The Survivors
of Old-Time Theater
This post is related to another post called
Theaters Past & Community Theatre
The last post highlighted the countless theaters that due to financial, economic, and changing cultural relativities of the times did not survive the 20th century. This post highlights theaters that did due to a culural revival and community's unwavering interest and support have remained.
The List:
the official address
geographical location
a pin - Ebay
The Athenaeum Theater opened in 1910 supported by St. Alphonsus Church parishioners as a recreational center serving the mostly German community of that time. The building featured a 1000 seat theater for German Operetta, gymnasium, bowling alleys, music and meeting rooms. Over the years, meeting rooms gave way to classrooms and the theater became a temporary church in the early 1950's after a devastating fire damaged the existing church building.
As of 2012, under the direction of ADP Productions, the Athenaeum is once again fulfills it's original purpose - to entertain. This now 985 seat theater space that has been renovated to his past pristine glory.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
no significant change to the theater in the 1950 map
The Thanksgiving Fire
of 1939
photo source unknown/forgotten
The Various Photo Angles
2016-2017
Joan O via Yelp
photo - Chicago Tribune
photo - Steve A via Yelp
photo - Donald M via Yelp
photo - Athenaeum Theater
photo - Athenaeum Theater
photo - Mirko P via Yelp
photo - Open House Chicago
a back stage view
photo - Athenaeum Theater
photo - Open House Chicago
photo - Space Finder Chicago
photo - Atheneaum Theater
photo - Athenaeum Theater
photo - Open House Chicago
photo - J.L. S via Yelp
photo - Open House Chicago
photo - Open House Chicago
Victoria G via Yelp
Buzzy R via Yelp
photo - Aaron S via Yelp
titled 'craftsmanship' by photographer
photo below - Mirko via Yelp
by Michael Trudeau via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
this illustration was created in 1935 by an artist named
Anthony F Dumas - Ebay
A 1911 article about the ground breaking
The history of the building dates back to the turn of the
20th century. Designed by architect J.E.O. Pridmore, construction of the
building began in 1909, and by 1912 the 1,400-person theater was complete.
Pridmore, who began his work designing homes in Chicago’s Edgewater
neighborhood, was also the architect for other historic buildings in Chicago
such as the Bush Conservatory of Music (formerly the Bush Temple of Music) and
the Episcopal Church of the Atonement and Parish House, which both are now on
the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. When the $300,000 project was
complete, Pridmore’s style of French Renaissance revival architecture had
created a reflection of luxurious, high class living, and the Victoria Theatre
(as it was initially known) officially opened. Marks said, “The architectural
history of the building contributes immensely to the concert experience. - 14East
1922 photo - Daily News Archives/Chicago History Museum
The theater is to the right and another entertainment spot called the Merry Garden Ballroom is to the left
an apparent 1932 ticket
1957 photo below - Museum of Innovation and Science
via Cinema Treasures
2005 photo - Cinema Treasures
view from the tracks
and interior view
a 1980's view of the seating
images - Tuts Chicago-Facebook
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1923
photo - Chris Mutert via 14East
Various Photo Angles 2017
photo - Kelly N via Yelp
photo - Shannon J via Yelp
photo - STS9
photo via Pinterest
photo - A.S.V. via Yelp
the old ticket booth
photo - Garry Albrecht
the architecture
photo - Patti Smith via Huffington Post
above photo - Doug K via Yelp
photo - Groupon
photo - Joshua Mellin via Flickr
photo - George M via Yelp
above photo - Shannon J via Yelp
before a show
below photo - Continuum Wedding Photography
a wedding venue
List of History of Performances
since 1989
ticket - Concert Archives
Rodrigo and Gabriela
photo - Vic Doug K via Yelp
Allen Stone
photo - Iwona M via Yelp
Bastille in 2016
photo - Dylan M Yelp
Bleachers 2014
photo - Kristy B via Yelp
above photo Caroline M via Yelp
Devendra Barnhart & The Grogs 2010
from Real Estate 2017
photo - Vic Jessi C via Yelp
2023 photos - Brian Oelberg
Clubland
in the Vic
poster - Paul's Voyage of Discovery
This theater was the home of Clubland, "a night club within a night club" (1979-89) that used tons of video screens throughout the night club space. Performers such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Heartbreakers, and Jerry Seinfeld have graced its' space. According to the article link above 'The Clubland was a more than respectable video club. But there`s more. Jarvis and Gentry have given the first floor of the Vic an extensive facelift, adding new tables and chairs (smaller and more intimate than before), a bench seating area and brass rails. It gives the room a sleeker, more clublike look, as well as providing more aisle room (which the partners hope they`ll need). ``Our object was to make the place more comfortable."
above photo - B.L. via Yelp
below photo - photo - Chicago Musical Theater
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
with an(other?) entrance from an alley
1950 zoomed map
labled as 'Club Room'
photo - GoldStar
Allison W via Yelp
photo - Mercury Theater
photo - Mercury Theater
chart - Theater in Chicago
backstage view
photos - Space Finder Chicago
with an entrance to the upper balcony
below photo - Chris T via Yelp
The Christmas Schooner
Barnum
photo - Mercury Theater
Freud's Last Session
above photo - Mercury Theater
below photo - YouTuve/Mercury Theater
I Wanna Be a Producer
and adjacent to it ...
Venus Cabaret
This theatre opened in 2017 as a expansion to the Mercury; once called Cullen's Bar & Grill
above photo - their website
below photo - Chicagoland Theatre
and down the street ...
Venus Cabaret
This theatre opened in 2017 as a expansion to the Mercury; once called Cullen's Bar & Grill
below photo - Chicagoland Theatre
April 2021
below photo - Chicago Traveler
1986 photo below
Chicago History Museum
The original name
of the theater was
The New Blaine Theater
in 1928
This small theater opened on August 22, 1929, a time when the movie palaces in downtown Chicago each had seating capacities of around 3,000 people. The Music Box, which sat 800, was considered an elaborate little brother to those mega theaters of Uptown and downtown.According the Cinema Treasures The Music Box Theater would
later play to mainly second and third-run movies as well as closing and
reopening several times. By the 1970’s, the theater was showing Spanish and
Arabic-language movies, as well as porn. The theater had become more than a 'bit
rough around the edges' when it was closed in 1977. With new owners the theater
was renovated in 1982 and reopened in 1983 showing an eclectic mix of classic,
foreign, and art house films ever since.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
with a seating of 300
1950 zoomed map
with a seating of 772
photo below
Ravenswood Lake View Community Collection via
Sulzer Regional Library
A Review
in 1929
text
Steve Zalusky via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
a page of shows in 1986
Gail Perry via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
photo - Gunaixn Travel
photo - Roadside Architecture
photo - Roadside Architecture
photo - Roadside Architecture
photographer Kyle Brown via Pictures of Chicago-Facebook
photo - Roadside Architecture
photo - Music Box
photo - Music Box
photo - Music Box
photo - via Chicago Architecture Center
with a commentary ...
photos - Music Box
photo below - anokarina/Flickr
Dave Jennings, the theater's general manager, announced
the $280,000 plans according to DNAinfo in 2013.
"Since 1991 guests have enjoyed thousands of films
that have screened in the smaller auditorium while occasionally taking issue
with seats in need of replacement, limited visibility and sound pollution from
passing cars," Jennings wrote in a blog post. "The renovated space
will present the best in digital and film projection and programming
capabilities that Music Box patrons have come to expect.
2013 expansion photos - Lake View Patch
Final Product
photos - Music Box-Facebook
The Rocky Horror Midnight Production
by Linda G via Yelp
in June 2020
Masks Required
images - Chicago Film Festival
photo below - The Chicago Critics Film Festival
Important Note:
These posts are exclusively used for educational purposes. I do not wish to gain monetary profit from this blog nor should anyone else without permission for the original source - thanks!
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