Rialto Square Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Rialto Square Theatre is a theater in the Joliet
, Illinois (U.S.
) suburb of Chicago. Opening in 1926, it was originally designed and operated as a vaudeville
movie palace
, but it now houses mainly musicals, plays, concerts, and standup comedy.It is also available for public and private functions. Designed in the Neo-Baroque style, it is considered one of "150 great places in Illinois" by the American Institute of Architects
.
columns rise into a celestial dome full of intricate sculptures. A Duchess chandelier dominates the rotunda. Cream-colored marble walls line the lobby and cherubim flutter into the auditorium.
The lobby’s marble walls were polished by Conrad Schmitt Studios
, the same company that did major restoration work at the Rialto in 1980. The black marble base on the walls of the esplanade, fashioned after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles in France, has been polished, as has the elegant red, pink and gray scagliola above the base.
C.W. and George Rapp designed the Rialto Square Theatre in 1924, and the theatre opened May 24, 1926, featuring the production "The Evolution of Joliet". The first talking picture at the Rialto was shown on October 9, 1928, with Lights of New York. In 1953 stereophonic sound was installed in the theatre.
In 1972 a campaign to "Save the Rialto" was initiated and led by Miss Dorothy Mavrich. As the campaign became more organized the group became known as the Rialto Square Arts Association. Assisted by local businessman Christo Dragatsis, Miss Maverich began to garner support from City, State, and Federal Officials. In the meantime, a student campaign began at a local High School, Joliet Township High School East Campus, under the direction of ROTC Cadet Lt. Colonel Don Probst who joined with Miss Mavrich in starting preliminary work towards the restoration. Mr. Probst helped organize student volunteers to repaint dressing rooms, clean the theatre, and act as ushers for some of the initial shows before major restoration began. Among these were "Hasting and Hays On Love" featuring soap opera stars Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays, presented at the 51st Anniversary Celebration held July 30 and July 31, 1977. It was at this time that The Rialto stage featured the choirs and Swing Groups from East, Central, and West Campuses as a joint tribute to the restoration and return to live stage productions. In 1978 the Rialto complex became public property and the Joliet Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority was established to provide leadership for the impending restoration of the theatre property.
The Will County Cultural Arts Association, which sponsored the "Hastings and Hays on Love" concert was headed by President Dorothy Mavrich, 1st Vice President Eugene Gaskin, 2nd Vice President Dan Curtin, Secretary Sue Curtin, and Treasurer Dorothy Gross. The Board of Directors included Hal Carlson, Jan Challander, Marge Challander, Dan Cyrtin, Sue Curtin, Eugene Gaskin, Delores Gross, Matthew Gross, Chet Kondratowicz, Andrea Magosky, Brenda Merchant, Dorothy Mavrich, Robert Myers, Sue Revels, Bro. David O.F.M., Bob Russ, Rosemarie Sandenwater, Claudette Soltis, Richard Teas, Diane Wurzinger, and Vivian Ziech. Association Affiliates were Rob Calcaterra, Paul Lockwood, and Don Probst.
The Rialto was the place where Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry held their wedding reception
in the final episode of My Fair Brady
.
The theatre used to be home to the Rialto School of the Arts, an art, choir, and drama educational program for children. A Visual Arts Camp explored different media, tools, and techniques. A Choir camp was also offered, giving kids a chance to sing and dance, with a final performance on the magnificent Rialto Square Theatre stage. Children's Theatre Workshops were also offered at the theatre by Our Town Productions, a Downers Grove professional company.
Joliet
There are several people and things named Joliet:*Louis Jolliet, a 17th century explorer of North America*Joliet, Illinois, United States, a city named after Louis Jolliet**Joliet Prison*Joliet, Montana, United States...
, Illinois (U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) suburb of Chicago. Opening in 1926, it was originally designed and operated as a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
movie palace
Movie palace
A movie palace is a term used to refer to the large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s. The late 1920s saw the peak of the movie palace, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930.There are three building types in particular which can be subsumed...
, but it now houses mainly musicals, plays, concerts, and standup comedy.It is also available for public and private functions. Designed in the Neo-Baroque style, it is considered one of "150 great places in Illinois" by the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
.
Description
Inside Rialto Square Theatre, which opened in 1926 and underwent a restoration in the 1980s, shining scagliolaScagliola
Scagliola , is a technique for producing stucco columns, sculptures, and other architectural elements that resemble inlays in marble and semi-precious stones...
columns rise into a celestial dome full of intricate sculptures. A Duchess chandelier dominates the rotunda. Cream-colored marble walls line the lobby and cherubim flutter into the auditorium.
The lobby’s marble walls were polished by Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios is an architectural arts studio located in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It provides ecclesiastical art, stained glass artistry, art glass, decorative painting, mosaics, murals and sculptural arts. The studio specializes in restoration services for buildings of architectural,...
, the same company that did major restoration work at the Rialto in 1980. The black marble base on the walls of the esplanade, fashioned after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles in France, has been polished, as has the elegant red, pink and gray scagliola above the base.
C.W. and George Rapp designed the Rialto Square Theatre in 1924, and the theatre opened May 24, 1926, featuring the production "The Evolution of Joliet". The first talking picture at the Rialto was shown on October 9, 1928, with Lights of New York. In 1953 stereophonic sound was installed in the theatre.
In 1972 a campaign to "Save the Rialto" was initiated and led by Miss Dorothy Mavrich. As the campaign became more organized the group became known as the Rialto Square Arts Association. Assisted by local businessman Christo Dragatsis, Miss Maverich began to garner support from City, State, and Federal Officials. In the meantime, a student campaign began at a local High School, Joliet Township High School East Campus, under the direction of ROTC Cadet Lt. Colonel Don Probst who joined with Miss Mavrich in starting preliminary work towards the restoration. Mr. Probst helped organize student volunteers to repaint dressing rooms, clean the theatre, and act as ushers for some of the initial shows before major restoration began. Among these were "Hasting and Hays On Love" featuring soap opera stars Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays, presented at the 51st Anniversary Celebration held July 30 and July 31, 1977. It was at this time that The Rialto stage featured the choirs and Swing Groups from East, Central, and West Campuses as a joint tribute to the restoration and return to live stage productions. In 1978 the Rialto complex became public property and the Joliet Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority was established to provide leadership for the impending restoration of the theatre property.
The Will County Cultural Arts Association, which sponsored the "Hastings and Hays on Love" concert was headed by President Dorothy Mavrich, 1st Vice President Eugene Gaskin, 2nd Vice President Dan Curtin, Secretary Sue Curtin, and Treasurer Dorothy Gross. The Board of Directors included Hal Carlson, Jan Challander, Marge Challander, Dan Cyrtin, Sue Curtin, Eugene Gaskin, Delores Gross, Matthew Gross, Chet Kondratowicz, Andrea Magosky, Brenda Merchant, Dorothy Mavrich, Robert Myers, Sue Revels, Bro. David O.F.M., Bob Russ, Rosemarie Sandenwater, Claudette Soltis, Richard Teas, Diane Wurzinger, and Vivian Ziech. Association Affiliates were Rob Calcaterra, Paul Lockwood, and Don Probst.
The Rialto was the place where Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry held their wedding reception
Wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. It is held usually as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple receives society, in the form of family and friends, for the first time as a married couple. Hosts...
in the final episode of My Fair Brady
My Fair Brady
My Fair Brady is a celebrity reality television show on VH1 that follows Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch, and Adrianne Curry, who won the first season of America's Next Top Model, a year after they met and fell in love on the reality show The Surreal Life.The show...
.
The theatre used to be home to the Rialto School of the Arts, an art, choir, and drama educational program for children. A Visual Arts Camp explored different media, tools, and techniques. A Choir camp was also offered, giving kids a chance to sing and dance, with a final performance on the magnificent Rialto Square Theatre stage. Children's Theatre Workshops were also offered at the theatre by Our Town Productions, a Downers Grove professional company.
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- Spyro GyraSpyro GyraSpyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was originally formed in the mid-1970s in Buffalo, New York, USA. With over 25 albums released and 10 million copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as commercially successful groups of the genre...
- Redd StewartRedd StewartHenry Ellis Stewart , better known as Redd Stewart, was an American country music songwriter and recording artist who co-wrote "The Tennessee Waltz" with Pee Wee King in 1948.-Biography:...
- StyxStyx (band)Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
- Richard Thompson
- George Thorogood & the Destroyers
- The Three Stooges
- Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
- Mel TillisMel TillisLonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
- Pam TillisPam TillisPamela Yvonne "Pam" Tillis is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. She is the daughter of country music singer Mel Tillis....
- Lily TomlinLily TomlinMary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. Tomlin has been a major force in American comedy since the late 1960's when she began a career as a stand up comedian and became a featured performer on television's Laugh-in...
- Bobby VintonBobby VintonBobby Vinton is an American pop music singer of Polish origin. In pop music circles, he became known as "The Polish Prince".-Early life:...
- Dionne WarwickDionne WarwickDionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
- Lawrence WelkLawrence WelkLawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
- Ron WhiteRon WhiteRonald "Ron" White is an American stand up comedian and satirist who has had two Grammy Award-nominations, and is RIAA certified 10x Platinum for CD and DVD sales of over 10 million units...
- Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
- Steven WrightSteven WrightSteven Alexander Wright is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is known for his distinctly lethargic voice and slow, deadpan delivery of ironic, philosophical and sometimes nonsensical jokes and one-liners with contrived situations.-Early life and career:Wright was born in Mount Auburn...
- Weird Al Yankovic
- Trisha YearwoodTrisha YearwoodPatricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...