Congress Theater

The Congress has put together a nicely-done website on the theater at www.congresstheater.com

The vertical sign of the Congress can be seen here. I believe the framework for the sign is still intact, but the letters are long gone.

According to their site, it was built by the Lubliner & Trinz chain, also was on the Orpheum vaudevill circuit, and went to Balaban & Katz in 1929 with the rest of the Lubliner/Trinz chain. The vertical framework is still in place, although to be honest, it kind of disfigures the ornate facade. Another prior name for the congress in its spanish-language period was the cine mexico, and these name changes presumably are why the vertical is missing and why the marquee sports a rather bizarre modern backlit/retro font look on a 60s style frame.

Some of the incredibly ornate terra-cotta design on the Congress' facade can be seen here and also here.

I believe that the Congress Theatre, during the 1970s and 1980s, was known as the Mexico Theatre. They took the letters down from the vertical marquee and stored them right on the regular marquee! You could easily see this from the nearby L (which is now called the Blue Line).

It was also once known as the teatro juan fernandez

Vincente Fernandez was the name on the marquee, actually.

My mistake.

The real question is: who is Vincente Fernandez?!?! I would say the theater had this name out front around 1988.

Who is Vicente Fernandez? (No 'n' in his first name.) He is one of Mexico's most popular singers, called the 'King of the Rancheros.' Born Feb. 17, 1940 in Huentitlan del Alto in Jalisco, Mexico.
He has recorded a total of 56 albums. At one point, he performed (for free) at the La Plaza de Mexico in front of an audience of 54,000, still a record for the Plaza. He still performs. Just recently, Fernandez announced that he planned to open a mariachi theme casino in Las Vegas called Guadalajara, Guadalajara.
He probably appeared at the Congress Theater in 1988.

Well...I have to admit that the "n" might not have been there. But, I think it was. I took several pictures of the theater at this time. Perhaps "Vincenete Fernandez" is an accomplished local businessman or something? Whatever the outcome of that discussion is, this was certainly the theater's name (rather than an attraction). It was mounted above the backlit attraction boards on either side of the marquee.

Yeah, they're the same boards that say "Congress Theatre", actually, it's embossed through.

From Russell Phillips' Galleries:

Congress/Mexico Theater Lobby, 1984

At some point in the last week, signs have gone up heralding a re-christening of the theatre as the Nokia (like the cell phone company). I personally have mixed feelings about this- on one hand, I am sad to see it lose the name it has held for most of its years (aside from the Teatro Azteca/Cine Mexico days), but on the other this will likely bring more money into keeping the place up, to bolster the Nokia name. While it is amazingly intact inside, it needs a lot of maintenance. Perhaps it will even recieve a proper marquee again.

Well...we have the Ford Oriental and the Cadillac Palace. So why not? If it helps the building survive, I am all for it.

While they didn't ultimately change the name, I would not be surprised if they did. The banners came down shortly after I made that post, and have been replaced by banners advertising an upcoming event. I wish I had gotten a closer look. So, either it was for an ad shoot or something, or they were doing testing of some sort. I would not be at all surprised if it does become a Nokia Theatre- AEG has projects in LA, Dallas, and NYC, and nothing in Chicago yet. The Congress now often hosts shows from House of blues- maybe they will switch affiliations.

Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency's HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture, with the marquee still sporting the original 60s Congress lettering.

Here is a recent photo of the Congress Theater.

The vertical sign's frame has been mostly disassembled now.

Russell Phillips Photos:

Congress Lobby
Ticket Booth

Here are photos of this theater.

The Congress Theatre went "talkie" in 1928, as this ad informs the public---

Ad from the Chicago Tribune, Saturday, November 10, 1928:

TODAY, Complete New Policy, come and hear this, new marvel of "sound" presented with our newly installed VITAPHONE-MOVIETONE, come on everybody! See and hear this thunderous inaugural program, the talking and sound sensation, "Women They Talk About," hear the beautiful mellow voice of Irene Rich, hear William Collier, Jr., Claude Gillingwater and Audrey Ferris talk.

Star Vaudeville Acts in sound. Van & Schenck, "The pennant winning battery of songland"; see and hear Abe Lyman, and his "Good News" Orchestra; see and hear Giovanni Martinelli, famous Opera Tenor; the First "Our Gang" Comedy in sound, "School Begins"; see and hear Fox Movietone News

An ad in the Chicago Tribune, Sunday, September 5, 1926 announced:

OPENS TODAY AT 1 PM, Lubliner & Trinz' magnificent new CONGRESS theatre, 2135 Milwaukee Ave., Near Armitage; in person as special guest, Mary Philbin, Universal Screen Star; Miss Philbin will release 1,000 balloons from the roof of the Congress Theatre at 12:45 pm, each containing a voucher for a piece of bona fide real estate; grand opening programme: Reginald Denny in "Rolling Home"; vaudeville "Carnival of Venice," a surprise of instrumental music.

Here is another recent photo of the Congress Theater.

Yes, it's true, Red Skelton did play the Congress!
NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Tribune, Tuesday, May 19, 1959, s. 3, p. 10, c. 6:
RED, ONCE FIRED, BOUNCES BACK
SKELTON TELLS OF CHANGE, by Stephen Harrison
Comment*

Richard Skelton, also known as Red and once fired here by popular request, returned Monday to the scene of the crime--rehired by popular request.

Can't Vie with Legs
Having abandoned Vincennes, he was playing vaudevile in such landmarks as the Haymarket, the State & Congress, and the Gem, where aficionados paid a lot more attention to burlesque girls' legs than they ever did to Skelton.
_______________
[At the time of this item Skelton was headlining at the famed Chez Paree.]

I went to a party at the Congress theater 2 days ago, it was great to be inside this landmark theater. All the seats on the main floor have been removed, and there was some damage to the domed ceiling that was visible from below. There are lots of great details that are still there though,like old signs , vent covers, and the big staircase to the upstairs balconies.

>>At the time of this item Skelton was headlining at the famed Chez Paree.

Sure it wasn't the Gay Paree? (Or was that red-headed Danny Kaye I'm thinking of?)
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/21339/

I ride past this on the el every morning. :) It looks so run down from the outside. Nice to know it's still functioning. :)

I was just looking at the virtual tour offered through the theatre's official web site. Even though they converted the projection booth to a luxury suite, one projector was left in place. I wonder if that projector can actually be used to show films, or if it is just a trendy decoration? I don't see the array of supporting gear usually apparent in projection booth photos.

I was just here on Thursday for a concert, and was blown away as soon as I walked inside. There is still SO much of the original theater present, from the railings to stone floors and ceiling detail work, but as previously mentioned, a lot is also in ragged shape. The biggest such piece I saw was part from the front (speaker grills?) just in front of the balcony, it looked as if something had landed on the railing and busted off a large chunk. The other side was in perfect shape though. However, as a concert venue now, I don't think any of the details will be restored but instead, will fall into further disarray. Nice venue for a concert though.

-Brian

Life's Too Short: I can't find the virtual tour page - Please post an URL, and thanks.

Brian K: Thanks for the update. I was told they ripped all the seats out and replaced them with folding chairs. Is it true?

Yes, they did remove the rest of the seats from the main floor. They previously had remained under the balcony.

Virtual tour:

http://www.congresschicago.com/index.php?section=20

Life....Do you have permission to post that link? Just kidding. LOL

Thanks, Life :) That answered my question to Brian too.

I finally made it to the Congress Theatre about 2 or 3 years ago. For the triumphant return of women's roller derby to Chicago, where it all began.

The Windy City Rollers embarked on their maiden matches there, with 4 teams going at it in flat track action. I only remember one team's name, Hell's Belle's. But it was the individual player's names that were the hook. Val Capone, Anita Beer, Ellen Degenerate, Voodoo Dahl, etc.

In front of the Congress' stage, an illuminated oval track outline was adhered to the auditorium floor.
Using that sealed, clear string lighting that you hang along the bottom of your kitchen cabinets. No pitched, wooden track like those in the `70's. Eat your heart out Starlight Express.

There was a video presentation, lively announcers and a power point style scoreboard. A band called "Death or Vegas" maybe, comic timed refs, penalty time-outs, and one girl left in an ambulance in less than an hour with a broken leg. So it's needless to say that it was the real deal, and not just a "show".

The special guests were an 80 year old member from one of the original roller derby teams, and one of it's promoters.

Though you could see the action quite well from the main floor seats, it was the balcony that offered the best way from which to view this there.

I think the Windy City Rollers only had one more event there, before the Congress Theatre oddly removed the main floor seating. Basically preventing themselves from ever hosting that type of event again. Strange.
Especially for a place that didn't seem like it could have had that much more going on on a regular basis. Not that roller derby would become that, but the audience certainly seemed to be there in force. And the neighborhood's hidden Rockabilly demographic seemed a perfect fit.

The Congress' interior was at that time a little tired out. Signs of age & abuse, certainly from all the various incarnations it had had over the years. I seem to remember black paint in the bathrooms, and some limited plumbing options. Maybe it's since had some cosmetics done.
But it's kind of funny that it's referred to as "One of Chicago's Grandest Concert Venues". Much like the self proclaimed "Faded Elegance" of the Riviera, both are a bit of a stretch. But at least the latter implys it knows it.
Just so there's a point of reference here, the Chicago Theatre is an example of a "grand concert venue". Seats would be kind of a given, to maintain that type of title.

I remember back in 1988, the Congress had a metal show called something like "JFK Assassination Night". Complete with a vintage, suicide door Lincoln parked inside the theatre. There were pictures of this in the paper. I can't imagine this was anything but noise and an eerie similarity to a Marilyn Manson video ten years later. This paragraph doesn't really belong here, but my lowly WebTV had no way to move it.

By opting to remove the seats presumably permanently, the Congress has shown that the future will most likely be more about quantity than quality. That it will never revert back to a movie palace, and will live forever more as a place for concerts.

I'm both thrilled & surprised that it was able to get landmarked as recently as 2002. But wonder what required improvements or limitations if any, were bestowed upon it with that designation. Did the landmark commission ever tour the place?
Even though many a grander theatre locally has bowed to the wrecking ball, one must wonder how this one was able to be spared. And the others not so lucky. Maybe it was it's overall relation to the entire building that saved it.
Anyone looking to protect the next one, should maybe study how this one got done.

The Congress recently repainted their marquee.

David, I'm not sure you're entirely clear on how landmarking is supposed to work.

The Congress is listed in a 12/1/1974 article in the Chicago Tribune about the Spanish-language movie houses of Chicago.

Greetings BWChicago. I'll gladly admit that I probably know next to nothing, on how the landmarking is supposed to or does work.
After surviving Ald. Natarus for over 30 years in my old ward, I only know how I would have "liked" landmarking to work.
Given everything classic that was taken down on the Near North side over the years,
landmark status sadly always seemed like a last resort that ended up not protecting anything enough anyway.

I do know though that most owners are resistant to landmark status. Because of the limitations it puts them under on how they can ever remodel in the future. However as we've learned in some cases though, even that status is so loose that sometimes all they need do is preserve the facade.
Even a "National Register of Historic Places" status doesn't really protect a building in Chicago. I'll await to see what happens to Pearson St.(Hair Loft) by Loyola.

Sometimes even an opposite "preservation overkill" is applied. Building's that even I agree should have come down, but instead were poorly rebuilt to remain "preserved".
The CVS at State & Division is a perfect example. They simply tore down everything except the outsides walls of it, and it's Northbound neighbor. Then they built the CVS inside of it all. Even the upstairs in fake. A backlit hollow space over two stories tall inside. They blasted a blank brown sign right through an old concrete morter & pestal motif on the State St. side. Ironically it was originally a drug store. Then they hacked off brick work from where a door used to be, and left it that way.
Truly an eyesore "after" preservation.

I guess my interpretation of how landmarking "should" work, is that a protected building is just that.
And that only plumbing, HVAC, electric & the roof would be capable of being updated. But in a case of say the Esquire, I would have been happy if they rebuilt the interior however was needed to make it workable. Since it was already gutted when it was multi-plexed. Aty least we'd get to keep the art deco exterior & marquee.

Well, landmarks aren't supposed to be contingent on how well the properties are taken care of, it's about their architectural, social, aesthetic, character or other significance, and how intact that is. And the Congress definitely retains a high degree of integrity. Any number of locally designated landmarks are literally falling down. Interior landmarking is still extremely rare for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the difficulty of regulation.

The only protection National Register protection provides is review if federal funding or permits are involved. The only way local landmarking applies protection to NRHP buildings is if there is some rule that any NRHP building automatically gets local landmarking status too.

The CVS is pretty universally reviled. CVS acted in bad faith and I think broke some laws in their renovation, and the fairly weak Chicago Landmarks Commission didn't force them to fix it all the way. But I think you'd agree that's still preferable to having a standard CVS on that corner.

Yes, you got me, I do agree. I guess the State St. elevation just turned my stomach so bad, that I wanted to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Even the shorter building next door to the North is a basically a prop front.
Illuminated window boxes where Dr. Wax Records or whatever used to be.

Thanks for educating me on some of landmark status' angles. What I heard on CVS was they were fully expecting a new structure at first. Then the powers that be informed the building's actual owner (CVS is a tenant), that the building must remain. CVS then reluctantly agreed to the conversion.
They should have just gone over to the 17 year vacant-S/E corner, which already looked like a drug store. Now a Bank of America.

The heights of the old Hotsie and apartment building to the East consequently had to be rebuilt as was by CVS.
Hence the differing heights.

The Congress has hope, but is in bad need of some cosmetic TLC.
I understand why they removed the seats, but it cost them the "new" roller derby in the process.

The biggest, costliest thing about these old palaces, is heating them in the winter. And keeping a roof and the brickwork watertight.

Reactivate Notification Status.

Here is a 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d6h89o

I didn' realize that the blade letters were removed prior to `82. For the record, that used car lot pictured is also now gone. Maybe within the last 3-4 years.

Here is another 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d4b97h

Here's one of my pictures of the Congress from May 25, 2008:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bruce_theatres/3553085968/

This is another 2009 photo.

The Congress Theater was featured on the October 21, 2009 episode of the paranormal show "Ghost Hunters". The show can be seen in its entirety at www.syfy.com/ghosthunters