Cadillac Palace Theatre
The Cadillac Palace Theatre, another beautiful piece of Chicago's historic Theater District, first opened its doors in October of 1926. Although the theatre may not look like much on the outside, it more than makes up for that inside. Visitors then and now saw breathtaking design inspired by the palaces of Fontainebleau and Versailles, both in France. The interior includes huge decorative mirrors, breche violet, and white marble; and the walls are decorated with gold leafing and wood decorations.
The majestic theatre saw the likes of Jimmy Durante, Mae West, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. Over the years though, audiences slowly lost interest in vaudeville, and in 1931 the theatre was converted into a movie palace.
In the late 1930s, the U.S. government confiscated brass from several theatres to melt down and use for ammunition. In order to preserve their building, the owners of the Palace Theatre painted the brass chandeliers white so that no one would take them. Their original color was not discovered until 1999, when the theatre was renovated.
Since the '30s, the Palace Theatre has served a variety of functions, from movie theatre to banquet hall to rock venue. Now, it has been home to many pre-Broadway hits and will feature the U.S. premiere of Dirty Dancing ' The Classic Story on Stage.
Photo credit: (c/o Flickr) swanksalot, Michael L, lobstar28
Cadillac Palace Theatre: 151 W Randolph St; 312-902-1400 (tickets), 312-986-5853
Street parking difficult, pay lot available
Public trans: Bus # 11, 22, 24, 134, 135, 136, 156
Brown/Purple/Green/Pink/Orange/Blue Line train (Clark)
http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/
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