The historic tower and marquee glowed for the first time in more than 50 years, and 2,500 neighbors were there to see it.
The lights are officially back on in “Sunny South Dallas.”
On Sunday, Nov. 1, an estimated 2,500 residents, civic leaders, and special guests filled Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near S.M. Wright Freeway for “The Grand Return,” a block party built around one moment: the ceremonial relighting of the Forest Theater’s tower and marquee. The last time that sign glowed, most of the people in the crowd weren’t yet born. For the ones who were, it felt like a homecoming.
Hosted by Forest Forward, the evening paid tribute to the layered history of the theater, affectionately known as the “Apollo of the South,” while pointing toward a new era for the 75215 ZIP code. Guests moved between live music, food trucks, and a Vendor Village of local businesses and explored the restored building. Corporate sponsors Wells Fargo and Target supported the occasion.
“So many of us have imagined this moment for so long,” said Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward. “So many of us have driven by the Forest Theater and imagined the possibilities for this neighborhood if the theater could come back to life. Tonight, together, we make history.”
She was quick to widen the frame. “When we think about making history, we often think about one person, one extraordinary leader, one defining moment, but I would argue that it takes many to make history that will resound through generations.”
Few guests carried more history into the night than Grammy Award-winning singer and South Dallas native Erykah Badu. Her ties to the landmark run generations deep. In the early 2000s, she worked to revive the venue as the Black Forest Theater. Her grandfather owned the Green Parrot, a restaurant and jazz lounge that once operated in the theater’s adjoining strip center.
Standing beneath the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard street sign, Badu delivered a multi-song performance that felt as personal as it was historic. She spoke about the neighborhood that raised her.
“Right down the street at Martin Luther King and Pennsylvania, I grew up in the Martin Luther King recreation center. At that recreation center we got to travel all over the world without leaving the gymnasium. They brought art programs, theater programs, music programs, African dance, and even African language, Harambee, right down the street. That’s how I learned what I know today. I have South Dallas to thank for it. This is my home right here, this geographical space right here. I feel the most comfortable here. I’ll never leave Dallas.”
The lineup was a love letter to local talent. Before her breathtaking performance of “God Provides,” Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Tamela Mann exclaimed how she was excited to be a part of something that is for all people but put together by our people, with the community in mind. “I’m excited about other people who never got to experience the Forest Theater. I’m excited because they will get to experience all the different parts. Elizabeth has so many different parts that she’s put in this building when it comes to audio, filming, producing, dance, and all the other uses. And to have it in our neighborhood, I just think it’s the icing on the cake.”
South Dallas rapper Big Tuck rocked the crowd with “Not A Stain on Me” and the neighborhood anthem “Southside Da Realist,” followed by rising hip-hop artist Da’Raja Superstar. DJ Bowtie kept the music moving, while media personality Lady Jade hosted and guided the crowd through the evening.
The night also drew Dallas officials and philanthropists, including Forest Forward Board Chair Matrice Ellis-Kirk, State Senator Royce West, District 7 Dallas City Council member Adam Bazaldua, Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert, and Forest Forward board members Jon and Linda Halbert, founders of the Jon and Linda Halbert Family Foundation.
“What an extraordinary night for South Dallas, y’all!” said Ellis-Kirk, speaking on behalf of the board. “And what a powerful reminder of what is possible when a community comes together around a shared vision. Take a look around. Tonight, we are surrounded by neighbors, civic leaders, artists, philanthropists, partners, families, and friends. We represent different backgrounds and contributions, but we are united by one common purpose. A vision this big was never meant to be carried by one person.”
Senator West spoke from memory. “When I think about this institution, I think about it as a kid actually going up and down Forest Avenue delivering newspapers, attending Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School, living on Lenway Street, and oftentimes coming here to watch movies like Ben-Hur and other movies,” he said. “The Forest Theater fell in decay for 20/30 years, but guess what, y’all? The Forest Theater is back, and we’re opening it up again tonight. We need to make certain we bring our children, some of us our grandchildren, and some of our great-grandchildren to make sure they understand the significance of this institution.”
When the Forest Theater opened in 1949, it became a cornerstone of entertainment and community life in South Dallas. Its stage welcomed Prince, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Ike & Tina Turner, and Wilson Pickett, among others.
The restored and expanded theater is designed to be far more than a throwback. Led by Forest Forward, it will serve as a destination for arts, education, and community engagement, with:
A 1,000-person concert hall
A 200-seat black box theater
A 13,000-square-foot creative education lab
Recording and podcast studios
A rooftop gathering space
Community meeting areas
The programming starts right away. Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3, the theater hosts guided Art Walk Tours featuring local and national artists.
“The Grand Return” marks the start of a broader chapter for Forest Forward, whose mission is to strengthen South Dallas through arts and culture, education, economic development, and opportunities for residents. On Sunday night, with the marquee glowing over MLK Boulevard, that mission looked a lot like a neighborhood standing together under its own lights.
To learn more about the Forest Theater, upcoming programming, and ways to support its future, visit forestforward.org or foresttheaterdallas.org. Follow @ForestTheaterDallas on Facebook and Instagram.
Valese Jones | Photo Credit: Kwesi Yanful
