Lakeview

Music Box Theatre's main auditorium to close this summer for renovations

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 21:  A general view of the Music Box Theatre during the screening of the film “Belfast” and the Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to Sir Kenneth Branagh, at the 57th Chicago International Film Festival on October 21, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images)

Chicago’s iconic Music Box Theatre will undergo a significant renovation this summer, which will require the main auditorium to close for nearly a month.

The “Revive at 95” project, named after the 95th anniversary of the iconic Lakeview theater, will get underway this summer to revamp the venue’s main auditorium, according to a press release.

The auditorium will close beginning Aug. 12 and will remain closed through Sept. 5 for the project, according to the “Revive at 95” website. The theater’s Garden and screening rooms will remain open during the restoration, officials said.

New seats, complete with cupholders, will be installed in the theater, along with improved lighting, refinished floors, new carpeting, and a refurbished proscenium arch to complete the remodel, according to the website.

Old seats will be repurposed through a nonprofit organization, with more details on their ultimate destination to follow.

The theater is also offering patrons an opportunity to “Sponsor a Seat,” with donations going toward the restoration project. Plates will be installed on the seats, with patrons also receiving a gift for their participation in the program.

The Music Box has become well-known for its eclectic set of film offerings, which include everything from silent films to “Rocky Horror Picture Show” singalongs to screenings of films with actors and directors participating in Q & A sessions.

More information can be found on the Music Box Theatre's website.

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