Erykah Badu Closes Forest Theater Reopening Gala in South Dallas
The Nov. 1 celebration featured a street party, local officials, and a surprise performance by the artist who previously owned the venue.
By Pedro Barnes ·
Erykah Badu concluded the Forest Theater’s Grand Return ceremony on Sunday night with a surprise set at the historic venue in South Dallas. The event, held on Nov. 1, marked the official relighting of the theater’s iconic tower. Badu, who previously owned the building, performed songs including "Out My Mind, Just in Time" and "Tyrone" to close the evening.
Hundreds of attendees gathered at the intersection of S. Central Expressway and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. for the invitational affair. A checkered dance floor covered the street, while food trucks lined the pavement. DJ Bowtie played tracks such as Frankie Beverly and Maze’s "Before I Let Go" and Cupid’s "Flex" as the crowd danced. The atmosphere was described by organizers as a family reunion for the South Dallas community.
Key figures in the theater’s revitalization attended the event. Matrice Ellis-Kirk, chair of the Forest Forward Board, and Elizabeth Wattley, the organization’s CEO, were present alongside local political leaders. Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas City Council Member Adam Bazaldua, and State Senator Royce West all appeared at the ceremony. Philanthropists Jon and Linda Halbert also joined the crowd.
Elizabeth Wattley, an Oak Cliff native with family ties to South Dallas, emphasized the cultural continuity of the project. She told the audience that the future of the neighborhood relies on preserving its identity. "The future of South Dallas isn’t about changing who we are," Wattley said. "It’s about investing in who we’ve always been."
The evening featured a lineup of local and national performers. Big Tuck energized the crowd with his track "Southside Da Realist." Gospel artist Tamela Mann also performed a set. Before Badu took the stage, Ellis-Kirk addressed the attendees regarding the theater’s reopening. "The lights are coming back on, the doors are opening, and the best of what we can build together is still ahead," Ellis-Kirk said.
Badu, dressed in a three-piece corduroy suit and circular-rimmed glasses, expressed gratitude for the venue’s restoration. She noted the deep musical history embedded in the building. "What a beautiful, monumental theater that we’ve built right here together," Badu said. "The musical history here is real deep. [South Dallas] is my home… and I’ll never leave."
State Senator Royce West added his own remarks on the theater’s status in the neighborhood. He urged the community to maintain the venue as a central cultural asset. "Let’s keep this as a treasured institution in our community," West said.
