Longtime East Austin Fixture 'Secret Theater' Up For Sale Following Neighbor Complaints

EAST AUSTIN, TX — The "secret theater" in East Austin—formally known as the "Sekrit Theater"—created by a resident afflicted by Asperger's syndrome at the advice of his doctor as a way to make friends is up for sale.

Beau Reichert has owned the property on Perry Road for the better part of a decade, but recently announced he is placing the property on the market for $3.5 million. The reason for putting it on the sales block is an increasing chorus of noise complaints from neighbors in a side of town that has seen an influx of new residents in the last decade, forever changing the dynamics of a once-quiet yet quirky neighborhood enclave now seen as a trendy part of the city with high housing demand by a more upscale crowd.

In past media accounts, Reichert has explained the genesis of his outdoor theater, where he would invite friends and neighbors on weekends for gatherings. The venue also served as a locale for charity events and yielded a ready-made site for gatherings during SXSW and other Austin events.

See also: 'Secret Theater' In East Austin Could Be Next Casualty Of City Gentrification

The theater's creation was the brainchild of Reichert's doctor, who suggested it as a way to effect human interaction as a method of overcoming the effects of his Asperger's condition. Reichert took to the idea immediately and built the theater in his backyard.

The place was an immediate hit, and a good fit in eccentric and hospitable Austin where strangers sometimes behave like lifelong friends upon striking conversation. An added appeal to the site was its somewhat secretive location, a relaxing venue known to those in the know or acute to word of mouth promotion.

But the gentrification that has swept over East Austin over the years has changed those dynamics. An influx of new residents perhaps unaccustomed to the city's eccentricities (in this case neighbors from a nearby subdivision built to accommodate the arriving throngs of new residents) started to complain about the noise.

On his Facebook page, Reichert attributed those growing complaints as a main reason for the theater's imminent closure following a sale. Many of those complaints to the city were conveyed anonymously, while others categorize Reichert's theater as illegal, a categorization he disputes.

“After a long battle with the city and a few neighbors who made it their mission to harass me, I am finally ready to move on,” Reichert wrote. “Ten years of building my home and theater and am now very sad to sell but this is the only way I can save it.”

A website promoting the secret theater property for sale labels it as an "unparalleled work of art" located "in the heart of Austin's hottest neighborhood." The property listed at $3.5 million features a main home, an energy-efficient "tiny house," pavilion ideal for events, glasshouse-atrium conservatory and other features.

Reichert's Facebook post announcing the sale is palpably sorrowful. He now has re-cast himself as an archivist, asking for those who once enjoyed his secret theater to send him their memories.

"I am asking you all to please write a letter about your experiences at the theater and why you love it," Reichert wrote. "Your personal testimony will not only be a wonderful gift for me to leave with but will also help shed light on the beauty and benefits of the property for potential buyers. Even if it’s only one or two sentences or ten pages, your personal words are important. We want the new buyer to understand how special the Sekrit Theater is and how important it is to all of you."

At least in that way, the Sekrit Theater will live on forever—if only in the vivid memories of those who enjoyed its decade-long run.

Send your remembrances of the Sekrit Theater to Reichert at 1145 Perry Rd., Austin, TX 78721.

>>> Photo of Sekrit Theater screening via Beau Reichert Facebook page