Congress Theater
2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60647
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 72 comments found
City’s Liquor Control Commission moves to revoke liquor license. Carranza says he’ll appeal, but he is also mulling a sale of the theater. DNAInfo story here.
New charges. Liquor license in jeopardy:
http://chicagoist.com/2013/01/21/bad_behavior_of_congress_theater_se.php
One of these days Carranza is going to run out of luck.
Good article, sums up the whole rotten mess really good, I would'nt want that guy living next door to me!
Chicagoist named “Drama at the Congress and Portage Theaters” one of its top stories of 2012.
From today’s Chicagoist “Congress Theater Owner Defaults on Bank Loan”
Here is a recent close-up view of the ornate terra-cotta facade of the Congress.
It’s nice to see the building is going to be renovated. Regarding the Portage: I seriously doubt the seats would be kept. Every converted old theater in the city that I am aware of removed them from the main floor.
I REMEMBER GOING TO TO CONGRESS JUST 1 TIME IN 1968 MY DAD TOOK ME TO SEE A CHRISTMAS MOVIE ,,I REMEMBER SANTA CLAUSE IN IT ,,THATS IT,, MY DAD USE TO GO SEE THE OLD SPAGHETTE WESTERS THERE ,,SOMETIME AFTER THAT IT TURNED INTO TO THE MEXICO THEATER,,
I would only be against them taking over the Portage, if they insist on removing the seats. The neighborhood is still a movie going clientele. One of the main reasons there was such opposition to the church. If they remove the seats to make it a concert venue only, it will be the same as if the church had taken it over anyway. There will be no way to run classic films or staged events without seats.
In other Congress Theater news, the Congress will be undergoing a renovation beginning this fall according to this article.
According to this article in the Chicagoist, the owners of the Congress may be interested in purchasing the Portage Theater.
The Congress Theater in the news again, from today’s Chicago Tribune
Some great photos from 2000 are here
A great photo of the Congress under construction in 1925 can be seen 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.
WBEZ’s Lee Bey blogs about the Congress Theater here.
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!
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.
In response to Sepctrum, that is the way the Congress has always looked: very shallow balcony.
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.
From those recent photos it looks like the shelf balcony has been removed.
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A 4/20 Wurlitzer was installed in the theatre in 1926
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