What year did the Chicago theater open?
October 26, 1921
The Chicago Theatre/Opened
What was the Chicago theater built for?
movie palace
The Chicago Theatre opened in 1921 as the flagship of the Balaban & Katz theatre chain, built primarily as a movie palace but with stage facilities included.
Who has played at the Chicago Theater?
The Chicago Theatre has had 468 concerts
| Date | Concert | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2022 | Solar Power Tour Upcoming Lorde | The Chicago Theatre |
| Mar 26, 2022 | Bright Eyes Upcoming | The Chicago Theatre |
| Feb 23, 2022 | Louis Tomlinson Upcoming | The Chicago Theatre |
| Dec 15, 2021 | Big Time Rush | The Chicago Theatre |
Why is the Chicago Theater Important?
Constructed in 1921, the Chicago Theatre is one of the earliest grand movie palaces developed by movie moguls Balaban & Katz. These elaborate theaters were spread throughout the city and, along with the movies themselves, offered the movie-goers an escape from their everyday lives.
What is the history of the Chicago Theatre?
Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz (B&K) group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother Barney Balaban and partner Sam Katz. Along with the other B&K theaters, from 1925 to 1945 the Chicago Theatre was a dominant movie theater enterprise.
Who designed the Palace Theatre in Chicago?
The Palace Theatre opened at the corner of Randolph and LaSalle Streets in Chicago on October 4, 1926. Designed by legendary theatre architects the Rapp Brothers, the theatre’s interior featured a splendor previously unseen in Chicago — a breathtaking vision inspired by the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles.
What are Chicago’s oldest off-Loop theaters?
Now: Today, the Athenaeum is the oldest continuously operating off-Loop theater in Chicago. The space contains the gorgeous main-stage theatre, where you can catch everything from theatrical performances to stand-up comedy to live podcast recordings, plus three small studio theatre spaces.
When did jazz become a mainstay of Chicago theatre programming?
This proved so successful that jazz bands became a mainstay of the Chicago Theatre’s programming through the 1920s and into the 1930s. In preparation for the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago, the Chicago Theatre was redecorated.