THE AUDITORIUM THEATRE
Auditorium Theatre influenced by Richardson's Romanesque Revival style presenting opera performances and international stars.
The Auditorium Theatre was designed by architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, assisted by student Frank Lloyd Wright. The building bears the influence of the Romanesque Revival style of Richardson, who also built Marshall Fields, a little further north in the Loop. Built between 1887 and 1889, it was conceived as a city within a city and housed a theater, a hotel and offices, the latter two built in part to qualify for theater funding. The tower along Congress Parkway marks the entrance to the theater and adds a few floors of office space with panoramic views. Adler and Sullivan set up their practice in the upper floors. At the time, the building was considered an example of how to use interior space, producing excellent acoustics, while incorporating new electric lighting technology in the ceilings. The Auditorium marks a turning point in Sullivan's career. His signature can be seen in the ornamental details of the wrought iron doors. For modern architecture, it was a big step towards its future development. The entrance at the time was open to the outside; today it has been remodeled somewhat with a glass structure. In 1946, the Auditorium Theatre was purchased by Roosevelt University. The theater closed in the 1930s due to lack of funds; it reopened in 1968 to present opera shows and international stars such as Mark Knopfler, Alanis Morissette and Robert Plant.
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