About the Crystal
As the founding director and volunteer manager of the Gonzales Crystal Theatre, Barbara Crozier knows firsthand how enthusiastic theatergoers, actors and production staff are on opening night when the curtains rise on the bright lights of the stage.
Gonzales Crystal Theatre, known as the Crystal Theatre or the Crystal, located in Gonzales, Texas, opened in 1913. It ebbed and flowed with the times and was resurrected the last time in 2006. The Crystal honorably bears the distinction as a contributing asset to the National Registered District through the Department of the Interior of the National Parks Service, more specifically the Gonzales Historic Commercial District. It has been a vital part of downtown Gonzales and is an active partner in developing tourism.
The theatre entertains hundreds of audience members with its two standing performances each year and visiting productions by other organizations such as the University of Texas Shakespeare at Winedale and Come and Take It Dance. Partners such as these attract local talent as well as professionals from New York and Los Angeles. Since its reorganization in 2006, the Crystal’s work with the area youth has gained statewide recognition with their summer youth camps and workshops and year-round Shakespeare Ninja Project.
Theatre arts education is an extracurricular activity, hobby or passion for the young people of Gonzales and surrounding area residents. It endures in large part because of Crozier’s personal investment of her time, talents and resources. The Crystal also enriches the lives of the youth beyond the stage. At the theatre, the children learn life skills such as how to speak confidently, work with others and read and understand a heightened language. Learning by doing is a powerful educational approach that leads to a deeper appreciation of the history of Gonzales, of Texas and of the other people and places they feature in their performances.
Power in Community
There’s been remarkable dedication and support from the community during the theatre’s operation. The Crystal is not supported by a tax base, making direct community support critical in serving the Gonzales region. Understandably, preserving a building for 100 years comes with some needed repairs. Having worked with GVEC in the past, Crozier viewed the Cooperative as a strong potential partner for the capital improvement projects and so coordinated the applications for a Power Up grant. “GVEC supports the communities they serve, and we believed our restoration projects aligned with their mission and values,” she said.
The Crystal was awarded a Power Up grant in 2014 to replace the theatre’s forty-year-old HVAC system and again in 2018 for necessary roof and ceiling repairs damaged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. “Before the renovation, the conditions were not up to standards for a historic playhouse,” Crozier explains. “Uncomfortable and hazardous spaces were inhibiting the function, safety and enjoyment of the theatre.” The 2018 grant also provided spark funding and proof of community support that enabled the Crystal to obtain a matching funds grant from the Texas Historic Commission to complete a full restoration.
“We are grateful for the assistance GVEC provided through the Power Up grant. These sizeable grants allowed us to improve the soundness and comfort of the theatre, preserve the history and traditions of Gonzales and secure federal funds to complete the necessary projects.”
To find out more about the theatre, visit gonzalescrystaltheatre.org.
