The Chicago Theatre features a six-story triumphal arch facade modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. When it opened in nineteen twenty-one, the Balaban and Katz corporation designed it as a movie palace to bring opulence to the…
Downtown Historic Theater Walk
This walk takes you past the glowing marquees and grand facades of the Loop's most legendary playhouses and historic movie palaces. You'll trace the dramatic history of Chicago entertainment, from the roaring vaudeville era to landmark pre-Broadway premieres.
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1. The Chicago Theatre
2. Goodman Theatre
The Goodman Theatre carries a distinctive, stark white marquee that cuts across the busy streetscape of Dearborn. This is the oldest non-profit theater in Chicago, emerging from the Art Institute in nineteen twenty-five. When the original…
3. James M. Nederlander Theatre
The James M. Nederlander Theatre holds the corner of Randolph and LaSalle with a heavy, cream-colored terra cotta facade. Inside, the auditorium features an ornate, gilded interior designed by the Rapp brothers in nineteen twenty-six.…
4. Cadillac Palace Theatre
The Cadillac Palace Theatre features a tall, narrow facade faced with glazed white terra cotta, topped by a heavy, ornate cornice. This building opened in nineteen twenty-six as the New Palace Theatre, designed to host lavish vaudeville…
5. Lyric Opera of Chicago
The Lyric Opera of Chicago occupies the massive limestone building on Wacker Drive with a long row of heavy, two-story columns carved into its facade. This structure was designed in nineteen twenty-nine as a multipurpose commercial center,…
6. CIBC Theatre
The CIBC Theatre features a marquee that stretches deep over the sidewalk, held up by thin, dark vertical supports. Built in nineteen oh six as the Majestic Theatre, it was the tallest building in Chicago for two years. During a…
7. Auditorium Theatre
The Auditorium Theatre rises from the corner of Congress Parkway and Michigan Avenue as a massive, fortress-like block of granite. When it opened in eighteen eighty-nine, it was the tallest building in the city. Dankmar Adler and Louis…