Yucca Theatre

The Yucca Theatre is a historic performance venue in Midland, Texas, opened on December 5, 1929. It was conceived by oilman and former Montana senator Thomas S. Hogan, who in 1927 announced plans to build a theatre to complement the nearby Petroleum Building. Designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth in an Assyrian architectural style, the building incorporated large cut sandstone blocks, marble, and columns, while the interior by H.B. Layman featured gilded bulls, stenciled lotus flower lamps, and a two-tier balcony. The Middle Eastern motif reflected a late-1920s fashion partly inspired by the discovery of King Tut's tomb. The Yucca began as a movie and vaudeville house, hosting vaudeville performers and filmed movie productions. Over the years it shifted to showing only movies, and the original Yucca closed for good in 1974. In 1981, volunteers restored the theatre to its original condition, saving it from destruction. They retained the original architecture, including golden bulls and winged lions, and made one modification: replacing cabaret seating with tables and chairs. Professional crews added a tiered floor for cabaret seating and updated technology. The theatre holds over 1,600 seats. In 2008, a new sound system was installed. After the restoration, the Yucca became the permanent home of the annual Summer Mummers show, a yearly production presented on Friday and Saturday nights from the first weekend in June to Labor Day weekend, typically with about 30 performances each summer. The show comprises a locally written melodrama followed by the olio. Other regularly scheduled performances, such as Broadway in the Basin, also use the theatre as their venue. The Yucca Theatre is a Texas historic landmark and remains an active cultural venue in Midland.

Planning for the Yucca Theatre began in 1927, when oilman and former Montana senator Thomas S. Hogan announced plans to build a theatre to complement the nearby Petroleum Building in Midland, Texas. The building was designed by Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth and incorporated large cut sandstone blocks, marble, and columns in an Assyrian architecture style. The interior, designed by H.B. Layman, featured gilded bulls, stenciled lotus flower lamps, and a two-tier balcony. The old Middle Eastern architecture style was a sign of the late 1920s, prominent at the time thanks in part to the discovery of King Tut's tomb a few years earlier. The theatre opened on December 5, 1929, featuring vaudeville performers and filmed movie productions. Through the years, the theatre eventually focused on just showing movies, and the original Yucca closed for good in 1974. In 1981, volunteers restored the Yucca to its original condition, saving it from destruction. They retained the original architecture featuring golden bulls and winged lions. There was one modification: they replaced the cabaret seating with tables and chairs. Professional crews were brought in to make a few additions, which included a tiered floor for the cabaret seating, as well as technology updates. The theatre holds over 1,600 seats. After the restoration, the Yucca became the new, permanent home of the annual Summer Mummers show. Other regularly scheduled performances, such as Broadway in the Basin, use the theatre as their venue. In 2008, a new sound system was installed. The Summer Mummers tradition dates to 1949, when Midland Community Theatre (MCT) presented its first production entitled "The Drunkard." Street performers in the 1800s were called "mummers," and after MCT decided the production would be presented in the summer, the name "Summer Mummers" was born. MCT director Art Cole starred in the first production. In the early years, productions were presented in various locations, including VFW halls and the theatre center, the former home of MCT. After the 1981 restoration of the Yucca Theater was completed, the Yucca became the new home of Summer Mummers, which still performs exclusively at the Yucca to this day. The profits from Summer Mummers directly benefit MCT. The theatre is on the list of Historic Texas Landmarks.

• 2008

  A new sound system was installed.

• 1981

  Volunteers restored the Yucca to its original condition, saving it from destruction; it became the permanent home of Summer Mummers.

• 1974

  The original Yucca closed for good after focusing on just showing movies.

• 1949

  Midland Community Theatre presented its first Summer Mummers production, "The Drunkard."

• 1929

  The Yucca Theatre opened on December 5, featuring vaudeville performers and filmed movie productions.

• 1927

  Thomas S. Hogan announced plans to build a theatre to complement the nearby Petroleum Building.

Historic landmark theatre and community performance venue in Midland, Texas.

• Summer Mummers

  A yearly production presented at the Yucca, running on Friday and Saturday nights from the first weekend in June to Labor Day weekend, typically with about 30 performances each summer. It comprises a locally written melodrama followed by the olio.

• Broadway in the Basin

  Regularly scheduled performances that use the theatre as their venue.

1. 1Yucca Theatre - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Yucca Theater (Midland, Texas) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org