2017 News Articles

Click on the dates below to read more articles in different years!

Click the links below to take you to the article you want to read and discover everything that happened in 2017!

Wednesday, March 29th, 2017

Wallace Shows "ET" at Grand Opening of Screening Room

Levelland for most of their lives, the Wallace Theater provides a sense of nostalgia.

Those people can expect to feel a flood of emotions this weekend at the movie screening of “E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial,” at the grand opening of its screening room. For many, E.T. was the last movie they remember seeing at the Wallace Theater. In fact, Angie and Russel Vest remember attending the movie while they were dating in 1982. “We had just started dating and we took my nephews, who were in from out of town, and I think that’s the only way we even got to go,” Angie remembered. Angie said the fact that the Wallace was in town rather than in Lubbock also helped her parents to allow her to attend the movie with Russell. “It was nice to have a place to go where we didn’t have to leave town or hang out at somebody’s house,” Angie said. The Wallace held a soft opening Monday night and Angie said she and Russell were flooded with memories as they walked through the old theater.

2017.03.29%2BWendesday%2BET%2BGrand%2BOpening_Page_1.jpg

“It still has that old, classic theater feel,” Angie said. “I hope they can bring back some of the old movies because of the nostalgia.” Russell Vest is equally excited about the restoration of the theater and hopes the community continues to support it. “I’m proud of the way Levelland is supporting the Wallace,” Russell said. “It was a dream of George and Iris years ago and I’m glad to see them taking their time and doing it right,” Russell said. “We picked ET as the first movie to show in our screening room because so many people have come in and said it was the last movie they remember seeing at the Wallace,” said Alycyn Keeling, executive director of the theater. “We felt this was a great place to pick up on those memories.” The screenings for the film begin Friday, Mach 31, at 7 p.m. at the Top of the Wallace Theater in conjunction with the grand opening of the screening room. There will also be screenings Saturday night at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.

The screening room was made possible through a grant provided through the Hockley County Endowment Foundation. The Wallace Theater originally closed in the early 90’s but local businessman, George R. Keeling, purchased the building in the early 2000s. In 2015, Keeling sold the building to the Levelland Wallace Theater Foundation, creating the 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. “It went from being a privately funded organization to being a non-profit community service organization,” Keeling said. “This is really now a community project. We want the community to take ownership of this.” She said the transition from a privately funded entity to a non-profit will make the possibility of the theater being around in the future a more likely possibility. “Since it’s no longer a privately funded organization, we can organize in a way to keep the theater sustainable for the foreseeable future,” Keeling said. “We want to make sure the Wallace is never going to go dark again and will be here for many generations to come.” Though Saturday’s movie will be at the Top of the Wallace Theater in the screening room, Keeling said the long-term goal is to renovate the auditorium and show feature films in Levelland. However, Keeling said the nostalgia associated with the auditorium is something the organization strongly wants to preserve. “When people who grew up here walk into the auditorium,they say ‘Wow, it hasn’t changed at all,’” Keeling said. “They completely overlook the deterioration...It’s important for us to keep that nostalgia, that way people can still walk in and see something they remember.”

Even if patrons don’t remember the Wallace Theater from years ago, Keeling insists they won’t forget the experience the Wallace is able to provide now. “Every time someone comes, we want to make it an experience for them,” Keeling said. We want people to feel welcome and excited; we want them to feel that this is something different than they can get anywhere else.” Keeling said the screening this weekend and movie screenings in the future are a taste of what the Wallace wants to offer in the future.

“Right now, everything is a small scale of what we can do on a big scale after we finish renovations,” Keeling said. The point of the renovations, Keeling said, is to make the Wallace a community gathering place like it was before it closed, the last time E.T. was shown in the theater. “We really want the Wallace to be a community gathering place, what it was when it first started,” Keeling said. “We want it to be that for the community again.” Keeling attributes the success thus far of the theater to that of her board of directors and the many volunteers who have donated their time and efforts to restoring the Wallace.

“This project is much bigger than any one, or any few, individuals,” Keeling said. “Turning it into a real community project really helps to realize my dad’s original dream for this place.” There will be a concession stand at the movie screenings, offering popcorn from $1 to $6, large candy for $3, regular candy for $1, pickles for $1, sodas with a commemorative cup for $7 and bottled water for $1. All the proceeds earned from the concession stand sales benefit the Wallace Theater Project.

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

3rd Annual LAAA Show and Awards

The Wallace Theater has announced the award recipients of the third annual Levelland Area Artists’ Show that debuted from July 8 at Early Settler’s Day until Sunday, August 27.

Thirty artists from Levelland and the surrounding area submitted work displaying over 70 pieces at the Wallace Theater.
“Congratulations to all of the award winners and artists who participated in the show,” said Alycyn Keeling Executive Director. “The Wallace says a big ‘thank you’ to all the volunteers and staff who made this show such a success.”

Lighting Up Levelland Award for best showing in the photography category: 1st place: “Eyes” by Arturo Richardson, 2nd place: “Prayers Over Puerto De Luna” by Fran Bohannon, 3rd place: “Thanks” by Arturo Richardson, Honorable mention: “Fiery Night in Palo Duro” by Stephen Stookey. Freestyle award for best showing in the sculpture category:1st place: “Buffalo Warrior” by Martin Trevino, 2nd place: “Tennesy (Mighty Warrior)” by Clyde Morgan.Flatland award for best showing in the drawing category: 1st place: “The Nail” by Robert Garza, 2nd place: “Man of the North” by Cindy Terzenbach, 3rd place: “Classy Maydell” by Sussan Bell. West Texas Sunset award for best showing in the painting category: 1st place: “Brix: Taste the Grapeness” by Ron Presley, 2nd place: “Zebra” by Penny Oney, 3rd place: “The Last Supper in Sunflower Statures” by Peggy Bingham, Honorable mention: “Tres Amigos” by Lupe “Bear” Ramirez.Young Artist award for exhibiting profound artistic abilities at a young age: 1st place: “Ripples of Gold” by Lily Xiao, 2nd Place: “Gateway to Heaven” by Anastasia Maldonado. 3rd place “Sunset Gymnastics” by Cooper Wallace For most creative use of media, 1st place: “Personal Illuminations” by Wendi Coats. For best showing in the digital works and graphic design category:1st place: “Tiny Princess” by Sussan Bell. Friend of the Wallace Theater award as voted on by the community and patrons of the art show: Wendi Coats, Don Cook, Bridged Krizek, Anastasia Maldonado, Lupe “Bear” Ramirez, Leanna Smith, Martin Trevino, and Rebeca Wallace. Best in Show:“Brix: Taste the Grapeness” by Ron Presley, “Fiery Night in Palo Duro” by Stephen Stookey, “Buffalo Warrior” by Martin Trevino.
Participants and award recipients included LISD students, South Plains College professors, professional artists and hobbyists from the surrounding towns of Levelland, Lubbock, Meadow, and Plainview, as well as other areas.

2017.09.06+Wednesday+3rd+Annual+LAAA+Show.jpg

Sunday, December 17th, 2017

Wallace Theater Supports Kick-off Fund-raiser

Alycyn Keeling and members of the Wallace Theater Foundation shared a vision of what the future can be to around 50 community leaders at special fund-raising breakfasts Tuesday and Wednesday mornings in the top of the theater. That vision includes the complete renovation of the Wallace Theater into a state-of-the-art entertainment venue that not only offers movies but provides a proper setting for community events. The cost of turning that vision into reality has been estimated by an architectural firm at $4.5 million. Realization of the dream begins with the establishment of a “Leadership Circle” of donors willing to invest $1,000 a year or$83.33 per month. “Donations to the Levelland Wallace Theater are an investment in the future of our community through education, arts and service,” Miss Keeling told her audience each morning. All gifts are tax-deductible because the theater foundation is a tax-exempt non-profit. “I want your heart to swell with pride as we move forward. You are making an investment in our community,” she said at the conclusion of the short program that included the history of the theater, which was built in 1928 and operated into the 1980s. Alycyn’s dad, George Keeling bought the historic building in 2002 and began renovations after having to hire a pigeon catcher to evict the scores of pigeons which had taken up residency in the structure. Much progress has been made since then but the theater auditorium is yet to be renovated. The vision for the auditorium includes preserving the existing art work and murals, construction of box seats, a screen for films as well as a fixed stage, a moveable stage that can be set up at the front or in the center, adjustable seating, and installation of an elevator. “We can provide a whole different experience. We can move the seating out and install a dance floor. There are so many things we can do if we had a fully renovated building,” she said. Artist renditions of the future were displayed and shown during the breakfasts.

Currently, the theater has a rotating art gallery in the lobby and a smaller area upstairs that can be used for intimate concerts, movie showings or small gatherings like the breakfasts. The windows on the loft area open onto the square with the courthouse across the street.
“Everything done has been done on less than a shoe-string budget. We’ve watched every single penny, “ she says of the improvements which have already been made. Miss Keeling admits she wasn’t on board when her father initially shared his vision of preserving and restoring the historic theater, which was built by Wallace and Rose Blankenship. Generations of residents grew up attending the Wallace and many have shared their memories with her. Some, including Russell and Angie Vest, shared their memories on a video shown at the breakfasts. After having worked on the project, Keeling is fully committed and says she loves her job and the memories others have shared with her and the prospect of future generations making more memories at the Wallace. She shared ways the Wallace can be used in the future for educational programs like Science on the Screen, Ted Talks, live entertainment, murder mystery dinners, rentals and more. She says other communities have renovated their historic theaters including Bryan, Georgetown, Graham and Eastland. The same can be done here if residents share the vision and invest in the future. That vision includes growing an endowment for the theater so that what happened to it in the past won’t happen in the future. “We want it to be sustainable for the future,” she adds. She says grants are available and hopes that in 2018 a person can be hired to handle activities and details while she works on writing grants. A priority for 2018 is to finish cleaning out the main auditorium so concert series and more film programs can be expanded. “The most important thing is for the community to see and share our vision. We want everyone to be a part of it and to own a part of it,” she says. “Ithink the Wallace can be such a great thing for the community.” Different levels of giving being sought range from $100 to$10,000 with the Leadership Circle being $1,000. The youtube video shown at the breakfasts is being posted to the Wallace Theater website. Click on the Wallace Theater sign to begin the video.