Ritz Community Theatre, Inc

About Us

Snyder, the county seat of Scurry County, is located in west-central Texas, about 90 miles from Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, and Midland/Odessa. Typical of many Texas towns, the town of Snyder was built originally on a square, with the county courthouse in the center and businesses built on the four sides of the square. The Ritz Theater is located on the south side of the square in the middle of the block.

The Ritz movie theatre was given its name by T. L. Lollar, who bought it around 1921 when it was known as the Cozy Theater. The Ritz underwent a significant renovation when Snyder became an oil boomtown. It re-opened after renovation in February 1950. The owner told the local newspaper that the structure had been made entirely fireproof.

The Ritz Theatre ceased operation in 1970, and the building began to deteriorate. In late 1991, descendants of the Lollar family acquired the Ritz building and donated it to The Ritz Community Theater Incorporated for renovation, which began in 1992. The first stage of the process was the replacement of the roof and complete restoration of the original marquee and storefront.

The lead architect for the Ritz project, Dr. Michael A. Jones of Texas Tech University, describes the project in these words:

“The old Ritz Theater occupies a prominent location on the square in Snyder. The venerable building of approximately 60 years of age is currently a bare shell. However, restoration of its art deco façade and complete replacement of its roof has resulted in the re-appearance of the grande dame with her interior dry and ready for r