Congress Theater
2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
12 people
favorited this theater
A mix of architectural styles (including Adam and Italian Baroque), this theater has an elaborate large domed auditorium and is covered with decorations in stone, terra-cotta, and plaster. It remains remarkably intact, down to the original light fixtures and marble wainscoting.
The Congress was built for the Lubliner & Trinz chain. On its opening day, September 5, 1926, there were parades, band concerts, and a bathing beauty contest. The first movie shown at the Congress was “Rolling Home”, a Reginald Denny comedy, as well as five vaudeville acts. In November 1929, the Congress was taken over by the Balaban & Katz chain.
In the 1970’s, the Congress was renamed Teatro Azteca, and screened Spanish-language films. Movies continued to be shown at the Congress through the 1980’s. By the 1990’s, the theater hosted live Latin acts, boxing matches, and an occasional film.
In 2000, the theater was threatened by demolition (for proposed condominiums), but the neighborhood rallied to the its defense. On July 10, 2002, the Congress Theater was declared a Chicago City Landmark.
Today, this splendid survivor of the movie palace era functions as one of Chicago’s grandest concert venues.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 62 comments)
From those recent photos it looks like the shelf balcony has been removed.
The Congress made the news this morning. Apparently Chuck Berry collapsed and had to be helped off stage during his show last night. But returned later to a thinning crowd.
At 84, he had supposedly done 2 New Years shows the night before in New York.
One story has him being checked out by paramedics before the Congress show. Only to fall ill during it as well.
He left in a limo though, not an ambulance.
In response to Sepctrum, that is the way the Congress has always looked: very shallow balcony.
I met the daughter of one of 2 original Congress Theater projectionists, yesterday at my aunt’s nursing home. I’m going to quiz her about stories & maybe some pictures at a later date. Her dad was Fred Galluzzo. The 2nd was a man named Sam, whose last name she couldn’t recall. They used to drop their dad at work, so they could keep the car for the day.
David: I curated an exhibit for the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival this year on historic cinematic architecture. I would love to be put in touch with the projectionist’s daughter if possible or, at least, hear some of those stories – maybe snag a picture or two!
WBEZ’s Lee Bey blogs about the Congress Theater here.
The Congress Theater made the Chicago news today after a young woman, unable to enter the theatre for a concert on New Years' Eve due to lack of proper ID, was the victim of a violent crime. The crime may or may not result in investigations concerning security issues for the venue.
A great photo of the Congress under construction in 1925 can be seen here.
Some great photos from 2000 are here
The Congress Theater in the news again, from today’s Chicago Tribune