Nourse Theatre Information

As part of the High School of Commerce, the Nourse Theatre was built in 1926 in the Spanish Revival style, and used to host events and assemblies for students until it was closed in 1952. Until 1985, the theatre was used on occasion to host concerts and pageants. After 1985 the theatre was used as a courtroom, becoming one of the first “wired,” courtrooms, with computers linked to a Texas mainframe, and its use as a public venue ceased. In 2013, Sydney Goldstein, founder of the City Arts and Lectures program, revived the theatre to host the program in place of its previous venue, the Herbst Theatre.

Today, the venue is best known as the host of the City Arts & Lectures series, which are recorded and broadcast to more than 130 public radio stations around the country. The Nourse Theatre is also an esteemed destination for public speakers of various fields, performing artists, and cultural figures.