From the days of vaudeville and silent films to the current digitally enhanced 3D spectaculars, New Mexico’s theaters have dazzled audiences for over a century. Explore these timeless stages with us!
- Posts: 41 -
Lobo Theater
Central Region: Albuquerque
Constructed 1938. Now a church, the Lobo Theater opened on August 19, 1938. The Lobo was a popular movie house for the nearby UNM campus student body and a premier venue for independent, classic and cult films. The Lobo hosted popular Oscar award night telecasts through the 1980s and 1990s, Read more…
Luna Theater
Northeast Region: Clayton
Constructed 1916. The Luna Theater was built in 1916, and opened as the Mission Theater. The building replaced an earlier mercantile building that stood on the corner and burned to the ground. The building is in a Mission Revival style with Art Deco fixtures that were added in the 1930s. Read more…
Lux Theater
West Region: Grants
Constructed 1937. The September 18, 1937, issue of Boxoffice had this to say about the Lux Theatre. Souris & Ade are opening the Lux at Grants, NM, a house of 518 seats. The town has been without a theatre since 1930. Another item in the same issue lists various pieces Read more…
Lyceum Theater
East Region: Clovis
Constructed 1921. The Lyceum Theater opened in 1921 with 899 seats, built for E.F. Hardwick with stage capacity for vaudeville shows and movies. It was designed in the Mission Revival style by the Boller Brothers, a popular architectural firm specializing in movie theaters. The Lyceum showed its first talking picture Read more…
Mesa Theater
East Region: Clovis
Constructed 1925. The Mesa Theater opened in 1925 with seating for 980 patrons. A major fire in 1948 gutted the interior but the Mesa was rebuilt. Operator E.R Hardwick said that everything would be replaced new including the four (segregated) rest rooms. After closing in the 1960s, the Mesa was Read more…
Ocotillo Performing Arts Center
Southeast Region: Artesia
Constructed 1935. The Ocotillo Theater was built in 1935 by theater owner and developer C.W. Bartlett and his son Ray, who built and operated several historic theaters in Artesia. The Ocotillo was converted to a popular cafeteria in the 1950s. The Artesia Arts Council acquired the Ocotillo in 2001 and Read more…
Odeon Theater
East Region: Tucumcari
Constructed 1935. Built in 1935, this old white front Art Deco theatre is still in operation. Single screen, seating a little under 700. The theatre has a squared marquee with no attraction panels but has a good sized vertical in all red like the marquee with white neon lettering spelling Read more…
Onate Theater
Central Region: Belen
Constructed 1932. The Onate Theater opened in 1932 with a seating capacity of 600 patrons. Named for the original Spanish colonizer of New Mexico, the Onate served as Belen’s main cinema until it was closed in the early 1990s. Local entrepreneur Anthony Baca purchased the theater in 1993 and converted Read more…
Plains Theater
Southeast Region: Roswell
Constructed 1947. The Plains Theatre in Roswell was the main movie house in town. It opened in 1947. Seating was provided for 1,000 all on a single floor, and there was a small 30 seat balcony, located next to the projection booth, which was for the exclusive use of Negro Read more…
Plaza Theater
North Region: Taos
Constructed 1936. Closed cinema. Southwest Plaza Taos, NM 87571 Photo by Elmo Baca.