CIBC Theatre
18 W. Monroe Street,
Chicago,
IL
60603
18 W. Monroe Street,
Chicago,
IL
60603
18 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 83 comments
On June 5, 1946, the Shubert Theater was ordered closed by the Chicago Fire Commissioner for violation of fire regulations. The theater did not have a required electric pump on their sprinkler system. (The theater had ordered it but had yet to be delivered.)
THSA has files on some live houses, but for the most part it is not as extensive as the movie houses since that was not its initial focus. Something like the Majestic would probably be on-file.
In 1913, Edison demonstrated a talking pictures invention at the Majestic. Another special presentation of dancers in a film was held in December of that year. I found one reference to it showing films before its vaudeville programs for a little while starting September 1927. This could not have lasted long, because it quit the vaudeville policy by the end of that year and was only open sporadically after 1931. Plans were announced in 1933 to reopen it by the Monroe-State theater company (operators of the Roxy in Franklin, IN, and houses in Kokomo, IN, Peru, IN, and Ottawa, IL) This operated for about a year until Jones, Linick, and Schaefer took over the lease. This did not pan out, and the Majestic remained closed for 11 years before reopening as the Shubert on September 19, 1945
It’s always worth a try, the folks at Theatre Historical Society are very knowledgable. Good luck.
Does anyone know when they ever screened films here? I always remember it as live theater. I would be interested to see history and photos of the Erlanger and Great Northern as well. Does anyone know if the THSA archives data on live stage theaters in addition to movie houses? Thanks in advance.
Shubert, like the showmen; not Schubert, like the composer.
My dentist, Doc Schwartz, was the first trumpet in the Orchestra of the Schubert Theater and played with it for many seasons (over 20, I would think), retiring, I think, with “Hello Dolly.” He was feted during that run and the cast attended the party.
He told me stories of his trumpeting days (his first love). His family wanted the children all to become professionals so he chose to become a dentist but still played trumpet secondarily, on radio broadcasts beginning in the ‘20s (with studio bands or as a soloist closing the broadcast night out after the music feeds ended from NY). I asked him if he had his own sheet music then and he said, “sheet music?” They were jazz musicians! His office was on the north side at Lawrence and Damen, but he grew up on the south side and he and his friends would steal out of their parents tenement apts and flats late at night to crawl along parapets and L sidings and other rooflines to reach the fire escape of the big (Savoy?) ballroom and lift the windows, or even climb in and sit way up in the rafters, to hear the great jazz musicians play, after whom they would pattern themselves and teach themselves; that being the way they set their own standards. He told me he heard King Oliver and (adding with disdain, as to virtuoso skill) his “insignificant” second trumpet, Louis Armstrong. (In musicology it is my understanding even Mr. Armstrong did not classify himself at the level of King Oliver.)
I saw “Hello Dolly” at the Schubert. I am not sure if I saw “Fiddler on the Roof” there or elsewhere. In high school I and some friends were offered the opportunity to be ushers for Flower Drum Song (probably late 1961-63) and then view it for free. I think that was at the Schubert, but am not certain. After accepting our assignments and heading way up a long, narrow stairwell to the top balcony where we were to work, as we reached the last part of the upper stairwell, one of my two friends told me she suffered from “vertigo” and couldn’t go on, which caused my curtness to rise to the occasion. I was accused of being unsympathetic.
Perhaps, if it hasn’t been renamed yet from its corporate moniker, it might be given a name representing continuity from its past into its future.
Some research has indicated that Rapp’s involvement may have been limited to the elaborately themed and now lost mens and women’s lounges
Here is a better scan of the Majestic Bar’s interior. Again, this is now the ticket lobby.
Although the merger has been ongoing since April, Lasalle Bank is now officially part of Bank of America and will soon be rebranded accordingly; presumably, the theater will follow suit. Let’s all hope it becomes the Bank of America Majestic Theatre.
“Citi Wang” would be bad enough, but “Wang Citi” would be even worse…
It can only look better than it did before. Verty depressing place when i sat there in the mid 90s.
Yes it does i was thinking right along thoes lines !!! LOL
My question is this is their some one involved in the planing or the nameing pros. that looks at what the name will be?
So that situations like this would not happen?
Also can you invision CITI-WANG THEATRE emblazened across a marquee or up on a vert. sign ? LOL
Thank you for you time and have a good day :)
Chicagoins cheer up! It could be worse in Boston the glorious Metropolitan Th. first became the Wang Center to salute the computor corporation who greatly helped with the renovation. Now, the theatre is becoming the Citi-Wang Theatre to honor the Citi Bank which has given money, it sounds like the title of a porno film, Citi-Wang!
Tonight on WBEZ Radio (NPR in Chicago) I heard that the Bank of Scotland is also interested in acquiring LaSalle Bank. What would the theatre be called then?
“Gee dad it was a WurliTzer!”
G. Feret, I don’t know how much help this is, but MY FAIR LADY was not released until October 21, 1964.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is CINERAMA!”
With yesterday’s announcement that Bank of America will be acquiring LaSalle Bank, it looks like this theater will get another new name…
Thank goodness for this renovation or whatever you want to call it but at least it looks like a theatre again. The Shubert and the Golden Gate in San Francisco are the most depressing theatres to see a show! Now lets get The Gate looking grand again!
They have to call it the LASALLE BANK THEATER; is it a bank, or a theater; a theater or a bank, etc. 2 mints in one!
The description says it sometimes played films. This jogs my memory that MY FAIR LADY was road-showed there (1963). Si? No?
Here are photos of this theater.
The building has just been dramatically cleaned and had its Terra Cotta repaired. The scaffolding is down and it looks wonderful, aside from that silly marquee.
Here is a postcard view of the Majestic building.
Here is an early interior view of the Majestic Bar, which is the space that was recently incorporated into the lobby as a lounge and box office. All of it is gone now except the ceiling, but it seems that nobody realized even that was there until the restoration started.
Thank You for the information i will have it look in to the Studerbaker/Playhouse theatre.
I know that what is now the “Artest`s cafe” was whare the Studerbaker showroom was that is why the buld. is called the Sudebaker Buld.
And on the corner of Michigan/Vanburen i think that is some kind of private club. that was the sight of the 1st art instute, then they moved it to the present lo cal. Whare the Art Instute sits now was a structure theat was the setting for a Opera fest.
Witch was how the Auditorium Theatre came to be the Opera Company had no real home and a man named F.Peck came up with the idea for the theatre.
And here we are to day.
But i will check out the Studebaker/playhouse.
Thank you for your time and space.:)
That is strange. I think the Studebaker/Playhouse theaters next to the auditorium would predate it as well. Maybe they just didn’t do their homework. The ticket scanners are really to avoid counterfeit tickets. That way, once a given barcode is scanned, they can be sure no one else comes in with a copy. It also lets people use print-at-home tickets, which are increasingly popular.