The Theatre on Your Street: Saved! Houston’s Historic Heights Theater to be Reborn as Major Concert Venue

posted by ThrHistoricalSociety on October 28, 2015 at 7:13 pm

Preservation isn’t dead and bulldozed over in Houston just yet. A historic movie theater that was built in 1923 is being saved and reborn after years of false starts and idle hopes. Who says minor miracles don’t happen in the land of tear downs and start overs?

The Heights Theater — which continues to stand out on 19th Street with its striking art deco movie marquee — has been bought by the owner of the renowned, revitalized Kessler Theater in Dallas. And Edwin Cabaniss envisions a Kessler-style second life for the old theater.

That means concerts, community events such as readings for kids, Indie film premieres, the occasional wedding recital and more. In fact, that’s what drew the attention of the New York Times to the Kessler: The variety of the programming. The Heights Theater that ends up in Cabaniss’ hands is in better shape in many ways than Kessler Theater was when he took it over.

Credit for that should go to Sharon and Gus Kopriva, who purchased the Houston theater in 1987 when it was – literally – a shell of its original self. Enjoy the full article here – Chris Baldwin for Papercity;Photo by ArtDeco.org

http://www.papercitymag.com/interiors/saved-historic-heights-theater-to-be-reborn-as-a-major-concert-venue-with-mad-dancing/

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ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.

Learn more about historic theatres on our website at historictheatres.org