South Dallas welcomed the revival of its beloved Forest Theater on Friday night, just days after the landmark reopened following extensive restoration. The theater’s newly restored rooftop hosted the inaugural “Beats Under the Stars” concert at 8 p.m., offering residents a fresh cultural gathering space.
Historic Milestone and Community Investment
The reopening follows a two‑year redevelopment effort that secured up to $8 million in municipal funding approved by Dallas City Council in November 2024. The grant, drawn from the Infrastructure Investment Fund ($7 million) and the Public‑Private Partnership Fund ($1 million), is tied to the theater’s final certificate of occupancy and required documentation of qualifying construction expenses.
According to a Forest Theater announcement, an estimated 2,500 people attended the November 1 Grand Return celebration near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the S.M. Wright Freeway. The event featured Grammy‑winning Dallas artists Erykah Badu and Tamela Mann, and concluded with the illumination of the theater’s tower and marquee for the first time in more than five decades.
Facilities and Future Plans
Originally opened in 1949 as a movie house, the venue has hosted legends such as B.B. King, Prince, Gladys Knight, and Ike & Tina Turner. Today, the expanded complex includes a concert hall seating 1,000, a 200‑seat black‑box theater, a 13,000‑square‑foot arts‑education facility, and studios for recording music and podcasts.
Forest Forward, the nonprofit that operates the theater, aims to leverage the space to create educational, artistic, and economic opportunities for South Dallas residents. The organization’s president and CEO, Elizabeth Wattley, told attendees, “Tonight, together, we make history,” underscoring the project’s significance for the community.
Upcoming Events
Friday’s rooftop concert featured DJ music, with food and specialty cocktails available for purchase. A second installment of the Beats Under the Stars series is scheduled for November 27 at 8 p.m. Additional programming includes venue tours on November 17 and 24, and a music‑video film festival on November 21.
Ticket information can be found through the AT&T Performing Arts Center. The Forest Theater is located at 1920 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., anchoring a cultural hub in South Dallas.
Original reporting: WBAP News/Talk (Dallas-Fort Worth) — read the source article.
