Amy Sowers vividly remembers the first time she attended an event at the historic Crighton Theatre–because it was then, in May 1990, that she was “absolutely blown away.” Actually, Amy admits, she had not been excited to go to the Crighton. She and her husband George had recently seen a spectacular production of Camelot in Houston; however, George suggested that they should also attend a performance of the same play in Conroe to support his administrative assistant Martha Davis, who had a part. Amy reluctantly agreed, but when she and George went to the Crighton, she was awestruck. Not only was the play well done, but the theater, built in 1935, captured her imagination. “I fell in love with that building the first time I walked into it,” she says. 

Amy ultimately got to know other local theater enthusiasts, and in 2008, she was one of seven people who devised a plan to create a resident theater company to perform at the Crighton. They aspired not only to provide quality entertainment, but equally important, they wanted to provide a source of needed income so the Crighton Theatre could be kept in good repair. It had taken a remarkable community effort in 1978 to salvage the historic building, which had fallen into disuse and disrepair a decade earlier when it had become unprofitable as a movie theater. Amy and her six friends wanted to make sure the community icon—one of only about 10 extant theaters of its era in Texas—was properly maintained so it could be used well into the future.      

The result of this effort was Stage Right of Texas, a theater company that has exceeded its humble beginnings. There were only nine characters in Stage Right’s first production, Christmas Belles, but even so, it pushed the fledgling company to its limits. “We had to call our friends and say, ‘Hey, we are trying to put on a show. Would you come audition, please?’ We had no structure other than our personal contacts,” Amy says. All seven of Stage Right’s founding members participated in the production, both onstage and off. (Amy played the part of Honey Raye Futrelle, one of the three infamous Futrelle sisters.)

Within the first five years of its existence, however, Stage Right was producing musicals attended by several thousand members of the community. Today, the organization offers six productions per year, including three or four musicals, and boasts 800 season ticket holders. “We have done shows that have drawn in 5,000 people and one show where we actually had to add days,” says Amy, who is now the president of Stage Right. Notably, Stage Right, as the resident theater company of the Crighton, generates more than $100,000 a year toward the upkeep of the historic theater.

“The Crighton is a wonderful jewel of a little theater,” says Marty Taylor, who attended Stage Right’s first production, Christmas Belles, with her husband, Warren. “They did a fantastic job,” she says. The Taylors have been season ticket holders ever since and particularly enjoy Stage Right’s musicals and comedies. “They have some very good directors and volunteers,” she says. “It’s wonderful.”

Today, thanks in part to Stage Right, the Crighton Theatre boasts a new, large lobby, made possible by the acquisition of the building directly to the south of the theater. In addition to supplying some much-needed elbow room, the new lobby has 12 restrooms and a large concession stand. 

Coming attractions

Over the past 14 years, Stage Right has offered many memorable productions, including Singin’ in the Rain (with realistic rain onstage), Grease, Murder on the Orient Express and recently, Tarzan, which ushered in the post-pandemic era of the theater. “Musicals usually sell out for us,” Amy says. “It’s good to get your tickets early if you are not a season ticket holder.” She attributes this success not only to the lure of the historic theater, but also to Stage Right’s commitment to feature quality actors, costumes and sets.

Much thought goes into Stage Right’s selection of plays. “People like to see things they’re familiar with, yet we don’t want to produce the same plays too frequently, or else people get tired of them,” Amy says. “What do people want to see, and how can we introduce new material and bring their interest to these new plays? That has been a major challenge.”

This holiday season, Stage Right will be performing an unexpected musical, Monty Python’s Spamalot, which is a musical version of the oddball comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail. “It’s very similar to the movie,” Amy says. “We went way off the rails for that one, but we think it will be upbeat fun.” In February, Stage Right will perform In the Heights, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also composed the popular Broadway musical Hamilton).

Amy is pleased that downtown Conroe is now a fun place to spend time after leaving events at the Crighton Theatre. “When I first started doing these shows downtown, there was nothing else open at night. It was dead. It’s so nice to come out to the theater now. You can walk the streets and go into the bars and restaurants and listen to the live music,” she says, mentioning such places as Fass Brewing Company, 202 Main, and Pacific Yard House. “Downtown Conroe has been designated a cultural arts center by the state.”

Want to help?

Stage Right is an all-volunteer organization, and new volunteers are always welcome, especially when the theater company produces larger shows. “Musicals might have 40 people on stage, and that doesn’t include crew, stage manager, props, lighting, and sound,” Amy says. “Maybe you always had a yearning to step on stage. All auditions are open auditions. Even if you have never been on stage as an actor, you could be in the chorus and not have a speaking role, if that’s something you want to pursue.”

Stage Right also needs many other volunteers, including people who can make costumes, sets, and props. “There are a lot of options if you want to get involved. There are all kinds of talents involved besides acting. We need ushers, and we need people interested in the technological aspects of theater, like learning how to operate sound and lighting systems. They are the backbone of the success of the show. Without those people, there’s no show,” Amy says. “Come and see a show. Get familiar with the theater so you might feel comfortable enough to come and volunteer. You can meet a lot of great people that way—and see a great show.” Volunteers, she says, can see productions at no charge.  

In addition to providing a quality theater experience for area residents, Stage Right helps to train the next generation of theater enthusiasts. Amy was instrumental in founding Bravo Company, a children’s theater company that provides kids with weekly acting lessons and the opportunity to perform at least twice a year at the Crighton.

Meanwhile, Stage Right continues to be an important force in the local artistic community. “Being able to support the Crighton Theatre financially is a wonderful thing,” Amy says. “I want it to be there for the next generation of people.”

For more information, visit stage-right.org.