This theatre, originally named the Oriental Theatre, opened to much fanfare on May 8, 1926. Designed by the legendary George L. and Cornelius W. Rapp, it was one of the first motion picture palaces designed to create a complete experience for the theatre patron.
How did the Chicago theater fire start?
As the show began its second act at 3:15 that afternoon, a spark from a stage light ignited nearby drapery. Attempts to stamp out the fire with a primitive retardant did nothing to halt its spread across the flammable decorative backdrops.
Who Owns Broadway in Chicago?
Nederlander
Nederlander, the legendary Broadway theatre owner and producer, patriarch of Broadway and champion of Chicago’s Downtown Theatre District.
Why is Oriental Theater changing its name?
Nederlander, the organization is also the parent company of Broadway in Chicago. In addition to honoring the late Nederlander’s legacy, the rebranding will ditch the word oriental which can carry connotations of being “patronizing, objectifying, and offensive,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
What street was the Oriental Theater on in Chicago?
24 West Randolph Street
Nederlander Theatre is a theater located at 24 West Randolph Street in the Loop area of downtown Chicago, Illinois. Previously known as the Oriental Theatre, it opened in 1926 as a deluxe movie palace and vaudeville venue.
Who built Chicago theatre?
George L. Rapp
Cornelius W. Rapp
The Chicago Theatre/Architects
The Chicago Theatre was the first large, lavish movie palace in America and was the prototype for all others. This beautiful movie palace was constructed for $4 million by theatre owners Barney and Abe Balaban and Sam and Morris Katz and designed by Cornelius and George Rapp.
How many people survived the Iroquois Theater fire?
Iroquois Theatre fire
| The Iroquois Theatre, shortly before the fire | |
|---|---|
| Date | December 30, 1903 |
| Cause | Ignition of muslin curtains due to broken arc light |
| Deaths | 602+ |
| Non-fatal injuries | 250 |
What happened to the Oriental Theatre at Ford Center?
Shuttered for over 15 years, the Oriental Theatre was magnificently restored to its original exotic and over-the-top Indian-Indochinese style appearance in 1996 and reopened in 1998 as the Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre. The theatre is now host to live Broadway stage productions.
When was the first movie theater built in Chicago?
Opened May 8, 1926 on the site of the tragic Iroquois (later the Colonial) Theatre, and seating over 3,200, this was Balaban & Katz’ first new Loop movie palace since the opening of the Chicago Theatre in 1921.
What happened to the Oriental Theatre in the loop?
The Oriental Theatre thrived through the 1960’s, but by the late-1970’s, however, the Loop was no longer the entertainment destination of earlier decades, and the Oriental Theatre, like many of the other movie palaces downtown, was reduced to B-grade action and kung-fu films attended for the most part by young people.
