Teatro Murillo

A.R. Peña operated a few Spanish language theaters in the Rio Grande Valley in the golden era of cinema. Two of those were here in the city of San Juan, Texas. San Juan’s Hispanic business district was along Nebraska Street and the other business district was on Fifth Street. Teatro Murillo opened in 1938 and named for building owner Rodolfo Murillo.

The theatre had a lively spirit not just because of the popular Mexican films and Hollywood fare with Spanish subtitles, but because of its amateur night on Wednesdays, “La Noche de los Aficionados”. The local Spanish language radio station would broadcast from Teatro Murillo. It had closed by 2007 and went into use as office space, but was standing vacant in 2025.

Peña would also operate the Teatro Alamo in Alamo, Texas - basically two miles away - and Capra Alisco in San Juan.

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