Abraham Chavez Theatre

Abraham Chavez Theatre
Map
AddressEl Paso, Texas
United States
Coordinates31°45′27″N 106°29′26″W / 31.75750°N 106.49056°W / 31.75750; -106.49056
OwnerCity of El Paso
OperatorASM Global
Capacity2,500
Construction
Opened197?[clarification needed][year needed]
ArchitectCarroll & Daeuble / Garland & Hilles
Website
elpasolive.com/venues/abraham_chavez_theatre Edit this at Wikidata

Abraham Chavez Theatre, known simply as the Chavez Theatre, is a 2,500-seat concert hall located in El Paso, Texas. It is adjacent to the Williams Convention Center. Its lobby features a three-story glass main entrance. The Abraham Chavez Theatre is named after Maestro Abraham Chavez, who was the longtime conductor of the El Paso Symphony. It was built in the early 1970s, with the framework of the curved structure of the theatre visible under construction in scenes shot at the nearby Laughlin Hotel (since demolished) in the 1972 Steve McQueen film The Getaway.[1][2]

Famous people who have performed here include Gabriel Iglesias, George Lopez and Joshua Ryan.

Inside, the theatre has a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) lobby and a 40-by-56-foot stage as well as 14 dressing rooms. The theater's seating is in three levels. There is also a meeting room adjacent to the theater.

Events held at Chavez Theatre include concerts, Broadway shows, graduation ceremonies, performances of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, and other special events.

By late 2016, though the theatre was under consideration to be the designated home of the El Paso Mexican-American Cultural Center, a significant impediment was the need for "extensive repairs" to the half-century-old building.[3] Repeated City Council cancellations of El Paso's proposed Downtown Arena project may yet cause those funds to be reallocated to improvement of the Chavez Theatre, among other city facilities.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Things To Do - Abraham Chavez Theatre". visitelpaso.com. Archived from the original on 2023-10-21. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  2. ^ "Hotel Laughlin, El Paso, Texas". digie.org. Archived from the original on 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2023-10-20. The Laughlin Hotel is part of the Old San Francisco District. … A scene in "The Getaway" starring Steve Mc Queen was filmed in the Laughlin. It was located where the Chihuhahua´s stadium is now. At the time of filming, the convention center was under construction… and the frame work for the Abraham Chavez Theater can be seen…
  3. ^ Crowder, David (2016-12-25). "Change of heart: Arena site switch". El Paso Inc. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
  4. ^ Powell, Adam (2023-01-03). "El Paso City Council votes to abandon arena in Duranguito, reallocate remaining funds". El Paso Times. Retrieved 2024-05-22.