Arts Alive San Antonio

BY PHIL HOUSEAL, Contributing Writer

“I love that I can see a dog show on Saturday and a ballet on Sunday.”

That single statement sums up the value that a world-class entertainment venue brings to a smaller city.

The city is Kerrville, the venue is the Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts, and the quote is from Ken Harris, a Houston transplant who arrived in this Texas Hill Country community in 2009.

“The Cailloux is a large theater unlike anything in any small town in the south,” said Harris, who was born and raised in Austin. “They have 800 seats and bring in a wide variety of shows. It is simply astounding you would have a symphony, a dog show, and a locally-produced movie premiere in one place. Plus, they host many productions which involve the community. I actually started as a volunteer helping paint sets. Now I’m on the board!”

The Cailloux Theater serves as the flagship for the arts in this town of 24,000. Converted from a municipal auditorium into a state-of-the-art performing arts facility in 2003, the building is named for and was funded by the Floyd and Kathleen C. Cailloux family and their foundation.

Counting concerts, shows, and other entertainment, the theater is “lit” 100 nights per year, according to Jeffrey Brown, Executive Director of Playhouse 2000, Inc., the nonprofit arts organization that manages the city-owned theater and surrounding campus. Brown considers the Cailloux Theater a “destination hall.”

“Having this facility here enhances the quality of life, certainly for Kerrville, but also for people for whom a trip to a building like this is a unique experience,” said Brown, who holds double Masters Degrees in the arts from Southern Methodist University. “They are seeing something they otherwise wouldn’t see, or would require quite a bit of travel or money, or both. Kerrville becomes a better place to live because we are here.”

The Cailloux Theater hosts art of a caliber usually associated with larger markets. Among the companies performing there is The Symphony of the Hills, a professional 75-piece orchestra. Initially organized at Schreiner University in 2001, it has become a financially sound nonprofit organization with a mission to provide live performance of symphonic music in the Texas Hill Country and to foster appreciation of symphonic music among the youth. Every fall it sends classical musicians into the schools, then brings in1600 schoolchildren to special concerts.

Over the years it has presented classical works, played POPS concerts, performed with guests, including Donald Braswell and the famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and commissioned original works, most recently, San Antonio composer Ethan Wickman’s River of Stars, to commemorate the Symphony’s 20th Season.

That concert was a seminal moment for Dr. Eugene Dowdy, the orchestra’s conductor and artistic director.

“I was thinking why not bring a new work into the world as part of the celebration of our 20th anniversary?” said Dowdy, who retired as Director of Orchestral Studies and head of instrumental conducting at the University of Texas at San Antonio before taking a position as Director of Music at Schreiner University. “While some symphonies struggle, we are still here. We’re still doing this. We have a great community and a great symphony, patrons, and board. That is a big deal.”

On the theatrical stage, the Cailloux Theater and its PK Garage produce a range of plays and musicals such as Murder on the Orient Express, Little Shop of Horrors, and The Christmas Carol. Every summer they offer Shakespeare in the Park, a casual, community-based presentation of the Bard’s works enjoyed by passing skaters, bikers, joggers, and picnickers.

One touchstone was the production of For Such a Time as This, an original musical by Kerrville residents Lew King and Rob Ward. Their story of the biblical Esther came about when writer Rob Ward had a revelation while singing in the Baptist church choir.

 “I looked down at the music and it says written by Lew King,” Ward explained “I said, how funny–he has the same name as the guy singing next to me. Lew said, ’yeah, that’s me, I wrote it.’ I was so embarrassed.”

They produced their all-local musical in the spring.

This fall the Cailloux Theater hosted the screening of an original film “Eyes of a Roman,” written, directed, and produced by Kerrville resident and Schreiner University graduate C J Goodwyn. The independent production deals with a Roman soldier who makes a life-altering choice to save a slave the day before the final battle against Spartacus.

While these types of world-class events are feathers in his impresarial cap, Brown is first to acknowledge that the arts scene extends beyond the aprons of his stages.

“I do believe we are part of a large network of arts providers, for the performing arts in particular,” he said. “The Point Theater (in Ingram) has been doing shows for more than 60 years, the Kerrville Folk Festival is where Kerrville gained its largest national and international recognition.”

In addition to The Point and Playhouse 2000, the neighboring towns of Boerne, Fredericksburg, Bulverde, and Marble Falls all boast active, highly-regarded community theaters.

Kerrville’s concentration of arts holds repercussions even for those not directly involved in producing, participating, or even attending, says Brown.

“The community is better off for having high caliber performing arts available to the people who would like to see it,” Brown said. “It is attractive to people who make the community better as well. I personally believe that our medical community is better because of the arts. Our retirement community is bolstered by the fact that they can come downtown and see a show, which they couldn’t do if they were having to travel to San Antonio.”

For Brown, the arts are all about “a general elevation of the quality of life.”

“We get people who come to see us one time a year, and it’s a special thing. And we get people who see us literally 30 times a year; they make it part of their lifestyle. They’re coming to see us for a variety of activities and different kinds of events.”

A big part of the attraction for audiences includes the free parking, reasonable ticket pricing, and the ability for people to have dinner at a nearby restaurant. For the more than 60% of attendees from out of town, another option is to stay and make a weekend of it. These are perfect examples of the “ripple effect” of the arts.

“There’s a famous old story about a prominent citizen who was asked if he supported having a symphony,” Brown said. “And he says, ‘Of course, I support a symphony–just don’t ask me to go.’ There are people who benefit from having a symphony, whether they come and see it or not.”

And whether they want to watch a poodle or a pas de deux.

So far in 2022, the Cailloux Theater has hosted acts from the Ozark Jubilee to Ballet Frontier, including a world premiere of a play, an independent film premiere, and a premiere of a symphony work. The variety continues into 2023, with the Symphony of the Hills Pops Concert, ZuZu African Acrobats, WyndSync Wind Quintet, and regular community theater productions.

December will be busy. Here’s what’s coming up:

The Symphony of the Hills presents The Miracle of Christmas, featuring music from classic holiday films; A Children’s Hanukkah, an audience sing-along, and The Grand Symphony Chorus and Soloists in Handel’s Messiah. (Thursday, December 1 at 7:30)

Playhouse 2000, Kerrville’s Community Theater, opens its production of the Gospel and Bluegrass Musical, A Sanders Family Christmas (Friday, December 2 through Sunday, December 18)

The Hill Country Youth Orchestras–the only free-tuition string program in the US, now in its 23^rd year, will present their annual Winter Concert. (Sunday, December 4 at 3:00)

Michael Martin Murphey brings his “Cowboy Christmas” back to The Cailloux Theater for the first time since 2016. Now in its 30th year, “Cowboy Christmas” is a favorite of audiences around the country, with a mix of poetry, campfire story-telling, humor and the music that makes Murphey so well-loved. (Saturday, December 10 at 7:30)

First United Methodist Church’s “Christmas at The Cailloux,” featuring “Music Through the Decades”–the best Christmas songs from the 50s to today. Complete with visit from Santa. (Thursday, December 22)
—————————————————————————————————————–Comlpete details online at www.CaillouxPerformingArts.com or by calling (830) 896-9393. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts is located at 910 Main Street in Downtown Kerrville.