Portage Theater facts for kids
|
Portage Park Theater
|
|
Portage Theater
|
|
| Address | 4050 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60641 United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°57′15″N 87°44′54″W / 41.954192°N 87.748371°W |
| Type | Performing Arts Center |
| Capacity | 2250 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | December 11, 1920 |
| Closed | 2001 |
| Reopened | 2006 |
| Architect | Lindley Phelps Rowe |
| Website | |
| http://portagetheatergroup.com/portage-theater-chicago// | |
The Portage Theater is one of Chicago's oldest movie theaters. It is located in the Portage Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The theater first opened its doors on December 11, 1920. It was originally known as the Portage Park Theatre.
Contents
The History of the Portage Theater
Building a Movie Palace
The Portage Theater was built for the Ascher Brothers company. It had 1,938 seats when it first opened. This theater was special because it was the first one in the area made just for showing movies. Before this, many theaters showed vaudeville acts, which were live stage shows.
Design and Style Changes
The inside of the Portage Theater was designed to look like a fancy opera house. This style is called Beaux-Arts architecture. In 1940, a company called Balaban and Katz took over the theater. They updated the entrance and lobby. They changed the style to Art Deco, which was very popular then. This new look matched other cool Art Deco buildings nearby.
From Old Movies to New Life
The Portage Theater was a popular spot in the neighborhood for many years. In the 1960s, it started showing "second-run" movies. These were films that had already been shown in bigger theaters. Later, in the 1980s, the theater was changed. A wall was built inside, making it into two smaller movie rooms.
The theater closed in 2001 after being open off and on for a few years. But it didn't stay closed for long! After five years, the Portage Theater was fixed up and reopened in 2006. It became a single-screen theater again, with over 1,300 seats. It now shows classic movies and hosts live events.
What's Happening at the Portage Theater Today?
Home for Silent Films and Festivals
Today, the historic Portage Theater is a special place for movie lovers. It is the home of the Silent Film Society of Chicago. This group helps keep silent movies alive. The theater also hosts the Chicago Silent Film Festival. Parts of the Chicago Polish Film Festival are held there too.
A Movie Set Location
The Portage Theater has even been a movie star itself! In May 2008, parts of the movie Public Enemies were filmed inside the theater. This movie was about a famous bank robber from the 1930s, John Dillinger. The Portage Theater was used to look like another famous theater, the Biograph Theater.
