SAN ANTONIO – The Tejano and San Antonio-based stories all taught at a West Side theater will be put on pause for the next two years for what officials say are overdue renovations.
The iconic Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center theater is expected to be revamped into a destination performance theater.
“Our theater, the Guadalupe Theater, it’s a treasure. It’s our jewel on the West Side,” said Director Of Education Belinda Menchaca.
The Guadalupe Culture And Arts Theater is known for hosting Cinefestival, the largest Latino film festival in the country as well as performances highlighting Tejano culture.
“We’ve interviewed people in our community about their stories and about their struggles in order to educate our students and our audiences about the stories that are not told in our history books,” Menchaca said.
Built in the 1940s, the theater will be temporarily closed for the next two years as it undergoes a total overhaul.
The stage, the backstage, the seating, the plumbing, movie projectors, and building acoustics will all be modernized
“We are now at the point that we have vintage equipment,” said Executive Director Of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Cristina Ballí.
So part of the reason the theater is closing is because it’s becoming a liability for a lot of people. The floor is sinking near the entrance of the theater.
“We’re not lying when we say that it’s being held together with duct tape,” Balli said.
Repairs are set to cost close to six million dollars, paid for in part by tax dollars and an anonymous foundation donor.
“We deserve the best facilities, just like there are facilities with the best amenities in other parts of town. We deserve to have those in the West Side of San Antonio,” Balli said.
Performances will continue through partnerships with other local theaters.
The theater is set to reopen in late 2025.
“It’s very exciting that it is going to get a much-needed facelift,” Menchaca said.