
Stephen Montoya
Kelly Guerra, mezzo-soprano, practices her role as Jo March for the last performance of “Little Women” at the W.E. Scott Theatre on Nov. 24.
On a crisp November night, a poignant silence hung over the W.E. Scott Theatre, as its storied past prepared to meet an uncertain future. The Fort Worth Opera’s production of Mark Adamo’s “Little Women” was more than just an evening of music — it was the final curtain call for a space that had cradled the city’s creative spirit for nearly six decades.
Nestled at 1300 Gendy Street, the W.E. Scott Theatre has been a cornerstone of Fort Worth’s cultural landscape since opening in 1966. Its European-style layout, with no seat more than 65 feet from the stage, offered an intimacy unmatched by modern venues. Designed by Joseph R. Pelich and Donald Oenslager, its gold-domed ceiling has echoed with the voices of opera legends, the laughter of playgoers, and the quiet reflection of art enthusiasts.
But on this night, as the final notes of “Little Women” lingered in the air, a sense of finality settled over the crowd. The performance wasn’t just the end of a season. It marked the end of an era.
The Fort Worth Opera's production of "Little Women" marked the final performance for the city's storied Scott Theatre, a venue that has stood as a beacon of creativity and culture for 58 remarkable years.
It has loyally served as a vital stage for emerging artists and seasoned professionals alike over the years, as well as the Fort Worth Opera, which in 2026 will celebrate its 80th year. Where that will be remains a question.
But it was here at the Scott Theatre, at the convergence of Lancaster, Montgomery, and Camp Bowie, that artistry flourished and audiences gathered to experience the transformative power of live performance.
And it will stay that way, city leaders, including the mayor, have vowed, even as the Scott Theatre enters the next stage of limbo — the uncertain phase of redevelopment. The city is again taking bids to redevelop the property after rejecting two proposals in the final stages of bidding in May. Mayor Mattie Parker has pledged that she will not approve of any proposal that does not include a theater as a community arts space and serve as a "world-class cultural hub."
The Scott Theatre for years leading up to this moment has tried to face down the multilayered challenges of deferred maintenance, dwindling resources, and Father Time, still undefeated, as they say, into the 3rd millennium. The city-owned building and complex, known as the Fort Worth Community Arts Center and most recently leased by Arts Fort Worth, faced a $30 million renovation price tag, a bridge too far for the city. The City Council accepted a study recommending redevelopment as the best course forward.
The Fort Worth Opera’s production of “Little Women,” the story initially told through Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, was both a celebration and an elegy. Ironically, Adamo’s opera tells a story of family, resilience, and the enduring bonds that shape us.
As with every artistic expression, that story line for the final performance was intentional, says Fort Worth Opera’s general and artistic director Angela Turner Wilson.
“In a year so divided, we wanted to stage a story that brings people together,” she says. “It’s about family, community, and what truly matters. That’s what this theater has always represented. This stage has been a launching pad for so many careers. It’s bittersweet to think it might not serve that purpose anymore."
The production featured four TCU students in pivotal roles — a full-circle moment for Turner Wilson, who had mentored some of them since their earliest days in music.
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The city’s vision for the site is ambitious. Officials hope to include a theater, an incubator for emerging artists, and spaces for existing tenants, all while preserving the venue’s historic architecture. By 2025, the city aims to finalize a ground lease with a developer who can balance these aspirations with modern needs.
“I worry about our company, about our community,” Turner Wilson says. “This can’t just be an afterthought. Fort Worth deserves a vibrant cultural hub, not just for visual art but for the full spectrum of creative expression.”
That's a sentiment shared by a unified front of audiences, artists, and city leaders alike.
Like the theater, the Fort Worth Opera, too, is in limbo.
The Scott Theatre has served as home to the company for decades. The company currently has nowhere to go for a performance the size of "Little Women," a spokesman says. Other venues would be more accommodating for smaller productions. The company has a proud history that includes local and national recognition by critics for its artistic excellence and community-based cultural engagement.

Stephen Montoya
As the final notes of “Little Women” faded into silence, the cast and crew took their bows to what could be the final applause the theater will hear in awhile. It was a fitting send-off for a theater that has given so much to Fort Worth.
In its quiet, reflective moments, the Scott Theatre seemed to remind its audience of one last thing: art is resilient, and its echoes — whether carried in song, memory, or reimagined spaces — never truly fade.
For now, the theater’s story ends on a note of uncertainty, with a community determined to preserve its legacy and carry its spirit forward into whatever comes next.
“I wish there was another obvious plan. I wish we were reinventing this space, rejuvenating the space, or that we knew where we were going to replace it,” Turner Wilson says. “[Being] in the top 15 cities in our country all of them have opera companies, and they're not just secondary thoughts. They are at the forefront.”