Arkansas: Royal Theater Marquee Restoration
A Landmark Rises Again
A theatre sign is more than lettering and lights. It is a landmark, a meeting point, and a reminder of the generations who have gathered beneath it. In Benton, Arkansas, the restored vertical sign at the Royal Theatre has been lifted back into place, returning a familiar feature to the community.
The Royal Theatre at 111 S Market St. in Benton, Arkansas was built in 1948-1949 It was an extensive renovation of the 1881 Opera House and placed the listed of the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
In 1996, the Royal Theatre was bought and renovated by actor Jerry Van Dyke. He sold the property in 2001. The Royal Theatre was donated to “The Royal Planers” who continue to perform in the theatre to this day.
In 2026, the outside of the building received a remodel with new paint and the historic marquee being refurbished.
The Royal Theatre in Benton received an $8,400 donation from the Pinnacle #1219 chapter of The Questers to help restore the theater’s historic front marquee.
The donation was made possible through two preservation grants awarded to the chapter, including a $2,000 grant from Arkansas State Questers and a $5,000 grant from Questers International. The chapter contributed an additional $1,400, bringing the total donation to $8,400.
According to chapter member Thelma Poole, the project came together after a fellow Quester donated a collection of vintage dresses and hats to the Royal Theatre. Around the same time, members learned the theater was seeking donations to restore its marquee, making the project a natural fit for the chapter’s preservation mission.
The Pinnacle #1219 chapter, originally founded in Little Rock, has supported numerous restoration efforts across central Arkansas, This marks the chapter’s first restoration project in Saline County.
“We have constant chapter fundraisers large and small so that we have matching funds when the time comes that we see fit to support a property,” Poole said. “It is icing on the cake that we [were able] to present the check in the auditorium to the Royal Players at opening night of ‘Anastasia’.”
The importance of the project is larger than the sign itself. A visible part of Benton’s history has been protected, a community institution has been strengthened, and the public can see what partnership and preservation funding make possible.
This is THE QUESTERS’ mission in visible form: members recognizing a piece of local history worth saving, helping bring resources to the work, and inviting the community to understand why it matters.
The Royal Theatre project shows how a chapter’s local commitment and THE QUESTERS’ grant program can keep history alive - one landmark at a time.