Re-Lighting the Forest Theater | Elizabeth Watley & Nijeul X

Mike and Grubes welcome back Elizabeth Whatley and introduce Nigel X, the team breathing life back into South Dallas’ legendary Forest Theater. From a liquor store-turned-headquarters to an $80-million-plus renovation and a week-long grand opening in November 2026, this episode digs into what it really takes to save a historic Black arts institution—and why it matters for seven generations to come.

Elizabeth breaks down the wild capital stack (including fresh historic tax credits) and the fight to add that now-iconic rooftop, while Nigel talks about growing up in Port Arthur, finding his voice as an artist, and coming back from LA to help design a space that’s part theater, part campus, and part neighborhood living room—with a Starbucks license, a 1,000-seat flexible hall, a studio theater, an education hub, and year-round programming.

It’s history, community, spreadsheets, faith, art, and coffee—all wrapped in classic Rhyner banter and a vision big enough to change how a city sees itself.

Chapters

0:00 – Ticket Lightning & Howdy, Buckaroos

2:10 – Meet the Forest Theater (and Sunny South Dallas)

3:45 – Elizabeth’s Update: Big Moves & Bigger Plans

5:55 – Enter Nigel X: From Port Arthur to the Forest

8:00 – Port Arthur, Segregated Schools & Finding an Artistic Voice

15:15 – Why Nigel? Why Now? The National Search

16:45 – $19.2 Million in Historic Tax Credits & The Hard Part of “Doing the Thing”

20:00 – Changing the View from the Window: Community Impact in Real Time

23:50 – Why Elizabeth Said Yes (and Couldn’t Say No)

28:15 – Mid-Show Reads: Giving Mas & CBD House of Healing

32:20 – Building for Seven Generations: Vision, Responsibility & The New Model

41:20 – Collaboration, Leadership & Growing the Team

44:50 – Coffee, Culture & Owning the Starbucks License

47:10 – The Rooftop, the View & the Last $10 Million

52:00 – Intimate Shows, Cinema & A Year-Round Campus

53:40 – Grand Opening Dreams & An Invite to the Rooftop

54:30 – Share the Show & Take the Pants Off

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