Wellington Ritz Theatre, Inc.

The Ritz Theatre matters because it is a physical manifestation of the soul of our community.

Wellington, Texas is a small farming and ranching town. Our land and our families define our culture, while our public buildings have been somewhat a secondary attribute. Over the years, however, our town began to shrink in size. Our way of life began to fade, and our families began to fragment as relatives moved farther and farther away. Men and women who defined the pioneer spirit of our town grew old, and some of the stalwarts have passed away. Some of these changes are inevitable, but some are not. We can't stop aging and dying. But we've learned that we can resurrect the buildings that played a part in defining what it means to live in Wellington, Texas.

When we took the ruins of the Ritz Theatre and transformed them into a place of joy at the heart of our community, we turned back the hands of time. We struck a blow against decay and decline, and we learned that we can still shape our destiny, regardless of what happens in the world around us. The Ritz also matters to Wellington, Texas and the surrounding communities because it provides a portal for viewing the outside world and enriching our daily experiences. The nearest metropolitan area is Amarillo, Texas - 100 miles distant. And Amarillo is several hundred miles distant from what we would consider a large city. Isolation is often a blessing when it means you can still see the stars at night and still have a lengthy conversation on a misdialed phone call. But isolation also can cut us off from cultural enrichment. Since its reopening, the Ritz has played host to chamber orchestras, ballet troops, big bands, folk singers and opera. As one local cowboy once remarked, "I've gotten more culture in one year than I've had in my whole life." 

Every time the neon signs are turned on at the Ritz, and every time young people swarm the entrance just before the show starts, our world grows a little smaller and our heart beats a little harder. And when the heart of small town America beats strongly, our nation's future is assured. For this reason, the Ritz Theatre matters, a lot.

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