Magik Theatre, San Antonio’s professional children’s theater in the historic Hemisfair District, says ongoing city construction along South Alamo Street has significantly impacted ticket sales over the past two years, causing the organization to cut staff.
As the South Alamo project continues well past its original completion date, the theater has struggled to maintain its operations, according to Mel Zarb-Cousin, Magik’s managing director. She said the theater has eliminated four positions within its 21-employee organization in recent months and expects to bring in $300,000 less than originally projected for the year.
“We’ve already made an insane amount of cuts,” she said. “We’ve cut our new play development. We’ve had to eliminate bringing any out-of-town artists or designers, doing everything in-house, cutting some planned infrastructure upgrades and technological upgrades. Employees had to start contributing to health insurance, we cut some of the parking benefits. Cut, cut, cut.”
For families like Taylor Baxter-Kuhlmey’s, the construction has also changed the experience of attending shows at Magik. Baxter-Kuhlmey and her 4-year-old son, Knox, are frequent patrons. She describes the theater as a safe and engaging space for her son, who is autistic.
However, accessing the theater has become increasingly difficult. The parking lot — located near the Fairmount Hotel and La Villita — has been impacted by the ongoing construction, making it harder for guests to arrive.
“It’s a huge pain,” Baxter-Kuhlmey said. “You used to be able to easily park right down the street on the corner in one of those parking lots, but now you have to park in the Hemisphere garage and walk through the park to get to the theater.”
While she said the walk is worth it for her and her son, she understands why others may not feel the same.
“I can definitely see how the construction would negatively impact Magik.”
Magik Theatre’s attendance had been steadily recovering following the COVID-19 pandemic, starting with the 2021–2022 season. But due to construction disruptions during the 2024–2025 season, the theater is projecting a drop of nearly 8,000 patrons.
The South Alamo Street project, launched as part of the city’s 2017 bond program, began construction in 2022. It aims to revamp the stretch between Market Street and Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard, with upgrades to utilities, sidewalks and drainage systems.
Initially, the city planned to complete the work by winter 2024, ahead of the NCAA Men’s Final Four games held earlier this month. However, delays have repeatedly pushed the timeline back.
A major dispute between the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Water System last year over who should fund the replacement of century-old sewer and water lines led to compromises. To meet the Final Four deadline, officials decided to patch the sewer system and leave the aging water main in place, temporarily paving the area and planning to resume work after the tournament.
According to the city’s SASpeakUp website, the project is now expected to be completed in spring 2026. The total cost of road upgrades to date is about $48 million.
In a written statement, the city said its Public Works Department meets regularly with Magik Theatre staff to keep them informed on the project’s progress.
“The final product will be a better, more pedestrian-friendly South Alamo that will benefit all businesses along the corridor. The recently completed Lower Broadway project is an example of how these projects can transform a roadway,” the statement said.
The city also noted its ongoing support for the theater. It owns the Magik Theatre building and leases it rent-free, in addition to subsidizing chilled water usage. Magik received $2.75 million for capital improvements in the 2022 bond, as well as funding in the 2012 bond. For the 2025 fiscal year, the city allocated $312,987 in operational support and a $15,000 production grant from its Arts and Culture Fund.
Despite this assistance, Zarb-Cousin said the theater is still facing significant financial pressure. To generate additional revenue, Magik is mounting a summer production of “Dragons Love Tacos.”
She also noted the theater plans to apply for one of the city’s construction mitigation grants of up to $35,000 when the applications open in May. The city recently expanded eligibility for those grants to include nonprofits like Magik that depend on foot traffic or ticket sales, after Zarb-Cousin reached out to Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1).
That amendment, introduced by Kaur, was approved by the City Council two weeks ago.
Since 2020, San Antonio has distributed nearly $60 million in aid to support small businesses impacted by the pandemic and city construction projects. These grants were created during COVID and have since expanded to include construction-related disruptions. In 2023 alone, the city spent $400,000 on signage and other mitigation efforts, and partnered with LiftFund to offer $8 million in loans. A new $185,000 contract with LiftFund was approved last week for additional grant distribution in 2025.
Construction disruptions have been a persistent issue in District 1. Delays and frustrations tied to the North St. Mary’s Strip project was considered a factor in former Councilman Mario Bravo’s 2023 election loss to Kaur.
Just last week, longtime Public Works Director Razi Hosseini announced he would retire in September, amid continued criticism of the city’s handling of major infrastructure projects.
Councilwoman Kaur urged the community to support the theater during this difficult time, highlighting its upcoming bilingual production, “Lotería, Game On!,” which runs from May 3 through May 31.
“I would love if everyone was able to take their kids to a show,” she said. “It’s an incredible experience.”
