Your Dark Companion

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

January 23, 2026 55:21

About this episode

Chapters
  1. 0:00Ticket Lightning & Howdy, Buckaroos
  2. 2:10Meet the Forest Theater (and Sunny South Dallas)
  3. 3:45Elizabeth’s Update: Big Moves & Bigger Plans
  4. 5:55Enter Nigel X: From Port Arthur to the Forest
  5. 8:00Port Arthur, Segregated Schools & Finding an Artistic Voice
  6. 16:45$19.2 Million in Historic Tax Credits & The Hard Part of “Doing the Thing”
  7. 20:00Changing the View from the Window: Community Impact in Real Time
  8. 23:50Why Elizabeth Said Yes (and Couldn’t Say No)
  9. 28:15Mid-Show Reads: Giving Mas & CBD House of Healing
  10. 32:20Building for Seven Generations: Vision, Responsibility & The New Model
  11. 41:20Collaboration, Leadership & Growing the Team
  12. 44:50Coffee, Culture & Owning the Starbucks License
  13. 47:10The Rooftop, the View & the Last $10 Million
  14. 52:00Intimate Shows, Cinema & A Year-Round Campus
  15. 53:40Grand Opening Dreams & An Invite to the Rooftop
  16. 54:30Share the Show & Take the Pants Off

Episode notes

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.

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