A Lifetime of Legends

We hope you can join us on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 for a truly historic occasion.  On that night, the Auditorium Theatre will officially recognize our 125^th anniversary with the most significant and extravagant gala this National Historic Landmark has ever seen. The black-tie event 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, a rock concert composed of legendary Chicago musicians, and the emcee of the evening, Emmy-nominated actor, John Mahoney.  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.  

The Hottest Friends in Town!

The Auditorium Theatre’s 2014-2015 season is a special time for our National Historic Landmark—and for all of Chicago.  However, the Auditorium Theatre’s 125^th birthday isn’t the only anniversary we’ll be celebrating.  

For years, “Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah” has been a cornerstone of the Auditorium Theatre’s programming.  And 2015 will officially mark “Too Hot to Handel’s” tenth anniversary on our stage.  Each year, this stirring and kinetic event is held in conjunction with the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday.  In recognition of Dr. King’s incomparable legacy, “Too Hot to Handel” is a diverse and multicultural production—one that speaks to civil rights, inclusion and tolerance.

On January 17 & 18, 2015, the Auditorium Theatre will celebrate the tenth engagement of this unique, self-produced musical experience that seamlessly fuses jazz, blues, and gospel with Handel’s classic oratorio.  The production features over 150 musicians and volunteer choir members and is exquisitely performed by Rodrick Dixon, Alfreda Burke, and Karen Marie Richardson. 

 

Of course, none of this production’s considerable success could be possible without the support of some generous individuals.  These gracious “Friends of Too Hot to Handel” have helped ensure the ongoing success of this incredible production for almost a decade.  We are incredibly grateful for their kindness—and their continued sacrifices are essential to helping “Too Hot to Handel” succeed. 

You have the chance to help make a difference in the future of this unique musical event. 

Members in this exclusive group receive the following benefits: 

·         two prime tickets, 

·         an exclusive dinner with the stars on Sunday, November 16

·         an opening night post-performance champagne toast,

·         immediate inclusion in the Auditorium Theatre’s “Adler Society” giving level (and all the benefits contained therein)  

 “Too Hot to Handel” is a true celebration of inclusion and community.  It’s a musical experience that speaks to all of us—to you, to us, and to every audience member who’s fortunate enough to see the show firsthand.  By becoming a “Friend of Too Hot to Handel,” you will ensure that “Too Hot to Handel” will continue to amaze and engage audiences for years to come.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

In the spring of 2015, the Auditorium Theatre will play host to a significant and widely-viewed sporting event...the annual NFL Draft.  Each year, hundreds of young athletes enter the draft in hopes of pursuing their lifelong dreams of playing professional football.

Round 1 will take place on Thursday, April 30 while Rounds 2-3 will be held on Friday, May 1.  The draft will conclude on Saturday, May 2 with Rounds 4-7.  In addition to the event inside the Auditorium Theatre, the draft will expand to Grant Park and Congress Plaza.  These spaces will feature an outdoor fan festival for all three days where fans of all teams can follow the draft and enjoy interactive exhibits and autograph sessions with current and former players.

This will be a unique chance to showcase the Auditorium Theatre to an audience of over 45 million people--an unparalleled window to display the grandeur and glory of our cultural icon to the city, country, and word.  Although we're extremely excited by this opportunity, a litany of structural improvements must be addressed in order to ensure the success of this high-profile event.  From re-plastering our lobbies to repainting our arches, mending curtains and upgrading box chairs, the Auditorium Theatre requires a considerable amount of maintenance--and there is not much time in which to complete these daunting projects.  

You can help restore the Auditorium Theatre today--and in the process, help guarantee that viewers around the world will appreciate and understand the true value of this one-of-a-kind cultural treasure.

If you would like to contribute to help the Auditorium Theatre prepare for the scrutiny of a worldwide audience, please call (312) 341-2364. 

Building Memories

The Auditorium’s history is unparalleled throughout the artistic world.  The vision of our original architects, the list of performers to grace our stage, and this historic landmark's importance throughout the community all help to make our beloved theatre one of the most prominent and legendary locations of its kind.  However, the Auditorium's landmark structure--and the pinnacle of adulation that surrounds those who step through our doors--are not nearly as inaccessible as one might think. In fact, as a dear friend to the Auditorium Theatre, you now have the chance to add your name to our legacy. 


 The Auditorium’s 3,800 seat house has been filled time and time again over the last 125 years as millions of audience members have passed through its doors.  Each of those individuals has an invaluable memory of their time here--including you.  Now, in celebration of our 125th anniversary, you have the opportunity to share your memory on our "Memory Wall," a permanent installation to be built on the north wall of the Auditorium Theatre's lobby.   

Whether it’s seeing The Who, or a “who’s who” of American dance…whether watching a child's eyes light up during a performance of “The Nutcracker” or marveling at the beauty of Adler and  Sullivan's vision... those experiences can now be recorded forever.  And whatever your favorite memory of the Auditorium might be—witnessing a performance or marveling at the architecture, attending an event or experiencing a show with your friends—you can now share it for future generations to enjoy.  
 

To learn more about how you can share your memory for years to come, call (312) 341-2397, or email jagreen@auditoriumtheatre.org.

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.



Bill and Shelley Farley
 

As the Auditorium Theatre continues our 125th Anniversary Celebration, we have much to look forward to--a litany of breathtaking performances, dynamic artists, an unprecedented media event, and ambitious capital improvement campaigns. 

Of course, no matter which way we turn our gaze--to the past, present, or future--none of our achievements could be possible without some of the Auditorium Theatre's most compassionate and treasured friends.  Two of these dear members of the Auditorium family, Bill and Shelley Farley, have been instrumental in helping our theatre reach unprecedented success.  

Shelley is a professional singer (performing as Shelley MacArthur, she has earned substantial acclaim for her beauty, poise, and consummate skill), a former model and actress, and was born and raised in Chicago.  Bill Farley is originally from Rhode Island but has been a strong presence in the Chicago business community for over 40 years.  He is the former Chairman of Fruit of the Loom and is currently CEO and Chairman of LV Ventures, a private equity company.

Throughout the years, Bill and Shelley have continued to demonstrate heartwarming generosity and overwhelming kindness, and they both possess a strong history of philanthropy and community involvement.  They are a welcome fixture at previous Auditorium Theatre events and regular supporters of many respected artistic organizations (for example, Shelley is on the Board of Directors of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, which makes the Auditorium Theatre its home).  They have always shared an interest in the arts and believe that it is crucial to do their part to help the artistic landscape prosper and thrive.  

However, their commitment to the arts encompasses more than their gracious beneficence.  In fact, as a professional singer, Shelley MacArthur has many fond memories of the Auditorium Theatre, but her favorite was being the first performer of the Auditorium Theatre's "Onstage With..." cabaret series in 2006.  She also graced our stage with her considerable talents once again in a magnificent solo performancem "Up Close and Personal," in 2008.

Bill and Shelley's commitment and exuberance, both for the Auditorium Theatre and for other organization, is inspiring.  They are drawn to our theatre's history and they consider the Auditorium to be, "one of Chicago's great historic landmarks."  However, they are especially fond of our self-produced musical event, "Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah."  Although Shelley and Bill have been patrons for many years, they were particularly moved by their first experience of this one-of-a-kind cultural celebration, and immediately wanted to help ensure its presence on our stage.

Despite their innumerable accolades and the profound difference they continue to make in the community, Bill and Shelley remain grounded and humble.  Of course, their impact on the Auditorium Theatre can never truly be measured, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do to help our theatre succeed.  Whether awing us with song, succor, or support, we are thankful for their philanthropic spirits--for theirs is a kindness born from true altruism...one that will continue to resonate for another 125 years.