The Arie Crown Theater is a theater located inside McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. It opened in 1960 and has gone through several changes over the decades. Here is a look at the history and transformation of the Arie Crown Theater.
Opening and Early Years
The Arie Crown Theater first opened its doors in 1960 as part of the McCormick Place exhibition hall. It was built to host musicals, plays, graduations, and other events that needed a large theater venue. The theater was named after Material Services Corporation CEO Henry Crown’s youngest daughter, Arie Crown.
When it first opened, the Arie Crown Theater had a seating capacity of 4,200. Some of the earliest performances held at the theater included the Ice Capades, the Harlem Globetrotters, and Duke Ellington. The theater also hosted annual Chicago Auto Shows for many years.
Notable Early Performances
In addition to shows like the Ice Capades, some other notable performances and events held at the Arie Crown Theater in its early years included:
- 1961 – A speech by Eleanor Roosevelt
- 1964 – Performance by The Beatles
- 1966 – Performance by Judy Garland
- 1969 – Chicago Jazz Festival
The theater quickly became an important part of Chicago’s theater scene and hosted both local and major touring productions in its early days.
Renovations and Changes
Over the decades, the Arie Crown Theater has undergone some major renovations and changes. Here are some key points in the theater’s history:
Loss of Seating
In the 1970s, the seating capacity at Arie Crown was reduced to under 3,000 seats due to changes at McCormick Place. This significantly reduced the scale of productions able to use the theater.
1997 Renovation
In 1997, the Arie Crown Theater closed for a $7 million renovation project. This included installing a new sound system, new seating, new lighting, and other technological improvements. The renovation was completed in 1998.
21st Century Uses
In more recent years, the Arie Crown Theater has been used for some major events including:
- 2002 – MTV’s Total Request Live hosting
- 2008 – CNN/YouTube presidential debate
- 2012 – Obama reelection campaign rally
However, it has not been consistently utilized as a theater venue in the past couple of decades.
Current Status
Today, the Arie Crown Theater is still owned by McCormick Place and is occasionally used as an event venue. However, it is not regularly operating as a theater for productions and shows. Here are some key facts about its current status:
- Seating capacity is approximately 4,249
- Primarily used for corporate meetings, graduations, and private events
- Equipped with theatrical lighting and sound systems
- Managed by SMG as part of McCormick Place
While no longer Chicago’s premier theater venue, the Arie Crown Theater still remains an adaptable event space within McCormick Place.
Why Has Use Declined Over Time?
There are several factors that contributed to the Arie Crown Theater declining in regular theater use over the decades since it first opened, including:
Competition from Newer Venues
Since 1960, many newer and more modern theaters have opened in Chicago and taken business away from Arie Crown such as the Auditorium Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, and others.
Reduced Seating Capacity
When seating was reduced from over 4,000 to under 3,000 in the 1970s, the theater could no longer accommodate the largest touring productions.
Lack of Updates
For many years the theater did not receive major renovations to keep up with changing technology and audience expectations until the 1997 renovation.
Focus on Convention Center Events
With McCormick Place evolving into a massive convention center, focus shifted away from utilizing Arie Crown as a theater venue in favor of corporate events and meetings.
Could It Be Revitalized as a Leading Theater?
While the Arie Crown Theater is not currently being utilized as a theater to its full potential, there are possibilities that with the right investments it could be revitalized and regain a more prominent place in Chicago’s theater scene. Some possibilities include:
Further Renovations and Technology Upgrades
Additional investments could be made to update sound, lighting, seating, and more to meet today’s high standards for theater performance venues.
Booking Prominent Productions
If large touring productions and Broadway shows could be enticed to hold runs at Arie Crown, it could attract more audiences.
Using as a Concert Venue
The large capacity could allow Arie Crown to host more major concerts, especially during McCormick Place conventions.
Partnerships with Arts Organizations
Collaborations could potentially be formed with theater companies or performing arts centers to utilize and program the Arie Crown Theater for regular productions.
Decade | Key Developments |
---|---|
1960s | Opened as part of McCormick Place with seating for 4,200 |
1970s | Seating capacity reduced to under 3,000 |
1990s | $7 million renovation in 1997-1998 |
2000s-2010s | Used occasionally for political events, corporate meetings, graduations |
Today | Seats approximately 4,249 but not regularly used as theater venue |
Conclusion
In summary, the Arie Crown Theater has gone through major changes since its opening in 1960. While it is not currently living up to its full potential as a Chicago theater venue, it still remains a flexible event space. With the right strategy and investments, revitalizing the Arie Crown Theater to regularly host theater and performance events could be possible and allow it to reclaim some of its former glory.