Sneak peek: Wonder Theatre's future home at Wonderland of the Americas is taking shape

Wonder had planned to leave its longtime home at the Woodlawn Theatre this past summer. But transforming the former site of the Santikos Bijou movie theater into a live-performance space has taken longer than anticipated, so the latest plan calls for them to move in January. 

“Someone recently was like, 'Reminder: Rome wasn’t built in a day,'” said Rodriguez, who has been with the theater for almost 12 years. “A theater is no different, a new facility is no different. And we are really just making sure that everything is perfect for our audiences the first time that they enter through our doors.

“There’s a lot of stuff to consider in the new space, but we’re really excited.”

Flashback: Final curtain falls on Santikos Bijou

As part of the company's preparation for the move, it changed its name from the Woodlawn Theater to Wonder Theatre. The Woodlawn space will remain open as a separate entity after Wonder moves out.

Wonder is in the midst of its “Wonder Awaits” $200,000 capital campaign for the new space. It is about halfway toward reaching its goal, Rodriguez said. Additional fundraising will be needed, as well, to cover the costs of the entire project.

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“The message we want to let people know is no amount is too small,” he said. “Anything they can donate will be greatly valued.”

The company will close out the year with the holiday musical “Meet Me in St. Louis,” which will run Dec. 1-23 at the Woodlawn.

If all goes according to plan, the first show at Wonderland will be the Wonder Theatre Academy's production of "Disney Descendants the Musical," which is slated to open in January. Rodriguez also is hoping to move the company’s annual gala from September to February and hold it in the new space.

Construction is in full swing, and the transformation is moving forward.

Patrons will enter the space the same way they did when it was a movie theater. There are stairs and an elevator leading into the lobby, where a curved box office has been constructed. It is designed as a statement piece, Rodriguez said, and its exterior will be covered with eye-catching textiles. A new concession counter will stand beside it.

A donor wall will be a part of the new space, too.

The Bijou operated six auditoriums. Wonder is starting out in the first two. There is potential for it to expand into other auditoriums if it continues to grow.

The performance space is taking shape in what was Auditorium 2. The stage has been built, and a scene shop will be housed just a few yards away. The stage is roughly the same size as the one at the Woodlawn without the wings, Rodriguez said.

New seating has been ordered, and all of the seats will have cupholders, something patrons have been asking about, Rodriguez said.

The new space will seat about 255. That’s a tiny bit smaller than the Woodlawn, which seats 265.

“It is going to have more handicapped-accessible seating,” Rodriguez said. “There will more handicapped-accessible seating at the back of the auditorium and then also at the front as well. So we have been really active in making sure when it comes to ADA stuff, that we’re going beyond to give people a wonderful experience.

“That’s not only for our patrons, but for our performers, as well. So we are installing a lift that will be at the edge of the stage, that will always live there. And then we are installing a lift that will go up to the mezzanine area as well. So everything will be accessible.”

Like the Woodlawn, the new space will not have an orchestra pit. A space on the mezzanine has been designated for the orchestra, and the music will be piped into the theater. The mezzanine also will have a tech booth for lighting and sound. Both rooms have big windows so the tech crew and the musicians can keep up with what’s happening on stage.

Another behind-the-scenes addition is a small kitchen, which will be outfitted with a washer and dryer. That will make it easier to deal with any costume mishaps, Rodriguez said. The Woodlawn doesn’t have those appliances, so costumes have to be washed elsewhere.

Another theater transformation: Take a look at the ongoing renovations of the historic Alameda Theatre, slated to reopen in 2026 

Wonder Academy, the theater’s education arm, and its outreach program will be based in a large area behind the box office. That’s also where rehearsals and other show prep will take place.

It includes three dressing rooms, gender-neutral restrooms, a practice room, storage, rehearsal and classroom spaces and offices.

There also will be a dance studio outfitted with ballet barres, mirrors and a spring dance floor. 

“Our academy and our mainstage performers have been wanting that for years,” said Rodriguez, noting that the floor in their current home is Marley on concrete. “If you’re dancing on concrete, it’s hard on your knees. This will just be a lot lighter on everyone, from the kids to my 40-year-old knees.”

There also is potential for students and other performers to venture beyond the Wonder space out into Wonderland. Rodriguez said there may be regular performances throughout the mall, including around the fountain in the courtyard.

He also plans to work to retain the company’s relationships with the Woodlawn and the other businesses in the Deco district.

It’s been exciting to watch the new space take shape, he said, and he’s eager to move in. But he’s also conscious that additional delays are possible.

Navigating the uncertain period early in the pandemic helped him sharpen his ability to come up with a range of contingencies, he said. 

“I became a master of plan after plan after plan,” he said. “So right now, we have a Plan A, a Plan C, a Plan P. We’re also talking to our landlords where we currently are, the ones here, the city of San Antonio and Balcones Heights. We want everyone on the same page on what’s happening, what our progress is.

“Eventually, there will be a production here. Patience is all we ask from the community. And the moment the lights dim on that first production, I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience.”