SAN ANTONIO – The sounds of construction aren’t ones you’d expect at a theatre.
“It’s just constant jackhammering, clangs and beeps,” Magik Theatre managing director Mel Zarb-Cousin said.
Magik Theatre sits on South Alamo Street, a road that’s been closed for months due to construction. The closure has caused a decline in ticket sales, totaling a revenue loss of roughly $300 thousand.
That’s “earned revenue that we’ll never see as a result of the construction outside our doors,” Zarb-Cousin said.
Zarb-Cousin said the lost revenue would have provided some sustainability to the nonprofit.
Its mission is to create a place of belonging through family-friendly performances. The city of San Antonio owns the building and leases it to Magik, foregoing rent, according to a spokesperson with Public Works.
Overarching construction on South Alamo Street started back in 2022. According to a graph sent to KSAT by Magik, ticket sales for the theatre started to drop in 2023.
Zarb-Cousin said the theatre budgeted for some financial disruption before the construction started, but delays to the project changed Magik’s plans.
“I do not believe that we knew then what we know now of really the great loss,” she said. “It makes it very difficult to plan for the future whenever we know that there’s another 12 months of this.”
In a statement emailed to KSAT, District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur said she’s “committed to consistent updates.”
“I’m actively pushing Public Works and the contractor to speed up the South Alamo project,” her statement said in part. “These delays are unacceptable and have deeply hurt local businesses.”
Her office is working with Magik to improve signage. It’s also giving away 30 tickets to Magik shows at the Back-to-School Bash this upcoming Saturday at Edison High School.
Public Works said it “regularly” meets with theatre staff to discuss access and school bus drop-off accommodations. A spokesperson said routes for pedestrian traffic near the theatre are now being prioritized and could open as soon as September.
Also scheduled for September is the start of Magik’s 2025-2026 season. The first show scheduled to be performed on stage and tour across San Antonio is “Red Riding Hood.”
The closest and easiest way to park near Magik Theatre is to use the Hemisfair Garage. It’s less than a five-minute walk. There are also a few surface lots open near Hemisfair.
The upcoming season for Magik will be abbreviated. Starting in January, the theatre’s building will close for planned renovations. They’ll get the following:
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Two new HVAC units
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Electrical upgrades
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Additional emergency lighting and smoke alarms
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New accessible seating in the auditorium
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New accessible route to the above-mentioned seating
This internal construction should only last four months.
“We hope that our community will believe in Magik,” Zarb-Cousin said. “Help us weather this storm as we know construction will continue and then our doors will be closed for a minor renovation come January.”
Magik Theatre has launched a new campaign called “Believe in Magik” to help cover the current budget shortfall and projected reduction in audience sales with the shorter season. Every dollar donated, up to $3,000, will be matched.
To see Magik Theatre’s ticket options, click here.
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