History of the Cactus Theater
The Cactus Theater was constructed in 1938 as a “second run” motion picture theater by Lubbock businessmen Joe H. Bryant, M.A. Sanders, and Glenn Woody. The new Cactus included 720 seats, “washed air” cooling equipment, and a marquee that featured 750 feet of neon lighting.

The Cactus was Lubbock’s first suburban neighborhood-oriented movie house and the seventh theater in the city. By 1957, there were 17 “walk-in” movie theaters in Lubbock, but television and six new “drive-in’s” drove the older theaters out of business. The Cactus closed May 6, 1958.

The development of the Depot District area brought new life to the Cactus Theater. In January 1993, Lubbock businessman and musician, Don Caldwell, organized the Cactus Theater, Inc., with a group of area investors interested in bringing about a new venue for entertainment in the Depot District. After purchasing the theater, which retained its balcony, sloped floor, and stage, the group restored the Cactus to be a live performance theater. The murals, which depict a caprock
canyon, were painted by artist John Russell Thomasson.

Since the reopening of the Cactus Theater, audiences from Lubbock and the surrounding area have enjoyed live music productions such as Nostalgia Nites, New Talent Showcase, The Cactus Family Christmas Celebration, and many more. The Cactus Theater has also presented live theater plays and musicals such as “Fiddler on the Roof”, “The Odd Couple”, “Steel Magnolias”,
“Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story”, “Always…Patsy Cline”, and “Smoke on the Mountain”. The Cactus was the theater of choice to workshop the play “Bye Bye Love – The Everly Brothers Story” which then premiered at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The Cactus Theater has also debuted several original, locally written musical plays, two being the highly acclaimed “West Texas Music – The Play” and “Heavenly Country” both of which maintained sell-out crowds. Lubbock’s Cactus Theater promises many more exciting and entertaining productions featuring the finest talent from West Texas. There is indeed something for everyone at the Cactus!

Pictures of original theater