May 17, 2008 9:15 am US/Central
New Stage Theater To Liven Fullerton Avenue
Lincoln Park Theater Will Open In 2009
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A new stage theater will soon join the busy strip of Fullerton Avenue west of DePaul University.
The Lincoln Park Theater will open in the fall of 2009 in the former Fullerton State Bank Building, at 1425 W. Fullerton Ave. The space will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation using plans by Chicago architect John Morris, who also designed the Steppenwolf and Lookingglass theaters, according to a news release.
The new theater will have a 299-seat auditorium arranged in 10 rows, with a main floor and balcony.
The first company to take up residence in the new theater is the Porchlight Music Theatre, which the release said produces "interpretations of classical musicals and cutting-edge new works on intimate stages."
"It is a dream come true for Chicago artists," said theater producer Walter Stearns. "The Lincoln Park Theater answers the prayers of many local artists who need a theatrical home to call their own."
The Fullerton State Bank Building was constructed in 1923, and since operating as a bank it has housed offices and an antique store, the theater news release said. A near-identical building was built for a bank in Union Square in New York City, and now houses the Daryl Roth Theatre, the release said.
On Fullerton Avenue, the Lincoln Park Theater will join a busy stretch between Clybourn and Racine avenues, which already includes the Lakeshore Athletic Club, Facets Multimedia, and Hoghead McDunna's tavern, among other popular establishments.
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