Perot Theatre Goes Dark

June 19, 2026

The historic Perot Theatre on Main Street will go dark this summer while crews overhaul the century-old venue's lighting system — part of a multimillion-dollar upgrade project years in the making.

The theatre's sound and lighting equipment has been described as decades past its useful life, making it difficult or impossible to attract many modern touring productions. Texarkana Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Andrew Clark, who manages the Perot under contract with the City, put it bluntly — saying there are two local churches with better sound systems.

A new audio system installation began earlier this year, moving the sound control booth from the side of the auditorium to the rear center and adding modern speaker arrays painted to match the historic interior. Theater design firm Schuler Shook, which conducted a full technical assessment of the venue, is overseeing both the sound and lighting overhauls. The lighting work — which includes upgrading to LEDs and installing a digital control system — is what will require the theatre to go dark for the summer.

The $3 million project was funded through a 2023 municipal bond package. Officials say none of the work will affect the Perot's historic designation. The next listed event on the theatre's calendar is November 27th

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