While big sections of the building have been demolished and it is being readied for its big renovation, it's fun to look back to the first time it was turned into a theater. The photos below are from MST's archive, and were scanned by the one and only Joel Sandel, longtime MST actor.

MST began to rent 2540 Times Boulevard, formerly part of a large dry cleaning operation, in the early 1980s after MST had outgrown its first home in the cafeteria at Autry House, the refectory for Palmer Episcopal Church, across the street from Rice University on Main Street (hence the name!).

Rebecca Udden and her devoted band of volunteers worked for over a year to gut the building and build out a performing space, a lobby, offices and an all-purpose backstage shop and dressing room. Becky recalls that the area that eventually became the stage had blown insulation that had to be pulled down. After the crew had attacked that unenviable task, the room resembled a moonscape, with knee-deep insulation covering everything.

Note that this was before the rental of the "curved section" of our building, where the patron restrooms were eventually built. For MST's first few years of occupancy, audience members who "felt the urge" during intermission were directed to a nearby bar to attend to business (and grab a drink!) before being called back to the theater for the next act.

Our current renovation allows us to really improve the patron restrooms at Times Boulevard. We'll have 4 stalls (instead of 2) in the Women's Restroom, and two urinals and a stall in the Men's Restroom - features that will make for much more efficient intermissions!