Key Takeaways
- The Paramount Theatre is one of fewer than 25 theaters in America over 100 years old that has never closed and remains in its original footprint.
- Jim Ritts built an unconventional career spanning ABC Sports, Channel One News, and the LPGA before returning to Austin to lead the Austin Theatre Alliance.
- The Paramount has hosted legends ranging from Harry Houdini and Maya Angelou to modern SXSW premieres and Moontower Comedy Festival performers.
- Austin’s rise as a comedy destination was accelerated by the growth of the Moontower Comedy Festival and the city’s uniquely supportive audiences.
- The Paramount’s education programs now impact more than 35,000 students annually, many from Title I schools.
- A massive restoration and modernization project will preserve the Paramount and State Theaters for the next 100 years while upgrading patron and artist experiences.
Meet the Guest – Jim Ritts
Jim has served as the CEO/Executive Director of the Austin Theatre Alliance (ATA) in May 2011. The ATA has the management and operational responsibilities for the Paramount & State Theatres and Moontower Comedy Festival.
Prior to joining the ATA, Jim was the President and CEO of Primedia Television, which consisted of Channel One Network (the largest source of news and information for teenagers in the United States, which he also co-founded), Hacienda Productions, Primedia Digital Video, Primedia Productions, and Films Media Group.
He was previously the Commissioner of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (1995-1999); partner in Whittle Communications, LP (1984-1995); and statistician for ABC Sports (1973-1978). He currently sits on the boards of Visit Austin and the Hi, How Are You Project.
Connect with Austin Theatre Alliance and Paramount Theatre
Show Notes
What makes a city feel alive across generations? For Jim Ritts, CEO of the Austin Theatre Alliance, the answer lives inside the walls of the Paramount Theatre.
Recorded inside the historic Paramount Theatre on Congress Avenue, this episode of Austin Eras explores how one iconic venue became the connective tissue of Austin culture for more than 110 years. From Harry Houdini performing eight sold-out shows in 1916 to modern SXSW premieres, comedy festivals, and unforgettable musical moments, the Paramount has remained one of the city’s most enduring gathering places.
Host Adam Flagg sits down with Jim Ritts to discuss his remarkable journey from ABC Sports and Monday Night Football to launching Channel One News, leading the LPGA during its global expansion, and eventually returning to Austin to help guide one of the city’s most beloved institutions into its next century.
Jim shares incredible stories about Maya Angelou’s unforgettable performance, Jimmy LaFave’s emotional farewell concert, the rise of the Moontower Comedy Festival, Austin’s evolution into a major comedy and film destination, and the Paramount’s deep commitment to arts education and community impact.
The conversation also dives into the theatre’s ambitious $66 million “Shine On” capital campaign and restoration project, which will modernize the Paramount and State Theaters while preserving their historic soul for future generations.
This episode is about much more than entertainment — it’s about memory, community, creativity, and why places like the Paramount matter more than ever in a rapidly changing Austin.
Whether you’re a longtime Austinite, a lover of live music and film, or someone fascinated by how cities preserve their identity, this is a powerful conversation about Austin’s past, present, and future.