The Sekrit is Out
Sekrit Theater will become a tiny home community.
Words by Jessi Devenyns Photos by Shelby Bella
If anything, the word that comes to mind wandering down the well-trodden paths at Sekrit Theater is ‘wonderland.’ Filled with school busses that have been repurposed as lounges, chairs strewn about as if to manifest a spontaneous conversation, and a list of acquisitions that function as lawn ornaments, the theater is every bit the movie set that owner Beau Reichert wanted.
Eleven years ago, the former art director and antique shop owner repurposed his passion for set design when he began screening movies for his friends and neighbors in his backyard. It wasn’t long though before the Shangri-la aura that his curated grounds cast began to pique the curiosity of the wider community. “It just suddenly exploded. It went from my backyard to a landmark,” Beau recounts with wonder. However, there is a sense of nostalgia in his voice when he shares, “My favorite part was several years ago when all the neighbors and friends would come and hang out and have dinner potlucks: when it was just my backyard and not Sekrit Theater.”
Still, for better or for worse, Sekrit Theater was exactly what this property was destined to become. As a result of the regular events and movie screenings, Beau’s sanctuary stirred the ire of some in the neighborhood which resulted in a year-long fight with the Austin Code Department. In February, the battle finally culminated with the approval of City Council to rezone the property to a designation more appropriate to its use. Looking back, Beau says, “It just needed to evolve,” and so he decided that the next evolution of Sekrit Theater was to be a tiny home community.
Although the production has not yet begun, Beau explains that the stage is now set for the property to transform into an avant-garde residential community. “It’s the best combination of what would be allowed with the space that entertains me,” he shrugs.
As the current owner, Beau plans to continue living on the property and act as both general contractor and architect on the project, which he says will commence in three years’ time. Every tiny home, of which the property is entitled up to 22 under city code, will be unique, but each will have a frame that is clad in repurposed and recycled materials to create a distinctive story for every occupant – almost as if every resident will have their own movie set on which to act their individual roles.
Most homes will be small, but Beau notes that there will be several that are larger, up to 2,000 square feet. All the properties though will be run on solar panel energy and constructed in an environmentally- conscious manner. They will also likely reflect Beau’s fondness for vertical construction and curved lines: a motif that frequenters of the theater will immediately recognize.
In the interim, the Sekrit Theater will continue to operate as it always has. In fact, this summer the theater is running a film series from Beau’s 16mm archive. With 20,000 films to choose from, Beau admits that sometimes he screens a dud but “there are also some of the most amazing treasures mixed in.” One of those treasures is a film made by George Lucas as a film student, whose discovery, Beau says, is “yet one more proof of the magnetic power of Sekrit Theater, the place where movie magic becomes reality.”
The Garden Project:
This spring, Sekrit Theater is beginning an urban community garden project. While the gardens will later be used to nourish the residents of the tiny community, for the next three years they will be open to the public. Don’t expect to see one large vegetable bed though. The beds will be constructed in pockets around the property for neighbors to come by and get their hands dirty.
Contact:
sekrittheater.com
info@sekrittheater.com
@SekritTheater
