I was the last person inside of the Rialto Theater, and probably the only person of my generation (b. 1973) that can actually say I “knew it.” One day as demolition had already started I waited till the wreckers took a break, and walked up a back stairway into the auditorium. And just sat there taking it in. The Rialto was much more restrained than other “grand theaters” of the time. Decorated in soft colors, some pastels. The decoration on the plaster in the ceiling was images of fruit and cornucopias… very pastoral. Unfortunately, the Rialto was designed very poorly if someone had wanted to renovate it as a performing arts center. The auditorium was cock-eyed, and the stage sat in a corner. The stage was quite small, as the main attraction at the Rialto was motion pictures. The proscenium was large enough and the stage was large enough that plays could have been produced there. But there were very little in terms of dressing room facilities. In order to have made it into a performing arts center they would have had to have used the space in the parking lot next door (where the Cooper Theater once sat) to building an extra building on the back for dressing rooms. It was a beautiful theater that had logistical problems.
I didn’t take any pictures. I intended to, but the neighborhood appeared so threatening that I didn’t feel it was wise to get out of the car, even in broad daylight.
Went and saw the Palace today. There is absolutely nothing remotely repairable about that building. Multiple trees growing out of the walls and roof. The whole place looks like it is about to collapse into a heap.
The original auditorium was so completely destroyed by water damage by the time they restored it, that there was no chance of actually restoring it. There were several tons of ruined ornamental plaster hauled out of there by guys with masks on before they could even begin to work in there.
Question for everyone. I am visiting in the Chicago area, and would like to go and see the Palace Theater. How safe is it to go into the neighborhood during the daytime? Or am I taking my life into my hands?
I was the last person inside of the Rialto Theater, and probably the only person of my generation (b. 1973) that can actually say I “knew it.” One day as demolition had already started I waited till the wreckers took a break, and walked up a back stairway into the auditorium. And just sat there taking it in. The Rialto was much more restrained than other “grand theaters” of the time. Decorated in soft colors, some pastels. The decoration on the plaster in the ceiling was images of fruit and cornucopias… very pastoral. Unfortunately, the Rialto was designed very poorly if someone had wanted to renovate it as a performing arts center. The auditorium was cock-eyed, and the stage sat in a corner. The stage was quite small, as the main attraction at the Rialto was motion pictures. The proscenium was large enough and the stage was large enough that plays could have been produced there. But there were very little in terms of dressing room facilities. In order to have made it into a performing arts center they would have had to have used the space in the parking lot next door (where the Cooper Theater once sat) to building an extra building on the back for dressing rooms. It was a beautiful theater that had logistical problems.
I didn’t take any pictures. I intended to, but the neighborhood appeared so threatening that I didn’t feel it was wise to get out of the car, even in broad daylight.
Went and saw the Palace today. There is absolutely nothing remotely repairable about that building. Multiple trees growing out of the walls and roof. The whole place looks like it is about to collapse into a heap.
So Trolleyguy, you’re saying there’s no way of going in and going through it?
The original auditorium was so completely destroyed by water damage by the time they restored it, that there was no chance of actually restoring it. There were several tons of ruined ornamental plaster hauled out of there by guys with masks on before they could even begin to work in there.
Question for everyone. I am visiting in the Chicago area, and would like to go and see the Palace Theater. How safe is it to go into the neighborhood during the daytime? Or am I taking my life into my hands?
The Picture Show burnt down in a three alarm fire in September of 2011