The History of the Summer Mummers
"Location! Location! Location!" Everyone knows that's the key to any successful venture. But not necessarily. The Midland Summer Mummers played to packed houses in three diverse locations for 32 years before finally making the Yucca Theatre its permanent home.
While the Mummers never performed there, the location that deserves credit for the Mummers' creation is the old Midland County Public Health Center, popularly called the "quonset hut", although it was only that familiar shape, not the World War II metal building. Located on the present site of the Midland County Library, the building served as the first Midland Community Theatre.
One spring evening in 1949, during a cast party, Art Cole, Bill Pennebaker, Bill Pomeroy and Norris Creath were sitting around the auditorium, relaxing and pondering how they might garner additional income to make improvements to the theatre. Norris Creath suggested, "Why don't we do 'The Drunkard'? They've been doing it in L.A. for years."
And thus, Midland Community Theatre's Summer Mummers began its life as the longest-running summer theatre in Texas.
So, what exactly is the "Summer Mummers"?
Turn-of-the-century melodrama, once so familiar to early American stages and films, still thrives in Midland's annual Summer Mummers. Celebrating it's 59th season this year, it is the longest-running summer theatre in Texas.
In 1949, some Midland Community Theatre supporters were puzzling how to enhance their makeshift theatre through additional funds. One remembered that melodramas were popular in California. "Mummers", the name for 1800's English street performers, popped out of someone's mouth, and "The Summer Mummers" was born. A different, original script by a local author is performed each year with occasional repetitions. Including the actors, almost 200 volunteers work on each season's production.
The Mummers' trademark is boisterous audience participation with ongoing cheers for the hero and his uprighteous comrades and boos and popcorn hurled at the villain. Popcorn sales last year totaled $50,000.00.
At several intervals during the performance, a movie screen drops down, advancing the melodrama plot along with an original filmed chase between the villain and the hero through Midland streets. A new "movieola" is shot each year.
The old Yucca Theatre, built in 1929 in downtown Midland, became the permanent home of the Mummers in 1981 when dozens of volunteers undertook the restoration of the movie/vaudeville house. Except for the addition by professionals of technical features and a tiered floor for cabaret seating, crews of volunteers polished the original, gilded Assyrian bulls, repainted the winged monsters on the walls, stenciled lotus flower lamps, and cleaned the faded lobby tiles.
The melodrama is followed by a colorful olio of dance numbers, a singalong, and various comedy routines, ending with the Mummers Band backing the can-can dancer's finale. Mary Frances Beverly
The YUCCA
We could try, however feebly, to describe our beautiful theatre to you.
Instead, we invite you to visit Texas Monthly magazine online, and see how they've honored the Yucca Theatre:
Vaudeville and Melodrama History Links
American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920American Museum of Vaudeville
