Texas, on August 17, 1945. Designed by architect John Eberson, the building was conceived as an elegant venue for Hollywood films and became one of the few surviving theaters associated with Eberson. Its Art Deco design later placed it within the architectural context of San Antonio's Deco District. Eberson was also responsible for the city's Majestic Theatre. The venue's most prominent early event was the world premiere of The Alamo on October 24, 1960. John Wayne, who starred in and directed the film, hosted the premiere at the Woodlawn. The theater continued operating as a movie house during the 1960s and 1970s. Santikos Theatres purchased it in 1975, but the building eventually closed. It remained vacant for extended periods and deteriorated as ownership and tenancy changed. The property continued to have intermittent cultural use. The San Antonio Theater Center occupied it in 1979. In 1986, the building presented a laser-show tribute to Pink Floyd and hosted jazz and blues concerts. Actors Theater of San Antonio was the last temporary tenant in this phase and departed in 2005. A sustained restoration and theatrical revival began in 2006, when Jonathan Pennington leased the property through Amphisphere Theatre Productions. Community support helped fund the rebuilding of major portions of the building and its conversion into a community theater. The producing operation was later known as Pennington Productions and concentrated largely on musical theater. Woodlawn Theatre Inc. was formed in January 2012 and began its residency on March 1, 2012. The restored operation continued presenting live productions while the building itself underwent further work. The neon marquee was repaired with assistance from city funding, the lobby was restored, and exterior improvements continued. In 2013, San Antonio designated the Woodlawn a City Historic Landmark. An adjoining space was incorporated into the venue's broader footprint as a black box theater; from 2014, it housed the Classic Theatre of San Antonio. Ownership changed in May 2018, when 1920 Woodlawn Partners purchased the entire city block containing the theater. In July 2022, Woodlawn Theatre Inc. announced plans to move out of the building in early 2023 and rename its production company. The new name, Wonder Theatre, was announced in September 2022, but the building continued to use the Woodlawn Theatre name. Wonder Theatre eventually vacated the venue in early 2024. In April 2025, the building was announced as refurbished, with additional seating capacity, and repurposed as a comedy club. The new format opened on April 12, 2025, with Pauly Shore as the headliner. The venue's history therefore spans commercial cinema, major film premieres, temporary theater and concert use, nonprofit and community-oriented musical theater, and contemporary comedy programming.
- 2025
Reopening as a comedy club
[1]The refurbished venue opens in a comedy-club format on April 12, with Pauly Shore as headliner.
- 2022
Wonder Theatre transition announced
[1]The resident production company announces its planned departure and adopts the Wonder Theatre name, while the building keeps the Woodlawn name.
- 2018
Block-wide property acquisition
[1]1920 Woodlawn Partners buys the city block containing the theater.
- 2013
Historic landmark designation
[1]The City of San Antonio designates the Woodlawn Theatre a City Historic Landmark.
- 2012
Woodlawn Theatre Inc. establishes residency
[1]Woodlawn Theatre Inc. is formed in January and takes residency on March 1.
- 2006
Community-theater revival begins
[1]Jonathan Pennington leases the property and begins substantial rebuilding and theatrical redevelopment.
- 2005
Actors Theater of San Antonio leaves
[1]The last temporary tenant in the theater's earlier revival period vacates the property.
- 1986
Laser-show and concert programming
[1]The venue presents a Pink Floyd laser-show tribute and hosts jazz and blues concerts.
- 1979
San Antonio Theater Center tenancy
[1]The San Antonio Theater Center occupies the building during its post-cinema period.
- 1975
Acquisition by Santikos Theatres
[1]Santikos Theatres purchases the operating movie theater.
Products and positioning
A historic San Antonio entertainment venue combining preserved Art Deco architecture with changing live-performance formats, including musical theater, community productions, and comedy.
Film exhibition · 1945
Cinema programming
The Woodlawn began as a movie theater for Hollywood films and remained an active cinema through the 1960s and 1970s. Its most notable film-related event was the 1960 world premiere of The Alamo, hosted by John Wayne.
Performing arts · 2006
Live musical theater
Following its restoration and community-theater revival, the Woodlawn became particularly associated with live musical-theatre productions. Woodlawn Theatre Inc. continued this emphasis during its residency beginning in 2012.
Live entertainment · 1986
Concerts and specialty shows
The building has also hosted non-theatrical entertainment, including jazz and blues concerts and a laser-show tribute to Pink Floyd presented during its intermittent-use period.
Comedy entertainment · 2025
Comedy-club programming
After refurbishment and increased seating capacity, the venue was repurposed as a comedy club. The format opened on April 12, 2025, with Pauly Shore as the headliner.
Brand decisions
2025
Repurposing as a comedy clubStrategyBackground
Following the departure of Wonder Theatre, the building underwent another refurbishment and a change in its entertainment model.
Action taken
The venue increased its seating capacity and reopened as a comedy club on April 12, 2025.
Aftermath
The Woodlawn continued operating under its historic name while expanding beyond its earlier cinema and musical-theater identities.
2022
Resident production company renamed Wonder TheatreStrategyBackground
Woodlawn Theatre Inc. announced plans to leave the facility in early 2023 and change the identity of its producing organization.
Action taken
The production company adopted the Wonder Theatre name, while the physical building retained the Woodlawn Theatre name.
Aftermath
Wonder Theatre later vacated the building in early 2024, separating the resident company's identity from the historic venue brand.
2012
Formation of Woodlawn Theatre Inc.StrategyBackground
The theater's revived live-performance operation required a formal resident production organization.
Action taken
Woodlawn Theatre Inc. was formed in January and took residency in the venue on March 1.
Aftermath
The organization continued a program focused mainly on live theatrical and musical productions while restoration work progressed.
2006
Conversion from vacant cinema to community theaterStrategyBackground
After periods of vacancy, deterioration, and short-term tenancy, Jonathan Pennington began leasing the building through Amphisphere Theatre Productions.
Action taken
Major portions of the building were rebuilt and the venue was repositioned around community live theater, especially musical productions.
Aftermath
The project restored regular theatrical use and established the operational foundation later associated with Pennington Productions and Woodlawn Theatre Inc.
Sources2 sources
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