DALLAS — The historic Forest Theater in South Dallas is a building memories kept alive even as it stood vacant for decades.
“The Forest was the place to go. I mean, that's where you saw the movies, you saw the acts,” said Thomas Wattley, a Dallas resident.
Wattley remembers seeing his first movie at the Forest Theater in South Dallas. It was during segregation when Black people could only sit in the balcony.
“That was the only institution we had,” said Wattley. “I remember distinctly I was six years old. And that was 1959. And my mother wanted to see 'Imitation of Life.'”
The Forest Theater has also hosted celebrities like Ike and Tina Turner, Jimmy Hendrix, Prince and Erykah Badu. It also allowed Wattley to create new memories with his daughter, Elizabeth Wattley.
“My dad would bring us, and we’d do some shopping in front of the theater there,” said Elizabeth. “My dad would buy these wide-legged pants, the JNCO pants and the Phat Farm shirt. That would be where he would get it.”
This is a special memory that Elizabeth hopes to give others. She is the President and CEO of Forest Forward, the nonprofit revitalizing the theater. “It is ingrained in our work, quite frankly, to preserve the character and history of the neighborhood,” Elizabeth added.
Forest Forward, along with its partners and the South Dallas community, broke ground on the 1,000-plus-seat theater and cultural center, the new Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy and mixed-income housing. They are also making the area more walkable with a portion of what is now the S.M. Wright Freeway turning into a boulevard and providing new parking under I-45.
“It addresses everything at once by using those key pathways of economic vitality, education, community wellness,” said Elizabeth.
“This theater is a vessel for the lives of this neighborhood. In so many ways, it reflects the heartbeat and the soul of this corner of Dallas,” said Rev. Matthew Ruffner, who's on Forest Forward's board of directors.
It is a connection that Wattley always had and is excited to see younger generations such as his daughter’s generation have too.
“I'm looking forward to just the cultural activities a place where poets or storytellers are,” said Wattley. “That's our community. That's our own. That's our history.”
Construction on the theater officially began in March. The project is expected to be completed by December 2025.
