In 90 days, the Monaco sisters transformed a fish taco joint with surfboards hung on mustard-colored walls into their dream theater. 

The Sylver Spoon Dinner Theater, located in New Braunfels, is an all-inclusive entertainment venue that has food, live shows and a place to drop off kids. The theater opened on New Year’s Eve with a four-course meal, live music and the celebration of a dream come true for Sylver, Madison and Tori Monaco.

“It was a lot of work, a lot of late nights and favors from people who saw something in us,” directing senior Tori Monaco said. “They just helped us create our dream which is how we were able to create everything.”

All three sisters have experience in theater arts or the restaurant industry. Madison said each girl brings a special dynamic to the table.

“We love each other so much,” Madison said. “We are all so close that we wanted to bring our passions and do something together. We always have.”

Tori started as a theater education major but switched to pursue a directing degree to help with her business as director of the Sylver Spoon. 

“It is a huge influence on what I do, and it is the reason I am qualified to be the director of the theater because UT really prepared me to be in a leadership position,” Tori said.

Tori said every success story counts for theater majors. Megan Alrutz, Tori’s theater and dance professor, said the skills students learn in a theater and dance program underpin the work they do and the relationships they build throughout. 

“I feel lucky to witness our students’ success in so many areas of their lives,” Alrutz said.

Madison said the girls faced challenges gaining respect because people expected to see a man running the business, rather than three young girls.

“No one ever sees young women opening a restaurant, it’s always men in business suits,” Madison said. “We’ve shown them that we’ve done all of their positions, and we’ve been there and will get up there and do it with them.”

The girls hope to have a company of Sylver Spoon-paid artists, but right now they are focused on protecting their vision.

“This is it,” Madison said. “This is the dream. We will not let it fail. It’s our dream, it’s what we’ve wanted and we will make it work.”