Forest Theater Reopens in South Dallas
The restored venue hosts its first Beats Under the Stars rooftop installment on November 13, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Cultural
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Forest Theater reopened in South Dallas less than two weeks before November 13, 2026, after a restoration funded in part by up to $8 million in city support. The venue's newly restored rooftop hosts the first Beats Under the Stars installment that evening at 8 p.m.
Why it matters
The reopening restores a landmark that opened as a movie theater in 1949 and now includes expanded performance and arts education space. Forest Forward aims to use the venue to create educational, artistic and economic opportunities for South Dallas residents, a goal that would be measured by the venue's ongoing use by the local community.
The city council's $8 million is a conditional grant to reimburse eligible construction and infrastructure expenses, with the final installment tied to the theater obtaining its certificate of occupancy. The source does not report the project's total cost or how much of the grant has been disbursed so far.
The players
Forest Forward
Forest Forward is the organization behind the Forest Theater redevelopment, which seeks to use the venue for educational, artistic and economic opportunities in South Dallas.
Dallas City Council
The Dallas City Council is the governing body of the city of Dallas, which approved the conditional grant supporting the theater's redevelopment.
The details
The Grand Return celebration on November 1 near MLK Boulevard drew an estimated 2,500 people and featured performances by Erykah Badu and Tamela Mann. For the first time in more than 50 years, the theater's tower and marquee were illuminated during the event. The expanded complex includes a 1,000-person concert hall, a 200-seat black box theater and a 13,000-square-foot arts education facility.
Timeline
November 13, 2024: Dallas City Council approved up to $8 million in funding for the project.
1949: Forest Theater opened as a movie theater.
November 1, 2026: Grand Return celebration held near MLK Boulevard.
November 13, 2026: First Beats Under the Stars rooftop installment at 8 p.m.
November 27, 2026: Second Beats Under the Stars installment at 8 p.m.
Cultural Landscape
Forest Theater, which opened as a movie theater in 1949, now reopens as a performance and arts education venue with a 1,000-person concert hall. The project's city funding came through the Infrastructure Investment Fund and the Public Private Partnership Fund.
Residents can attend the November 13 and November 27 Beats Under the Stars installments at 8 p.m. on the restored rooftop. The expanded complex's concert hall, black box theater and arts education facility will host ongoing programming for South Dallas audiences.
The takeaway
Reviving a historic venue can serve as a shared civic asset when public funding is tied to completion milestones. Residents interested in the theater's programming can track upcoming Beats Under the Stars dates as the venue opens.
What happens next
A second Beats Under the Stars rooftop installment takes place November 27, 2026, at 8 p.m.
Further reading
Explore more Dallas cultural arts coverage to see how South Dallas venues fit into the city's broader arts scene.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBAP 820 AM.
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