Downtown Conroe has become the home of our own 24-carat theater district, housing both the Crighton Theatre and the Owen Theatre just a block or two away from each other. Our photographer made a trip there today in 103° temperature to take a few shots of these two fine old buildings and a couple of street scenes we thought you might enjoy, so be sure to go to the bottom of this article to see the slide show!
From the mid-sixties until 1976, Crighton Theatre, “The Crown Jewel of Montgomery County,” was silent. Though it had flourished for three decades, when drive-ins and modern wide-screen theaters became popular, the audiences grew smaller, and finally doors to the Crighton were closed.
Time became its enemy, and the building deteriorated tremendously while it sat empty, but thanks to the vision of architect Harry Devlin, everyone was convinced that the theatre could be restored to its original grandeur. Today, the Crighton is the home base for Stage-Right Productions, The Montgomery County Performing Arts Society, Sounds of Texas Music Series, and Christian Youth Theatre.
The Owen Theatre is an intimate soft seat venue that seats approximately 250 people and is home to The Players Theatre Company. This building was originally built in 1946 as the Weisinger Pontiac/GMC Dealership, and has housed numerous businesses. Now it is owned by the City of Conroe and has been renovated to accommodate the production and presentation of live theatrical performances.
Currently, The Wizard of Oz is playing at the Crighton, and runs through July 28. The Matchmaker runs through July 21 at the Owen Theatre.
Be sure to watch our calendar from time to time to see what performances are coming up!