Yucca Theater (Midland, Texas)


The Yucca Theater is a theatre in Midland, Texas. In 1927, oilman and former Montana senator Thomas S. Hogan announced plans to build a theatre to complement the nearby Petroleum Building. Built in 1929, the Yucca Theatre started as a movie and vaudeville house. The theatre is a Texas historic landmark.

Description

The interior, designed by H.B. Layman, features gilded Assyrian bulls, stenciled lotus flower lamps, and a two-tier balcony. The Egyptian style is a sign of the late 1920s, which was prominent at the time, thanks in part to the discovery of King Tut's tomb a few years earlier.

Renovation and upgrades

In 1981, volunteers undertook the effort of fully restoring the Yucca to its original condition, saving it from destruction and retaining the original architecture with golden bulls and winged lions, with the modification of replacing the cabaret seating with tables and chairs. Professional crews were brought in to make a few additions. These include a tiered floor for cabaret seating, as well as a few technology updates. After the restoration was completed, the Yucca became the new home of Summer Mummers that began in 1949 and still performs exclusively at the Yucca to this day.
In 2008, a new sound system was installed.