The Historic Lancaster Theatre (THLT) brings an eclectic variety of shows and events to celebrate its highly anticipated grand reopening. The historic venue’s opening events started with a special reception and tours of the building Wed., April 8. This Sat., April 11, THLT will present Texas Comedies–Crash at Crush. The latest musical comedy from the Austin-based Texas Comedies troupe is based on the incredible true story of a staged train crash near the town of Crush, TX. Spurred by bankruptcy, bizarre railroad employees and the Ringling Brothers circus, William Crush creates an explosive new form of mass entertainment.
Entertainment on the April and May lineup for the historic venue includes live music, live theater, comedy, film, storytelling, dance, Poetry Slams, magic, Burlesque, and art exhibits. Family/children’s matinee shows, plus original and unique THLT produced shows, will include Variety Showcases in the style of classic 70s TV Variety Shows. TikTok Scroll IRL Shows, themed repertory film series, and filmmaker discovery nights are also featured; joined by touring theatrical, music, and comedy entertainment.
The Historic Lancaster Theatre (TLTH) Built in 1890s
The building which houses The Historic Lancaster Theatre began its life in the 1890s. Over the years, the building was a market, a hardware store, and even a grocery store. Lancaster’s Town Square functioned as the social and commercial heart of the city. In 1930 a second floor was added so that it could become a two-story feed store. THLT was always just a small-town theater where kids hung out and maybe even had their first kiss in the balcony. Nothing grand, just small-town good memories. In 1994 a tornado took out half of the buildings on The Historic Town Square. The roof of the theater was blown off, but fortunately the rest of the building did not suffer more catastrophic structural damage.
New owners Ellen Clark and Ken Arkwell saw the potential for restoring the theatre to create something more impessive than the original, with state-of-the-art design and technology. The City of Lancaster has also invested thousands into The Historic Lancaster Theatre and into the restoration of the City of Lancaster’s Historic Town Square.
THLT owner/producer Ken Arkwell said, “We have created a stunning place to come and enjoy an intimate visit. The lobby is a welcoming start to your adventure. The Theatre’s acoustics have been praised by all the talent that has been on our stage. The VIP seating is like no other. These praises make my heart glow. We did it right!”
TLTH April and May Entertainment Lineup
Fri. and Sat., April 24 and 25, will feature the first Texas appearance by award-winning theatrical magician Nelson Lugo. Critically celebrated for his hybrid magic theater shows, Lugo will perform his show, Deconstructing the Magician. Through sleight-of-hand, classic conjuring, and deeply personal stories, Lugo traces the strange path that turned a nine-year-old with a magic kit into a lifelong practitioner of “ethical deception”. Along the way we encounter the hustlers of Coney Island, the wisdom of old magicians, and the quiet truths hidden inside everyday moments. Here, a card trick becomes a battle of wits, a con game becomes a love letter, and a length of thread becomes the measure of an entire life.
On Fri. and Sat., May 1-2, The Historic Lancaster Theatre will present its first THLT Film Weekend, with Badass 70s Black Cinema. Each night will offer a double-feature presentation of beloved, yet seldom see on the big-screen classics and cult favorites. The film screenings will be combined with contests, performances, and panels, so film lovers can immerse themselves in a full-embrace of the0 weekend’s films and their themes. Friday will feature Ossie Davis’ Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970), and Sam O’Steen’s Sparkle (1976). In addition to the screenings, there will be a “Styin’ Threads” Contest with cash prizes, and girl groups performing live, in between the two screenings.
Lancaster Celebrates Cleo Hearn Day May 2
Saturday will begin by celebrating Lancaster’s Cleo Hearn Day with the Hearn Family on the Square participating in a special presentation. That presentation will be followed by screenings of Sidney Poitier and Joseph Sargent’s Buck and the Preacher (1972), and Michael Campus’ The Mack (1973). A filmmaker’s panel between the two screenings will feature top DFW African American filmmakers, including SRG Entertainment’s Snoop Robinson discussing filmmaking now versus the influential wave of films from the 70s.
The weekend of May 8-9 will feature the inaugural presentation of John Wildman’s Sketch This!, an original sketch comedy show produced for The Historic Lancaster Theatre stage. Sketch This! will feature a diverse cast of actors performing comedy that will be both provocative and exceedingly silly. Sketches will include: PILLOW FIGHT, a 1930s “boxing drama” where a down on his luck former pillow fighter is convinced by a bedding factory owner to come out of retirement to fight a Frankenstein-sized pillow that has been putting his factory workers to sleep – permanently.
Sketch This! Comedy Skits
Sketch This! also features VERTICAL DRAMAS FOR THE OBVIOUS IMPAIRED, where a typical vertical drama about a CEO being mistaken for hotel staff and abused by his unknowing underlings is performed with the characters speaking the quiet subtext part out loud; and CROWN OF THORNS, a Tik Tok Marketplace segment about the exciting new Crown of Thorns fashion accessory for women who want to suffer but look great doing it. HALLMARK ROMANCE KUNG FU THEATER, a classic boy and girl “meet cute” as he goes to honor his deceased Dojo Master, who was killed thanks to the treachery of her father – complete with unfortunate dubbed dialogue and overdone “fight/punch sounds” not entirely synched to the action in the scene; and EMERGENCY ROOM TRYOUTS In which patients’ insurance coverage problems are compounded by the pressure of needing to compete with other patients to prove they have the more severe medical emergency demanding treatment; are also included in Sketch This!
May 15-16, THLT will present Shirley Carter’s Royal Women of Country. The versatile singer will perform songs by legends Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Tammy Wynette during one dazzling Country Tribute Show. Carter is third generation to a rich heritage of her famous Carter family roots in the Chuck Wagon Gang. She joined her father, Roy Carter, bass & leader in the group for over 45 years. The Gang’s career took them to Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Gator Bowl, Daytona International Speedway & numerous appearances on The Grand Ole Opry.
Showtime at The Historic Lancaster Theatre
On May 30, THLT will present Showtime at The Historic Lancaster Theatre, bringing the legendary Amateur Night energy of Harlem’s Apollo Theatre to Lancaster. Produced by AD Bonner, the evening will include live music, comedy, and an amateur showdown. Future shows will include; Janie Fricke (June 20), Confetti Eddie’s 250th Anniversary Star Spangled Magic Show! (June 26, 27), and Michael Arrington’s Paul Lynde Show (September 18, 19).
The Historic Lancaster Theater is a landmark theater reimagined so audiences will immerse themselves in unique voices, spotlight series, and celebrate emerging artists in a venue dedicated to thoughtfully curated performances. Theatrical presentations will include magic, comedy, poetry, music, drama, and storytelling, expertly curated and professionally produced to ensure top-tier performances. Film presentations will feature rare screenings of forgotten masterpieces, along with cult classics across varied genres and indie filmmaker showcases.
For tickets or more information about any of the shows, or for more information on The Historic Lancaster Theater, please visit THLTvenue.com.
