Historic Theater News

Forest Theater in South Dallas receives $8 million city council grant

Forest Theater

Rendering courtesy of HKS Architects

In the midst of an epic renovation, the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas is taking a moment to celebrate a milestone birthday: The facility turns 75 years old. And to keep it running another 75, the facility is seeking donations.

First built in 1949, the theater was expected to be demolished in 2015, when Preservation Dallas advocated for recognition of its historical value as a landmark.

The property was gifted to nonprofit Forest Forward in 2017 and has since become one of their main initiatives in a mission toward preserving history and bringing neighborhood revitalization to South Dallas.

A restoration to the tune of $75 million began in April, starting with expanding the building to a 66,000-square-foot space.

The plan includes a 1,000-seat performance hall, 13,000 square feet for arts education in partnership with MLK Arts Academy, and a 200-seat studio theater and rooftop feature.

Although currently funded for the restoration, the project will eventually need more funds for day-to-day operation. Donations can be made through their website.

UPDATE 11-13-2024: At a meeting on November 13, the Dallas City Council unanimously approved an $8 million grant to support Forest Forward’s redevelopment of the historic Forest Theater. The redevelopment will include the restoration of the 500-seat theater, a 28,000-square-foot expansion with a 175-seat black box theater, and additional spaces such as a café and rooftop deck. Funding includes $7 million from the City’s Infrastructure Investment Fund, a 2023 initiative aimed at targeted development in underserved areas.
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Developed by theater owner and philanthropist Karl Hoblitzelle, the theater closed in 2008 and had become significantly run down — down to three walls and not much of a roof.

“Our support of Forest Forward is about more than the effort to restore the theater built by our founder,” says Katie Robbins, president and CEO of the Hoblitzelle Foundation. “It’s about our ongoing commitment to Dallas that will bring educational, economic, and cultural opportunities to a neighborhood that’s important for the next 75 years.”

The role of the theater in the South Dallas community has evolved since its first opening. It closed and reopened as a theater serving mostly Black residents in 1956, following the construction of U.S. 75. In the years after, notable artists such as Erykah Badu, B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Ike and Tina Turner, and Prince performed at the theater before its 2008 closure.

“It will continue to be more than a venue for entertainment. The Forest Theater is making its comeback as a cornerstone for social change, important dialogues, community gatherings, and educational initiatives,” Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward, said in a statement.

Renovations on the theater are expected to be completed by December 2025.

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Movies for Kids

Kid-themed film festival at Angelika Dallas will be free to all

Photo courtesy of Viva Kids

The 42nd annual KidFilm will feature screenings of The Pout-Pout Fish and other new animated films.

A family-friendly kid-themed festival is coming to Dallas that'll be free for all: The 42nd Annual KidFilm Family Festival, the oldest and largest children-themed film festival in the U.S., will take place on January 17 and 18, 2026 at the Angelika Film Center Dallas with film debuts, animated films, and an appearance by a renowned children's author.

KidFilm is an annual outreach program of the USA Film Festival/Dallas, a 56-year-old nonprofit dedicated to film and the arts.

The big highlight of this year's KidFilm is a salute to children’s book author Deborah Diesen, who will appear in conjunction with a screening of Viva Kids’ new animated feature film, The Pout-Pout Fish — based on Diesen's 2008 book, which started a series that has now reached 20 entries.

The film — about Mr. Fish, a pouty introvert, and Pip, an energetic sea dragon, who embark on a daunting quest to find a legendary fish to grant their wish to save their homes — features a star-studded voice cast with familiar names like Nick Offerman, Miranda Otto, Jordin Sparks, and Amy Sedaris.

Free copies of the new book, The Pout-Pout Fish Movie Storybook, will be distributed to families (while supplies last), and Diesen will sign books for the kids.

The festival will also include screenings of other new animated feature films:

Leon Joosen's The Land of Sometimes, a musical which follows twins Alfie and Elise who get more than they bargained for as they are whisked away to a magical world after summoning a mysterious Wish Collector.
Mark Risley’s Flower of the Dawn, a fairy tale that follows a princess who has been turned into a nightingale by a vain sorceress whose only hope is to attain an elusive, magical flower.
Reza Memari’s The Last Whale Singer, an adventure which features a self-doubting teenage humpback whale who must face his fears and embark on a perilous journey with his friends in order to discover his own song and save the ocean from a monstrous creature.
Caroline Origer’s Spiked, which follows a young, orphaned hedgehog and overextended rabbit father who experience the adventure of a lifetime.
Vincent Bal & Wip Vernooij's Miss Moxy, a comedy which features a domestic cat who gets lost during a vacation and must find her way back home through the South of Europe with the help of the most despicable creatures a cat can imagine: a comical dog and an old, wise bird.

Additionally, the festival will include several new live-action feature films:

Gregory Alan Williams’ Paw Paw & Dayja, which follows the adventures of a Bigfoot obsessed 10-year-old who, with the help of her grandfather, learns that each of us see the world a little differently but everyone’s view has value.
Neven Hitrec’s The Second Diary of Paulina P., which follows a fifth grader who uses her charm and imagination to navigate a strict teacher, her first bully, and the new dynamic with her grandmother who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Tord Danielsson’s The Crown Prince and the Return of the Tyrant, a fantasy film that follows a young Crown Prince who will soon become king, just as he has always dreamed, when his suspicious grandmother returns to the kingdom.

Finally, there will be 22 short film presentations featuring animated and live-action short films from around the world, including works from Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Serbia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and U.S. (including two films made by Texans).

The event is free thanks to support from the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and from the Festival’s Season Sponsors which include the Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Foundation, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, The Eugene McDermott Foundation, Sidley Austin LLP, Headington Companies, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, Mary Fox & Laura Fox, Moody Fund for the Arts, Dallas Film Commission, Angelika Film Center Dallas, Wildworks PR, DFW Child, and Spracklen Film and Video. The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The full schedule of KidFilm programs can be found at usafilmfestival.com. Tickets for all shows are free for both children and adults, but tickets are required for admission.

Advance tickets for most programs is available online through January 14 at eventbrite.com. Any unreserved tickets will be made available at the Angelika Theater box office on the day of show only.

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