I agree with you that the Rialto is notable but keep in mind that the thrust of my mention of that venue was not to compare theaters but to give direction as to how the funding and renovation might be achieved.
Irrespective of the Rialto’s venue, the machinery used to affect the success there might be looked into for possible parallel applications to seize a similar opportunity in application to Chicago’s Uptown.
The Rialto’s venue is obviously not the same as Chicago’s uptown in physical size however, it is competitive in its ornate collage compilation of culture of its day and European representations. A news excerpt found in http://www.rialtosquare.com/vision_takes_form.asp puts the intent of venue into its proper context:
“When the doors of the new Rialto open tomorrow, Joliet will have one of the finest theaters in the United States, as experts say there is nothing to compare with it in any city of similar size, and it stands on even terms with the modern motion picture palaces of Chicago and New York.
Joliet Sunday Herald News May 23, 1926"
Seeing the Uptown’s internal design I would say the Rialto in Joliet is “on even terms with the modern motion picture palaces of Chicago and New York.” of those days and times. The very ornate French, Greek, Roman and Byzantine architectural details and fixtures of the Joliet Rialto are in my observation equal to if not greater than that found in the Uptown.
The Uptown’s Spanish baroque and Renaissance style is decidedly a different kind of ornamentation. Beauty, in this case, is perhaps in the eye and appreciation of the beholder!
Of notable difference is that the Uptown is physically larger. It is a little over twice the seating capacity of the Joliet Rialto however, if the Rialto was similarly sized proportionately to the Uptown with its concentration of detail I believe the Uptown detail would hands down pale if not be hard pressed in comparison!
The script in the Rialto site: http://www.rialtosquare.com/palace_for_the_people.asp
attests to its highly competitive design especially due to the architecture it is similar to or mirroring:
“The esplanade, or inner lobby, is designed after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France. The arch between the esplanade and rotunda area has been carefully copied from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In the center is the head of the goddess Athena.
To the upper right of the arch is a symbolic bas-relief, in the form of a dragon, entitled “Labor Fighting the Evils of Today.” On the left side is “Man’s Labor,” showing the harvesting of wheat.
The elegant rotunda is surrounded by 18 Corinthian-style columns, and surmounted by a dome very similar to the Pantheon in Rome. The suspended eight-arm crystal chandelier, the “Duchess,” bronze giant of some 200 fixtures, is 20 feet long with 250 lights. The large prisms are of the Marie Therese cut which was popular during the Rococo period.
Draperies throughout the theatre were of the early Dufour period. Encircling the rotunda in full view, is the Goddess of the Eastern Star."
The Uptown’s front outdoor facade pales in comparison to the Rialto’s grand niche that rises to 100' 1" with its columns at its front entrance!
Illinois Great Places http://www.illinoisgreatplaces.com/ sums the Rialto up further:
“The "Rubens Rialto Wonder Theatre” was designed by nationally prominent theater architects, Rapp & Rapp. The sumptuous ornamentation throughout and the scale and beauty of the many lobbies was unusual for a theatre in a town the size of Joliet. A variety of classical and more exotic ornament graces the building’s exterior. On the interior, the inner lobby was based on the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France. The archway dividing it and the rotunda was based on the Arc de Triomphe. The rotunda itself was based on the Pantheon in Rome. As with many of the great theaters of the 20’s and 30’s the Joliet Rialto Theatre was a place where the average person could walk through a “palace.” The Rialto, like some other AIA Great Places, such as the State Park lodges, reflects the increase in recreational opportunities available to the middle class between the world wars. As architect George L. Rapp [1878 – 1949] stated about his theaters: “Here is a shrine to democracy where there are no privileged patrons. The wealthy rub elbows with the poor” The Rialto was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978"
I would like to see a similar representation of intent and grandeur that the Uptown is designed to emulate for an offset comparison. The Uptown appears to me to be a more original collage of Spanish baroque and Renaissance style without the historical associations of specific historical European architecture as are found in Joliet’s Rialto!
None-the-less not to preserve similarly the Uptown in its per se venue would certainly be a tragic loss to architecture’s heritage and mankind.
A tip for those of you not familiar with undesignated zoom features in this tour and on your computer…
You can use the pinch gesture and the expand gesture on your mouse pad to zoom in or out respectively but apparently ONLY in FULL SCREEN MODE. FULL SCREEN MODE is achieved by clicking on the square in the lower left part of the screen! It is slow so be sure to be patient!
Here is an update link to the dead links,(they revamped their website and code and did not set up a referrer link!),I listed back in May to the Joliet Rialto another Rapp & Rapp design for those interested and motivational incentive for the Uptown restoration to see what the Rialto did…
The Rialto Story: http://www.rialtosquare.com/history.asp
Here are some links to the Joliet Rialto another Rapp & Rapp design for those interested and motivitational incentive for the Uptown restoration to see what the Rialto did…
I did a little exploring and found little so far on the Orpheum in Joliet Illinois but did find some and contributed some info relevant to my last paragraph in the comment above …
I remember it being used for local theater troupes back as late as 1966 – 1967.
Some of my Senior friends from Joliet Central High School were in the play “Arsenic and Old Lace”. That was the last I recall of any activity down there.
Also, I believe it was the First National Bank that set up a drive through facility there after the Orpheum was taken down.
Sad to see that era of theaters disappear.
At least the Rialto was restored. I wonder what happened to the Princess that was down the street a block south of the Rialto and of course the Mode just off Chicago Street west on Van Buren. I think the Mode was still there a few years ago back in the mid to late 90’s for special uses.
Compare the two theaters for yourselves folks. Do a search in your favorite search engine" “joliet rialto pictures”.
A note to especially “paullewis”:
I agree with you that the Rialto is notable but keep in mind that the thrust of my mention of that venue was not to compare theaters but to give direction as to how the funding and renovation might be achieved.
Irrespective of the Rialto’s venue, the machinery used to affect the success there might be looked into for possible parallel applications to seize a similar opportunity in application to Chicago’s Uptown.
The Rialto’s venue is obviously not the same as Chicago’s uptown in physical size however, it is competitive in its ornate collage compilation of culture of its day and European representations. A news excerpt found in http://www.rialtosquare.com/vision_takes_form.asp puts the intent of venue into its proper context:
“When the doors of the new Rialto open tomorrow, Joliet will have one of the finest theaters in the United States, as experts say there is nothing to compare with it in any city of similar size, and it stands on even terms with the modern motion picture palaces of Chicago and New York.
Joliet Sunday Herald News
May 23, 1926"
Seeing the Uptown’s internal design I would say the Rialto in Joliet is “on even terms with the modern motion picture palaces of Chicago and New York.” of those days and times. The very ornate French, Greek, Roman and Byzantine architectural details and fixtures of the Joliet Rialto are in my observation equal to if not greater than that found in the Uptown.
The Uptown’s Spanish baroque and Renaissance style is decidedly a different kind of ornamentation. Beauty, in this case, is perhaps in the eye and appreciation of the beholder!
Of notable difference is that the Uptown is physically larger. It is a little over twice the seating capacity of the Joliet Rialto however, if the Rialto was similarly sized proportionately to the Uptown with its concentration of detail I believe the Uptown detail would hands down pale if not be hard pressed in comparison!
The script in the Rialto site: http://www.rialtosquare.com/palace_for_the_people.asp attests to its highly competitive design especially due to the architecture it is similar to or mirroring:
“The esplanade, or inner lobby, is designed after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France. The arch between the esplanade and rotunda area has been carefully copied from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In the center is the head of the goddess Athena.
To the upper right of the arch is a symbolic bas-relief, in the form of a dragon, entitled “Labor Fighting the Evils of Today.” On the left side is “Man’s Labor,” showing the harvesting of wheat.
The elegant rotunda is surrounded by 18 Corinthian-style columns, and surmounted by a dome very similar to the Pantheon in Rome. The suspended eight-arm crystal chandelier, the “Duchess,” bronze giant of some 200 fixtures, is 20 feet long with 250 lights. The large prisms are of the Marie Therese cut which was popular during the Rococo period.
Draperies throughout the theatre were of the early Dufour period. Encircling the rotunda in full view, is the Goddess of the Eastern Star."
The Uptown’s front outdoor facade pales in comparison to the Rialto’s grand niche that rises to 100' 1" with its columns at its front entrance!
Illinois Great Places http://www.illinoisgreatplaces.com/ sums the Rialto up further:
“The "Rubens Rialto Wonder Theatre” was designed by nationally prominent theater architects, Rapp & Rapp. The sumptuous ornamentation throughout and the scale and beauty of the many lobbies was unusual for a theatre in a town the size of Joliet. A variety of classical and more exotic ornament graces the building’s exterior. On the interior, the inner lobby was based on the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in France. The archway dividing it and the rotunda was based on the Arc de Triomphe. The rotunda itself was based on the Pantheon in Rome. As with many of the great theaters of the 20’s and 30’s the Joliet Rialto Theatre was a place where the average person could walk through a “palace.” The Rialto, like some other AIA Great Places, such as the State Park lodges, reflects the increase in recreational opportunities available to the middle class between the world wars. As architect George L. Rapp [1878 – 1949] stated about his theaters: “Here is a shrine to democracy where there are no privileged patrons. The wealthy rub elbows with the poor” The Rialto was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978"
I would like to see a similar representation of intent and grandeur that the Uptown is designed to emulate for an offset comparison. The Uptown appears to me to be a more original collage of Spanish baroque and Renaissance style without the historical associations of specific historical European architecture as are found in Joliet’s Rialto!
None-the-less not to preserve similarly the Uptown in its per se venue would certainly be a tragic loss to architecture’s heritage and mankind.
P.S.: …
A tip for those of you not familiar with undesignated zoom features in this tour and on your computer…
You can use the pinch gesture and the expand gesture on your mouse pad to zoom in or out respectively but apparently ONLY in FULL SCREEN MODE. FULL SCREEN MODE is achieved by clicking on the square in the lower left part of the screen! It is slow so be sure to be patient!
SMH
8:57 PM CDT
9-5-2011
… And by the way just click or tap on that title rectangle that is plastered in the center of the picture and it will disappear! Bummer!
SMH
7:18PM CDT
9-5-2011
“Best of all” take a look at the virtual tour! Just noticed it myself!!!
http://360comesalive.com/gallery02/RialtoSquareTheatre/
Enjoy even more!
SMH
7:03PM CDT
9-5-2011
Here is an update link to the dead links,(they revamped their website and code and did not set up a referrer link!),I listed back in May to the Joliet Rialto another Rapp & Rapp design for those interested and motivational incentive for the Uptown restoration to see what the Rialto did…
The Rialto Story: http://www.rialtosquare.com/history.asp
Enjoy!
SMH
5:51 PM CDT
9-5-2011
Here are some links to the Joliet Rialto another Rapp & Rapp design for those interested and motivitational incentive for the Uptown restoration to see what the Rialto did…
> Rialto Restored …
View link
> The Visionaries …
View link
> Rubens Rialto Wonder Theatre …
View link
> Palace For The People …
View link
> Rialto’s Past & Future …
View link
Enjoy!
SMH
9:35 PM CDT
5-1-2011
Dick,
See this site’s entry for the Lee…
/theaters/24034/
I did a little exploring and found little so far on the Orpheum in Joliet Illinois but did find some and contributed some info relevant to my last paragraph in the comment above …
The Princess Theater in Joliet:
/theaters/7082/
The Mode Theater in Joliet:
/theaters/7081/
and photos of the Rialto as well:
View link
and
View link
SMH 3:53 PM CDT 5-1-2011
I remember it being used for local theater troupes back as late as 1966 – 1967.
Some of my Senior friends from Joliet Central High School were in the play “Arsenic and Old Lace”. That was the last I recall of any activity down there.
Also, I believe it was the First National Bank that set up a drive through facility there after the Orpheum was taken down.
Sad to see that era of theaters disappear.
At least the Rialto was restored. I wonder what happened to the Princess that was down the street a block south of the Rialto and of course the Mode just off Chicago Street west on Van Buren. I think the Mode was still there a few years ago back in the mid to late 90’s for special uses.
Scott M. Huber
8:14 PM CDT
4-28-2011