Andrea Flores Edinburg- The official acquisition of the Majestic Theatre in downtown Brownsville will help tie the university and city together, leading this historic building into its next chapter.
“We have a number of priorities that we’ll be exploring, some of those priorities are to develop some synergy between our film music technology, animation and game design programs into one space,” College of Fine Arts Dean Jeffrey Ward said.
“So, we’re going to be looking at that as a possibility. We also currently don’t offer any dance or theater classes in Brownsville. So, this is an opportunity for us to be able to have the facilities to do that.”
The adjacent building will not only serve as a backstage area but will also provide classrooms and studio spaces.
One goal of this project is to maintain the theatre’s iconic vintage look while providing the necessary resources for students.
According to Ward, Completion of the project is expected to be in Fall 2026. The university will start off with a public call for architects in early January and will move into its design process during the spring or summer.
Ward addresses this is just one step into the list of needs in the college and said the acquisition came after meeting with 100-film students during a town hall last year.
Theater junior Elyza Roldan comes from Brownsville to the Edinburg campus for all her classes. Roldan said it would be convenient to have a classroom in Brownsville and a place for their performances.
“So that people don’t have to struggle with the commute or feel like they can’t do theater as a major because it’s all the way over here or have to move over here,” she said.
Parking is being addressed as Ward said UTRGV is working with the city of Brownsville to obtain a designated lot for the university. Another possible option will be a new volt route to the theatre.
