The Woodlawn Theatre was built in 1946 in the Art Deco District of San Antonio, on Fredericksburg Road. Opening as a local movie theatre, John Wayne premiered the movie The Alamo at the Woodlawn in 1960. The theatre was built by the same architect, John Eberson, who also designed and built The Majestic Theater in Downtown San Antonio. Walking into the theatre you get the feeling that you are stepping back into the past. You can imagine how grand the theatre was in its day.
Over the years, the theatre had its share of economic ups and downs. Opening as a movie theatre, it opened and closed several times. Bought by Santikos, the theater was split up and redesigned to be a local movie house, complete with an arcade room and concessions. It was bought again in 2012 and made into a community theatre and now hosts plays and musicals. The structure is now a San Antonio Historic Structure in the San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation.
Although there are no documented newsworthy stories of tragedy or death, the theatre staff tell stories of unusual happenings that take place in the theatre, specifically after the patrons have left.
Reports of staff “seeing things out of the corner of their eye” is not unusual. The team actually reported these personal experiences throughout the night. A young girl, the theatre staff have named “Fran” is known to be backstage moving props around and messing with actors during shows. Also there is a little girl dressed in white seen going up the grand staircase, and then again heading up to the balcony on a second landing.
There is an uneasy feeling upstairs in the Prop room and a heaviness can be felt in the original Projector room. Backstage reports of disembodied screams and voices have been reported. The old Projection room had a bathtub in it at one time, a story is told of an apparition being seen in that area. Theatre staff do not report being afraid, just feel as though their resident “ghost” is mischievous and likes attention.
1. "Girl Screaming"