It’s the Time of the Season

Now that the long cold winter is behind us, the hot nights of summer are just around the corner.  And this summer might just be the hottest yet.  This year the Auditorium Theatre is pleased to announce the second installment of a very exclusive event on our stage…Sullivan’s Summer Solstice.  Featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and an auction and wine raffle, this thrilling evening will signal that summer has finally arrived.  

The celebration will occur on Thursday, June 19, 2014 from 6:00-10:00 p.m.  Tickets are only $150 for an entire night of fantastic food, company, and entertainment.  We hope you will join us for what promises to be one of the most exciting and exhilarating events of the summer!

To purchase tickets to “Sullivan’s Summer Solstice” at the Auditorium, please call 312.341.2364. All proceeds from the event will benefit the ongoing programming, restoration and maintenance of the legendary Auditorium Theatre.

A Lifetime of Legends

We hope you can join us on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 for a truly historic occasion.  The Auditorium Theatre’s annual gala event will occur that evening—and it promises to be the most significant gala this National Historic Landmark has ever seen.

On that night, the Auditorium Theatre will officially celebrate its 125^th anniversary, and this momentous milestone will be recognized with an appropriately extravagant celebration.  The black-tie gala, held at the historic Palmer House Hilton, will feature an evening of music, movement and memories celebrating the Auditorium Theatre’s incredible 125 years.

 

The spectacular entertainment for the Auditorium Theatre’s 125^th gala will be an homage to our long history of exceptional programming, and will include:  the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Apollo Chorus, and a rock concert composed of legendary Chicago musicians.  In a scheduling coup of pure symmetry, one of the headliners, the world-renowned and Tony-Award winning Broadway sensation, Ms. Patti LuPone, happens to be the great-grandniece (and namesake) of Adelina Patti, the opera star who performed on the Auditorium Theatre’s stage during opening night in 1889.  

 

Please join us for one of the Auditorium Theatre’s most memorable events in recent memory.  Our 125^th gala celebration will be an acknowledgement of all the Auditorium Theatre has achieved—and the limitless possibilities that remain.   

Special thanks to our 125th Gala Dinner Chairs: Joan Colmar, Phil Lumpkin, and Helen Melchior.  To purchase tickets to the Auditorium Theatre’s 2015 Gala, or to address any inquiries, please contact Amanda Byrne at 312.341.2364, or abyrne@auditoriumtheatre.org. 

Rising to the Challenge

From March 23-28, 2014, the Auditorium Theatre held one of our most ambitious projects in our National Historic Landmark’s 125-year history…our Drive to 125 Challenge.  During this time, we committed to raising $125,000 in 125 hours.  A unique opportunity from a generous friend afforded us the chance to match every dollar raised provided we reached our goal.

 It was an exhilarating and daunting several days—but in the end, we are pleased to say that the entire campaign was a tremendous success.  Of course, we never would have achieved our goal without the kind support of our dear friends from throughout the community.  

It was a truly humbling experience to see so many good people throughout Chicago united in support of this challenge. Friends like you are the reason the Auditorium Theatre has persevered and triumphed for 125 years.  Our 125^th anniversary is another step forward in etching our mark on the cultural landscape of Chicago, and the world—and the kindness of good people like you provide the fiber and the future of our mission.   We would like to extend our deepest and most profound gratitude to everyone who helped make the Drive to 125 Challenge a success…we simply couldn’t do this without you.  

 As part of our celebratory 125^th year, we have placed a canvas banner in the lobby located on the west wall near the bust of Ferdinand Peck, the man who acted as both visionary and driving force behind the theatre’s inception.  Even though the challenge is complete, for a gift of $125, you can still sign your name to this commemorative canvas.  The banner will continue to hang in our lobby until August, 2015.  At that time, it will be placed in a time capsule until it is unveiled at our 200^th anniversary in 75 years.  For more information, please call (312) 341-2364. 

All A-Board

On Saturday, April 12, 2014 the Auditorium Theatre’s second-floor lobby was a scene of elegance and energy.   The Auditorium Theatre’s Junior Board held a private reception prior to the performance of the exhilarating River North Dance Chicago, and the attendance, and enthusiasm, was commendable.  

The junior board, a diverse group of young professionals committed to furthering the mission of the Auditorium Theatre, is devoted not only to helping fund the restoration and preservation of our National Historic Landmark, but also to raising awareness and generating support for the Auditorium’s educational outreach efforts and world-renowned programming.  This commitment will continue to expand throughout 2014 as the junior board begins an initiative to develop a base of members-at-large throughout the city. Members-at-large will have the opportunity to attend junior board events and fundraisers throughout the year, spread awareness about the theatre during this pivotal 125 Season, and participate in volunteer activities.

Attendees at the River North reception represented a wide array of professions and perspective, underscoring the organization’s comprehensive commitment to diversity.   From architects and attorneys to artists and advertisers, the Auditorium Theatre Junior Board encompasses an eclectic group of professionals.  Yet they all remain united by a common purpose—a pronounced desire to impact the world around them.  Current projects in which they are involved (or those under consideration) include:  the creation of an accessible entrance to the theatre on Congress Parkway, a fundraiser for the theatre's “Hands Together, Heart to Art” performing arts summer camp for children who have lost a parent, and their annual fall gala, “The Devil’s Ball.” The Junior Board and Members-at-Large will also be working to promote an upcoming “Made in Chicago” Film Series for the 125th Anniversary Season. Everyone at the Auditorium Theatre is proud to have such talented and compassionate individuals as ambassadors of this cultural institution, and we look forward to witnessing the incredible achievements of this dedicated group of philanthropists. 

Our Cornerstones

Every landmark building needs a strong foundation…

…a source of strength that helps shoulder the burden

…and a base of support upon which the structure must rest.

In each issue of "The Curtain Speech" this section will highlight some of the Auditorium Theatre’s cornerstones—individuals, corporations, and foundations whose support has been especially heartwarming. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and for their kindness. And we want to acknowledge them because their selflessness is instrumental in helping our National Historic Landmark persevere, prosper, and grow.

These are compassionate people, responsible corporations, and philanthropic institutions committed to making a difference in the world.

These are friends just like you.

These are our cornerstones.

Crowning Achievements

The Auditorium Theatre is the most venerated home of the arts in Chicago.  There is something for everyone at this National Historic Landmark—from ballet to cabaret, Bach to rock, and jam-bands to Latin jazz.  We take pride in presenting the most sublime entertainment—in all its incarnations—to our patrons throughout this great city.  And that’s why we are especially delighted to see people who take advantage of everything the Auditorium Theatre has to offer. 

Two of these friends, Bruce and Deborah Crown, are among the Auditorium Theatre's most generous and unwavering benefactors.  Bruce Crown is a member of the Auditorium Theatre’s Board of Directors, and in that capacity he has proven instrumental as a fundraiser, advocate, and leader for this cultural icon.  

Bruce and Deb have a strong history of philanthropy and community involvement.  Bruce is the Chairman of BevBar Inc., a Private Family Investment Company, and Deb has spent most of her career in Rehabilitation counseling and currently works for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. Together, they donate their time and energy to a variety of worthwhile causes, from the arts to animal welfare. 

Bruce joined the Auditorium Theatre’s Board of Directors in 2009.  Since then, he has selflessly contributed incalculable time and energy to ensure this historic theatre continues to prosper.  Bruce saw his first performance at the Auditorium in the early 1970s when Les Grands Ballets Canadiens performed the rock ballet “Tommy.” His passion for music dovetails with the Auditorium’s mission of providing only the finest artistic experiences to the people of Chicago.  An enthusiastic and regular fixture at a variety of concerts throughout the year, Deb and Bruce most recently were the presenting sponsors of a one night performance of acclaimed musicians in an historic duet of piano and banjo, Chick Corea and Bela Fleck.

Bruce and Deb’s commitment to our theatre cannot be overestimated.  Not only do they frequently attend Auditorium events (in addition to our gala, they co-chaired our very first "Sullivan’s Summer Solstice” in 2013), they are also making a difference in the lives of hurting children by supporting “Hands Together, Heart to Art,” the Auditorium Theatre’s summer arts camp for children who have experienced the death of a parent. 

It is a considerable task to look back on the Crowns’ achievements over the last five years.  They certainly have much to be proud of—and we at the Auditorium Theatre are honored by their dedication and consummate generosity.  Their impact on the Auditorium can never truly be measured, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they have done, and all they continue to do, to help our theatre succeed—from board participation, to programmatic sponsorship, and their unwavering support of our mission. We are thankful for all of these examples of their steadfast commitment to the Auditorium—but most importantly, we are thankful to call them our friends.