Behind the Scenes at The Rex Renovation
The Rex Theater in Galax is undergoing renovations while remaining open for a full-slate of shows in the 2026 season. The Neighborly had a chance to visit with The Rex's new director and learn more about the transformations unfolding here.
Did I mention a new director at The Rex? Yes, I did. Just before contractors arrived for the theater upgrade, the City of Galax located an expert in all things “theater”. Landing in Galax in time for The Platters concert in December, Ryan Hasler brings a lifetime of theater and production work to Galax's premier venue. The Neighborly will publish a full story about The Rex's new director soon!
In the meantime, here's the latest about The Rex renovations...
Walking into the theater from the lobby, a wall of scaffolding frames the stage area and part of the audience seating. Hasler meets me at the door and enthusiastically describes Phase 1 of the remodel. He says, “There's big plans for the Rex. This is a cornerstone for Galax and this community is seeing growth. The Rex is a jewel and our renovations here contribute to the area's revitalization. It's an exciting time to be a part of this vision.”
Gesturing past the scaffolding, Hasler points toward sections in the ceiling where drywall has been removed. “They removed sections of drywall to install some additional steel beams to carry the extra load of some of the new equipment that they're installing.” Turning back towards me, he continues, “So the A/V is part of this First Phase and we've removed all of the old lighting. The old lighting was, you know, incandescent bulbs with 700-750 watts each. So they're pretty big and they're a fire hazard and eat a lot of electricity. We're switching all of that out to an all-intelligent lighting LED system.” Hasler lists the benefits of the new lighting system, “It's going to be a lot more efficient; safer; easier for people to work on when a light bulb goes out or something goes wrong. It can get fixed easily.”
I ask him about what it's been like working with a building as old as The Rex. Hasler describes a priority for maintaining the structure's historic vitality while adding in new technology like sound systems, lighting and amplifiers. Gesturing back to the ceiling, he goes into detail about the ingenuity that contractors and architects are using to work with the historic space while reinforcing the structural integrity. He says that all of this structural work – steel beams and truss work – will be buried in the ceiling.
Describing efforts to get the theater building ready for renovations, Hasler points to an endless number of volunteer hours contributed by Galax leadership last year. City manager, Michael Burnette; AssistantCityManager, Neil Holthouser; and Tourism Director, Patti Price-Love joined forces after-hours to staff events and establish priorities for the property's preservation. More recently, Zeke Mortan led workers on the cleaning and rehab efforts needed to get the building ready for renovations in 2026.
Plans are on schedule to complete Phase 1 before the first concert in March. Getting the structural features updated and new A/V systems installed now will allow The Rex to remain open throughout the rest of the renovations. Hasler says, “The new sound and lighting equipment is going to dramatically change the quality of the shows.”
Phase II of the renovation is scheduled to begin later in the year with plans to update the theater's décor and lobby space. Hasler gave The Neighborly hints about what's in store for the new look. He described details that enhance the historic integrity of the building and add some sophistication to freshen up its Mid-Century Modern style. Phase II also involves a restoration of the balcony seating area and the addition of new ADA-accessible bathrooms.
Even though the theater is seeing some changes, many favorite features will remain the same – don't worry; the dance area in front of the stage will still be here for all of us who can't stay in our seats when the music starts.
I asked Hasler about the dollars-and-cents side of things too. He says, “There's a number of grants that are coming through to support this work. Some of these grants are tied into historical preservation as well, so any little changes we make must comply with the funds coming in to support this work.”
Hasler assures that The Rex will continue to be the home for our rich local talent and our community arts organizations. He adds that there are plans to continue to expand programming by bringing in more national talent and more variety.
The first big show of 2026 is on March 6 when Sam Morrow takes the stage. “I am really excited about Sam Morrow. It's going to be an amazing show. He's just a powerful artist from Texas. He kind of reminds me of Hank Williams Junior with kind of a driving country rock sound. And with our new sound system,” Hasler pauses and grins, “It's gonna be really cool.”
Before we wrap up our tour, I ask Hasler what The Rex needs from Galax and the surrounding communities to make this a success. Without missing a beat, Hasler said, “Brag up The Rex to your friends and family. Buy some tickets for the shows and come on to downtown Galax for an evening out on the town; enjoy some of our local restaurants. And if you want, reach out to volunteer to crew a show or pitch in for our weekly free movie nights – it's a great way to be a part of The Rex family. Besides, if you volunteer for a concert, you get to see the show for free!”
Do you want to get in on the ground floor with The Rex 2026 season? You don't want to miss Sam Morrow coming up on March 6. Some hard-driving country music and a new sound system is bound to raise the roof in Galax. I'll see you there!
Buy tickets: The Rex Theater
