Riviera Theatre

41°58′07″N 87°39′36″W / 41.96858°N 87.65988°W / 41.96858; -87.65988

Riviera Theatre
The Riv
Map
Address4746 N Racine Ave
Chicago, IL 60640-4912
LocationSheridan Park
OwnerJam Productions
Capacity2,500
Construction
OpenedOctober 2, 1918 (1918-10-02)
Construction cost$585,000
($13.9 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectC.W. Rapp
Website
Venue Website

The Riviera Theatre is a concert venue located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States.

About

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Lobby of theatre, 2006

Built in 1917, it was designed by Rapp and Rapp for the Balaban & Katz theatre chain run by A. J. Balaban, his brother Barney Balaban and their partner and brother-in-law, Sam Katz.[2] It is an example of French Renaissance Revival architecture.[3] It later became a private nightclub in 1986. The theatre is located in the Uptown section of the city, at the intersection of Lawrence, Broadway and Racine. The area has several notable theaters, including the Aragon Ballroom, which is only 0.2 miles away. Since 2006 it has been owned by Chicago-based Jam Productions (itself owned by Jerry Mickelson and Arny Granat), which claims to be the "largest independent producer of live entertainment in the United States".[4][5][6]

In October 2015 in a labor dispute, Jam Productions fired the stagehands of the Riviera Theater.[7]

As of 2017, the Riviera Theater continues to serve as a venue for many popular acts, both local and national.[8]

Notable events

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References

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  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ The Chicago Movie Palaces of Balaban And Katz by David Balaban & Joseph Ducibella (Arcadia Publishing, 2006)
  3. ^ Valentine, Maggie (1994). The Show Starts on the Sidewalk: An Architectural History of the Movie Theatre. New Haven (Conn.): Yale University Press. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-300-06647-0.
  4. ^ Meyer, Gregory (July 26, 2006). "Jam Productions affiliate buys Riviera Theater". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  5. ^ Connors, Joe (April 17, 2017). "INTERVIEW: Jerry Mickelson – founder of Jam Productions". Chicago Music Magazine. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  6. ^ "Who We Are..." Jam Productions. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  7. ^ McGhee, Josh (October 20, 2016). "Fired Stagehands File Unfair Labor Charges Against Riviera, Jam Productions". DNAinfo Chicago. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  8. ^ "About the Riviera". Jam Productions. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
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