Skokie Theatre

Here are direct links again to the 1983 and `84 photos, credit American Classic Images website. Click on images in site to enlarge. (Previous 2009 link is dead.)

http://americanclassicimages.com/Search/IL849/txtSearch/Skokie

http://americanclassicimages.com/Search/IL850/txtSearch/Skokie

Gorilla Tango ended up letting MadKap Productions take over management of it back in April I recall. MadKap had originally bid against Gorilla Tango when it was for sale. The attached article below is from when MadKap first took over. But I think MadKap’s intention was to eventually purchase it from Gorilla Tango. Though I can’t find that original news story. I don’t know if MadKap owns it outright yet or not.

http://chicagostagestandard.com/reviews/theater-reviews/madkap-productions-takes-over-management-of-the-skokie-theatre/

And now Gorilla Tango might be selling the theater

http://skokie.patch.com/articles/is-skokie-s-gorilla-tango-theater-for-sale?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001

I’m sorry to see it close. Al Curtis & his crew did a great job trying to keep it versatile. I don’t know why the bank/owners would think it will look more viable to potential buyers, if it’s completely inactive. Defies logic really. Sell the sizzle, not the steak.

Since they knew they were keeping theater style seating, I think the renovation should have kept the old or newer projectors in place. So it could moonlight an an art house and run films on off nights. Like the old Varsity & Parkway used to.

Once they knew that they weren’t keeping them, the seating design should have been changed to one with tables or standing room by the stage like at Martyrs on Lincoln in the city. And removed the inclined floor. Strictly theater seating limited themselves and the venue to attracting younger acts and their followings. Or older tribute acts with crowds that could move about inside. Martyrs or the Vic is the best examples I can think of.

With a capacity of only 148 people, even at $25 a ticket for sell-outs, there’s not enough left to pay for bigger name talent. Add in virtually zero foot traffic, and you have an even bigger struggle.

I wish them all the best of luck.

Greetings ken mc. Neither link seems to work.
I tried accessing them from a couple different servers, to no avail.

Reactivate Notification Status.

The Skokie Theatre has had a virtually non-stop schedule in recent months. Singers, musicians & even plays such as Hizzoner.

Within the last year, The Village of Skokie has been working towards a plan to build a new CTA/Skokie Swift platform at Oakton Street & Skokie Blvd. Basically on the site where the was one originally. They were last trying to appropiate the land of an existing truck rental firm, to clear and create enough room for a Kiss & Ride stop as part of the new platform. In addition to helping the revitalization of downtown Skokie, this should help the Skokie Theatre as well.

Last year I believe they ran Charlie Chaplin films at the Skokie Theatre as part of the village’s Backlot Bash.

So some provisions must exist for it to again be able to show movies.

A hellhole! A long, narrow uncomfortable shoebox masquerading as a theater. Third in line behind the 3 Penny (a converted garage that was later cut in two) and the Lincoln Vallage 7 & 9 as Chicagoland’s worst theater. It was impossible to properly show an anamorphic film at the Skokie. I remember seeing “MASH” there. The opening title read “AS” on their fixed 1.85:1 screen. The only reason the place lasted as long as it has is because it’s cheap. You get what you pay for. A nightmare for purists.

A 1951 aerial view of the Skokie Theatre’s neighborhood can be seen here: View link

Skokie was originally called Niles Center. Per my above post, it was originally platted out in the circa 1910-1920. Although the real estate lots had been sold and the streets planned and named, the Depression of the 1930s killed this idea. World War II further delayed the development of Niles Center, which by that time was re-named Skokie. Even in the 1951 photo above, you can still observe a lot of vacabt kabd.

Hey guys,
The Skokie theatre was renovated by my mother, Ann Clark, who is an architect. She and my father are the principals of Nicholas Clark Architects, www.nicholasclarkarch.com The reason that the sign wasn’t restored how it was before renovation began is because the old sign had vinyl siding on the sides of it, it barely lit up, there was no “Skokie” lettering on top and the curve in the front of the signage was non-existent. Just so you know (Brian Wolf), it is completely in proportion with the building, you probably just aren’t used to the new curve on the sign. The sign has not been simplified; it is extremely close to how it originally looked (click the link to see the original marquee) View link Something had to be done with the theatre, now it has superb lighting and sound equipment and has been re-structured so that the space is acoustically correct. Come and see a show there some day, you will hear and see the difference. This project has benefited the Skokie theatre because now we know that it will not get knocked down for a long time.

It’s open now.

Well, this marquee IS plainer than the one they took down. They probably could have replicated the old one just as easily and added the lettering there. Also, notice they did not put back the long-missing neon on the facade on either side of the marquee. And the poster cases look different, too. See this photo. At least it wasn’t demolished, I guess, even if none of the 1913 building really survives. I’ll try to get a photo of the new marquee up shortly.

http://www.skokienet.org/centenn/ch4sec2.htm Has some background info on the early Essanay Westerns and the theater’s relationship.

Yeah, but they didn’t even replicate that accurately. It’s simplified from the old design, the proportions are off, and the neon on the sides is missing. You’d think that having the original it could have been replicated easily…