Since the Crighton Theatre was built in 1934 by Harry M. Crighton, a Conroe druggist turned oil investor turned Mayor, its ornate architecture and commitment to showcasing the arts have made it a community icon. The theatre underwent a major renovation in 1979, and now, as it marks its 90th anniversary, it is due for another.
A campaign to update the theatre’s seats is underway. It kicked off November 7th at a fundraising dinner called “Take a Seat for the Crighton.” Those attending the event at Madera Estates had the first chance to sponsor a new seat, and now more opportunities are being offered to the public.
“It's just amazing, it's 90 years old, and it's gorgeous!” Says the theater’s Executive Director Melody Montez of the Renaissance Revival style building. “It brings so much to the community.”
The theatre has 520 seats, and those who sponsor the new replacements will have a plaque with the donator’s name placed on the back of them. Montez helped design the new seats, which have wooden backs and red velvet-type cushions to match the curtained stage and remain in keeping with the ambiance of the Crighton’s storied past.
For decades, patrons have sat in the current seats to watch plays and listen to concerts. Montez says about 40-thousand people sit in them a year. Due to the ongoing wear and tear, hinges fail, and bolts loosen from the floor. Montez estimates that three or four seats must now be fixed each month.
In 2020, the last remodel expanded the lobby of the Crighton into the adjacent Muse Building and provided room for additional restrooms. Still, nothing else major has been updated in the theatre since ‘79. “We don’t have all the fancy stuff that new theatres have,” says Montez, “but I like that we do a lot of stuff old-school style.”
In an age when young adults long for anything non-digital (think listening to records instead of streaming), the Crighton’s appeal remains steady. It fills a vital role in the community by providing a home to about 1,000 performers and support staff each year, not to mention tens of thousands of patrons.
“When I walked into it in 1994, I fell in love,” says Montez of the Crighton, “and that feeling has never gone away.” So, as the board tries to keep the landmark in good working order, seats and flooring were next on the list of needed updates.
To keep this living time capsule sound, an estimated $400,000 will be needed to replace the seats and flooring. Sponsorship for the 60 seats in the front and middle of the theatre is available for $2500 each. The remainder of the seats on the main floor each cost $1000, while you can get your name on a seat for $500 in the balcony.
The theatre is the home base for performances by Stage Right Productions and the Christian Youth Theatre and hosts various live music concerts and performance shows throughout the year. From Stage Right this holiday season, you can see the play based on Roald Dahl’s famous novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig.
Then, in January, three concerts will appear as part of the theatre’s tribute band series. Straight from Las Vegas, Reflections of the Carpenters with Rita Lim will perform on January 4th. The popular Beatlemania64, a live multi-media spectacular, will hit the stage on the 10th, quickly followed by a Tony Bennett tribute on January 11th.
The great seat exchange is scheduled to take place after the holiday performances of 2025. If you’d like to donate to the campaign or buy a ticket to a show, you can call the box office Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at 936-441-7469.
“It's just amazing, it's 90 years old, and it's gorgeous!”
“When I walked into it in 1994, I fell in love,” says Montez of the Crighton, “and that feeling has never gone away.”
“We don’t have all the fancy stuff that new theatres have, but I like that we do a lot of stuff old-school style.”