About Us

Backdoor Theatre is the only theatre in Texas operating in an ice house.
Backdoor Theatre is a non-profit community theatre.  Our mission is to enrich, educate, and entertain the Greater Wichita Falls area through the performing arts. 

Backdoor has a reputation for producing high-quality Broadway-style productions. We have two stages, the Main Stage and Dinner Stage, which have produced over 600 productions and concerts. 

​Established in 1971, Backdoor Theatre was originally in the basement of the Weeks Mansion at Kell & Harrison.  Theatre patrons entered through the door around the back, which created the name “Backdoor Theatre”.   After a couple of years, we moved to a building at 10th and Travis, finally moving to our current location in 1976.

Our current location was donated by W. Erle White.  It was originally the People’s Ice Company - Plant B and was built in 1919.  Backdoor raised the floor in the tower to create the Main Stage Theatre and its lobby.  Most of the work was done by volunteers and a lot of generous donations.  If you look closely, you can still see the crank pulley at the top of the tower in the Main Stage Theatre.  The thick brick walls create a terrific acoustic sound, not to mention great insulation.  In 1981, we opened the Dinner Theatre.  Instead of raising the floor here, we built levels from the ground up to create a unique and intimate atmosphere for a perfect theatre experience. In 2020, the Dinner Stage flooded due to a waterline break. The Dinner Stage was redesigned and reopened in May 2023. 
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Over the past several years, we have added wheelchair accessibility throughout the theatre, including wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and a redesigned courtyard.  We are continually improving our facility to accommodate our patrons, volunteers, and supporters.  
Land Acknowledgement:
Backdoor Theatre honors the Wichita, Comanche, and Kickapoo people as we live, work, play, and study at 501 Indiana Ave. We acknowledge that we are on the traditional homelands of Wichita, Comanche, and Kickapoo people. We pay respect to elders both past and present, and we thank them for their hospitality.
Photo from 1927 when our building was the Peoples Ice Company - Plant B.
The "Tower", which is where our Main Stage is located, can also be accessed through the handicap ramp. 
Our courtyard that gives you access to the Main Stage and Dinner Stage Entrances.