Chicago loses a theater

Posted: 3/27/10 at 9:44am

At least it's the worst one:

"The lakefront Arie Crown Theater, where Chicagoans once swooned over Yul Brynner, jammed with Earth, Wind & Fire, and more recently packed the house for comedian Mike Epps, is pulling the plug on public entertainment, starting in September, as part of efforts to cut costs at struggling McCormick Place.

The enormous civic theater will continue to host the occasional private event tied to a trade show or meeting at the exhibition complex. But the theater's public shows will cease for at least a couple of years as part of a bigger move to trim expenses at the Lakeside Center, the oldest of the four McCormick Place halls, which houses the theater."

I saw the original tour of Jesus Christ Superstar there way back in the day. It seemed like the most glamorous place in the world then.
Arie Crown closes

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 9:49am

I remember when it first opened, along with a much smaller theater in the same complex (which was immediately nicknamed the Stuffy Crown).

This is where the Oscar Brown Jr musical Kicks & Co. played - huge flop that never made it to Broadway, but much of the terrific score appears on Brown's recordings.

[purtynpynk]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 10:30am

I've never seen a show there. I do remember "The Color Purple" being there when Fantasia was on it, and then her being sick and having to hear about it on the news about getting refunds, but I don't remember there being much theater there in recent years. Maybe I'm wrong.

[jpbran]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 9:05pm

Nice memories from some aside, I never thought it was the best theater for a Broadway-type show... ok for trade shows, etc. I saw "Evita" -- and something else I can't remember -- and it's just not conducive for ANY kind of intimacy with or connection to the show. I remember it as kinda cold and cavernous...

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 10:16pm

Judy Garland's last concert in Chicago was at the Arie Crown Theater on May 7th, 1965. By all reports, it was a great concert, although Judy dropped lyrics in 6 of the 18 songs and had trouble with some of the high notes.

Garland chronicler John Fricke was there and remebered: What also helped the evening was Judy's humor throughout. When she dropped several lines in her opening "My Kind of Town," she rhetorically asked, "How many lyrics can you miss?" and suggested that she from then on read all her songs (indicating imaginary cue cards draped from the balcony rail) or "just sing Over the Rainbow all the time!" During When You're Smiling, she got snarled mid-verse on the line "When a cop walks up and hands you a subpoena" and immediately cracked, "They've handed enough of them to me!"

Here is that performance of "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2Z_bU7WeI





Kup's Column
Chicago Sun-Times

Judy may miss a high note here and there, but she still is a showman par excellence, as she revealed at McCormick Place. The Garland legion gave her a standing ovation.



Judy's Improved, But Is It Enough?
Chicago Tribune

Judy Garland was back in Arie Crown Theater last night for the first time in two and one half years. Several hundred fewer of her admirers were on hand this time, possibly because of a 10 o'clock curtain, possibly because it didn't take much memory jogging to recall that earlier visit, when Miss Garland remembered very few songs and lost her voice midway in the evening. This time things were somewhat improved. Loudspeakers banked the stage on either side so the performers could hear each other. Miss Garland was in no particular vocal difficulty during the portions of the show we heard, although she is not the singer she was. And there were touches of the old magic in the songs she managed to get thru -- WHAT NOW MY LOVE, the ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE MEDLEY, and HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS. For her fans, as usual, she could do no wrong. The ritual clapping as familiar songs were paraded in the overture, the standing ovation at her entrance, newly slim in turquoise trimmed with mink, the indulgent applause as she found her way after each memory slip from the opening of MY KIND OF TOWN to THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT as we left -- all testify to her continuing way with audiences, and the power of the underdog psychology. But how long can even a Judy get away with starting SWANEE while the orchestra is playing SAN FRANCISCO? To open the evening there were Chris and Peter Allen, a pair of versatile, mobile Australians who played guitar and piano while doing the limbo, danced a gymnastic kangaroo twist and a soft shoe HELLO DOLLY, and sang all the while. Mort Lindsey was the often psychic orchestra leader.



Variety

Judy Garland's performance in the 5,000 seat Arie Crown Theater (90% filled) exemplified the strange mysticism that Miss Garland shares with her followers. It is not something that easily lends itself to rational explanation, but the electricity and adoration of her following is not unlike the fabled ninth inning home run that wins the ball game for the local team. Miss Garland's tendency to forget lyrics had little effect on a turn that was home free before it began. The audience seemed to dwell on every nervous motion, smile and frown that is part and parcel of a complex and dynamic entertainer. The two part show began at 10 p.m., apparently to give out-of-towners sufficient time to come in for it. Miss Garland wore a blue floor length gown of silk with a mink trimmed jacket for the first part, later changing to a slacks outfit in white with a red and silver striped jacket. For show's first half, she did eight numbers which included a rocking WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS and a rousing SAN FRANCISCO. Hilights of that second semester were tunes associated with Miss Garland such as THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY, TROLLEY SONG and OVER THE RAINBOW. The Allen Bros., two zealous Australian imports, sing, dance, play guitar and piano in an engaging 18 minutes. They have a good harmonic quality and a slick well-presented act. They sang a forceful LA BOMBA, did a soft-shoe shuffle of HELLO DOLLY, and an exciting DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE. Show ran one hour and 35 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Orchestra under the direction of Mort Lindsey, gave superb backing, and lighting effects were consistently appropriate.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 10:18pm

Frank Sinatra played the Arie Crown two months later. Here is his rendition of "Hello, Dolly":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AZMqkgiFO4

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 3/27/10 at 11:40pm

I have lived in Chicago pretty much all my life and have to say I have never seen a show at the Arie Crown. I was told by many people that it was a barn of a theatre with terrible acoustics. With most big shows playing in theatres that are actually in the Theatre District, I don't think this will be missed much.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/28/10 at 1:16am

I have been to Chicago many times & have never seen it.

Chicago has lost a ton of eye popping georgeous theaters over the years. The Loop has been decimated especially with the loss of the United Artists. Thank God the Oriental & Chicago were spared.

[Heather79]

Posted: 3/28/10 at 6:27am

And one more theater that closes... No matters it was a good one or not, Art is still weakened at the end. Very sad.

[chiuptown]

Posted: 3/28/10 at 7:26am

It was a big barn, and known as such. Knowing that, whenever I bought tickets for a performance there (tour of Sweeney Todd w/ Angela, Timbuktu, w/ Eartha- and more), I took that in to account and was never really dissatisfied- though I would have much preferred seeing said production in a loop theatre.
Updated On: 3/28/10 at 07:26 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 3/28/10 at 1:18pm

It's a big ugly barn. Sweeney Todd was the only show I ever saw there that had a big enough set to "somewhat" fill the stage.

The smaller theatre in McCormick Place was the short-lived "Drury Lane East". At one point there was also Drury Lane South (the original in Evergreen Park, now gone, replaced by Wal-Mart), Drury Lane North (now Marriott Lincolnshire), Drury Lane Water Tower Place (originally an in-the-round space, then converted to movie theatres, now back as a proscenium theatre), and Drury Lane Oakbrook, which is enjoying great success currently.

[deanne81762]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 12:44am

Chicago has been hit very hard during this "economic downturn" and I'm not surprised to see Arie Crown close. I'm afraid the Chicago Theater may be next. Banana Speel (sp?) didn't exactly fill the place up. Not that anyone cares but my High School graduation was actually held at Arie Crown. Nice to know I was on the same stage as Judy and Frank!

[jessica0414]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 11:30am

^ that is pretty cool! I vaguely remember seeing The Nutcracker a few times at the Arie Crown when I was younger.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 11:50am

I'm sorry, but, the thought of the Chicago theatre closing any time soon is laughable at best... Just because one show didn't sell very well doesn't mean anything really, especially for such an iconic theatre. Just go onto their website, and look at all of their upcoming events, and all of the big names that are coming. And, if the theatre did announce for some strange reason that they were going to close I'm pretty sure Chicago wouldn't let that happen. Hell, BIC could probably purchase it on the off chance that they went under.

Posted: 3/30/10 at 12:07pm

Chicago Theater ain't going under. If one flop could shut down a theater, The Gershwin would have been gone years ago.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 6:05pm

Oh, the memories! Lauren Bacall, who was playing in WOMAN OF THE YEAR at the Arie Crown at the time, once made a pass at me in her dressing room and told me I made her heart flutter (it was probably gas).




Patty Hewes
NYC, NY

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 6:31pm

A truly hideous building.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/30/10 at 7:35pm

The Chicago Theater is not closing anytime soon.

Too much money was spent renovating it. It has a great location & is a name brand. Ditto for the Oriental. Unfortunately, almost everything else in the Loop is gone.

[Jon]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:25am

Broadway in Chicago doesn't want The Chicago Theatre (and doesn't usually book shows there) because the stage is not deep enough to house the sets of most touring musicals. It is a venue best suited for concerts.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 6:33pm

Is it true that when they renovated the Chicago they took out the orchestra pit.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 6:51pm

I've heard that the stage isn't deep enough from many people, but I still don't buy it. Didn't Joseph, and Beauty and the Beast play there. And Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was scheduled to play there. But, I don't know anything about the sets for those shows, so I could just be blowing hot air.

[paddy]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 7:02pm

I'm glad it's closing it's an awful space maybe
they can make better use of the Chicago theatre

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 3/31/10 at 9:08pm

I hated this theatre and had long ago stopped even considering an option in the theatre world.

I agree that the Chicago Theatre isn't closing anytime soon but I would love to see them get something more long running.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 4/1/10 at 12:12am

I was sworn into the bar at the Arie Crown! The only time that I ever set foot there!

We have many great spaces in the Loop that are underused!