Apollo Fine Arts & Entertainment Centre
311 Main Street,
Peoria,
IL
61602
311 Main Street,
Peoria,
IL
61602
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I recently found this website for the Apollo Theater Peoria. It says, “COMING SPRING OF 2024… The Apollo Theater Sessions offers an intimate and unforgettable musical experience far from the mainstream scene. These are raw, stripped-down performances from real musicians, right here in Peoria; bringing you up-close and personal with our local hidden talent, as well as touring artists/musicians/bands, in hopes of bringing the theater back to life with live music, comedy, and many more events to come!” There are several really nice interior photos of the theater along with a brief history of the theater.
1958 photo added credit Peoria Public Library.
1955 photo added, photo credit Peoria Public Library.
Dead website link. Show info available by using phone#
(This is not an attack) According to Jim Rankin’s post in Sept. of 04, The Apollo Theater is the only other theater attributed to architect Frederick Klein but that would not be true. The Peoria’s Madison Theater, currently awaiting restoration, was also designed by Klein in 1921 and is an almost exact duplicate of the 1916 Circle Theater in Indianapolis, IN.
Here’s a nice shot of the Apollo:
View link
The current incarnation is indeed a small venue utilizing the old balcony space. No original exterior facade features exist and the interior space is a totally contemporary design.
The present theater space, as I understand it, is the old balcony space and part of the auditorium, the ground floor and stage having been destroyed, and now seats 160.
According to the book “The CORONADO THEATRE, Rockford’s Crown Jewel” the APOLLO is only one among a group designed by Peoria architect Frederic J. Klein. Others in Peoria by him are/were: HIPPODROME, DUCHESS, COLUMBIA, and the MADISON. He is also credited with the PRINCESS in Ottawa, Ill, not to mention the fabulous CORONADO in Rockford, for which alone his name should go down in history.