Gaslight Theater celebrates 50 years of performances

The Gaslight Theater is celebrating 50 years of live theater. On Saturday, August 9, a Golden Jamboree celebration will be held at the Opera House. 
A social time featuring warm appetizers, wine, beer and jubilee Mai Tai’s will start at 6 p.m. A special comic vaudeville show will follow at 8 p.m.
Every attendee will receive a commemorative glass tumbler. Admission is $50, with limited ticket availability. This event is open to the public.
Michelle Belto, formerly Sister Michelle, will be in attendance with some of her former students.

History of the Gaslight Theater

“The Gaslight Theater was originally built in 1895,” board president Josh Kaspar said. “The large two-story building was constructed in three months. For years, it was the center of all social activities including weddings and Thanksgiving get-togethers.
It was considered the central hub of this area when it was finished. It’s been through many changes; at one time there were apartments there.”
Although it was built in the 1800s, the Gaslight is celebrating 50 years of continuous theater. 
In 1975, Sister Michelle Belto, a teacher at St. Paul High School, asked Joe Patek if she and her students could clean up the old theater portion in the upstairs. 
“He gave her permission to do that,” Stratman said. “They got it all cleaned up and put on a show in late 1975. They started out with a mime performance and had an old vaudeville dramatic presentation and that was the first show that was ever done there. 
If it had not been for Belto, there wouldn’t be a Gaslight Theater today. She was a force in getting everything done and she worked tirelessly along with her other duties to bring it all together.”
For the first three years, it was pretty much Sister Belto’s classes putting on shows. The shows got a little more sophisticated when they performed three-act-plays. Stratman became more involved in the Gaslight Theater in 1978. That was when they opened it up to a community theater. 
“Other adults in the community also became involved,” Stratman said. “That’s when we had the idea to make it into a community theater. We put on a show that was written by one of Sister Belto’s students. 
That was also the first time someone got the idea that we should put on a dinner theater. They also added some elevations to the back row of the theater so that the tables could sit up a little higher. 
It didn’t look like it does today, but it was the beginning. Belto directed several more plays and taught us about what goes into a production like makeup and costuming.”
Eventually, the Gaslight was turned into a non-profit organization and appointed a board of directors, and the rest is history, according to Stratman. 
An interesting detail is that the theater section of the Gaslight is located upstairs.
“People always ask sometimes why they put the theater upstairs,” Stratman said. “That was because the theater wasn’t something that could make enough money to maintain the building. The downstairs area was always for other businesses. 
There was a wide variety of businesses over the years. The first movie theater in Shiner was actually in the downstairs portion of the building at the Gaslight Theater.”

Gaslight’s Impact on the Community

“The theater has impacted the community in a wide variety of ways,” Stratman said. “Firstly, it’s a source of entertainment. It’s always good to have live entertainment that you can enjoy. 
If you’re looking from an economic standpoint, a lot of our patrons come from a wide range area from all over South Texas. 
When you bring dollars into the community, it’s good for our economy. The theater also gives actor-wannabees like me and a lot of the other folks a chance to get up and perform to people and enjoy the show. When you walk into the Gaslight Theater, you’re stepping into history.”
Stratman said the secret to the Gaslight’s longevity stems from all the people who have donated their time to it. 
“When you’re going to be in a play, for instance, you’re really saying that you’re giving up three weeks of your life,” Stratman said. “Rehearsals take months. Other people donate their time by being on the board of directors or building set pieces for the shows.”
Stratman and Kaspar are excited to mark 50 years of bringing performances to life at the Gaslight.
To purchase tickets, please call the Gaslight office at 361-594-2079. For more information on the Gaslight Theatre, visit www.shinergaslight.org.