The Yucca Theater's
Texas Historical Marker.
Click for expanded image.
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The 54-year-old theatre company struck a deal with building owners and fashioned a very favorable seventy-five year lease on the elegant landmark. Because MCT didn't want to incur more debt to finance the rehabilitation of their new acquisition, the restoration of the Yucca was done in stages with plenty of volunteer labor. Some of the funding for the project came from special productions such as a gala presentation of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas in 1983 which netted over $200,000 for repairs. |
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To return the Yucca to its former glory and accommodate the needs of a modern theatre ensemble, the long-shuttered playhouse needed lots of work. It was necessary for MCT to upgrade the heating and air conditioning, adjust the acoustics with padding, and install new lights and sound systems. The dressing rooms underneath and to the right of the stage had to be refurbished, and the lobby bar got a facelift and a liquor license that would contribute to potential revenue. Threadbare old seats were removed and the auditorium was terraced to accommodate cabaret-style seating with table and chairs. By the mid-eighties, when all the work was finished, the Yucca found new life as a self-supporting performance venue ready to host local and traveling musical productions and concerts, business meetings and seminars, special movie screenings, and of course, MCT's riotous Summer Mummers.
Act III: The Summer Mummers |
Refurbished Interior
Click for expanded shot of refurbished interior.
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