Looking somewhat forlorn in a sweat-stained baseball cap and slouchy chinos, Chuck Sussman stood on the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street recently, holding up a small laminated sign that read, in small letters, “Chicago Theater Stories Walking Tour.”
Sussman, a 50-ish amateur historian and theater enthusiast, launched the tour about a year ago to shed light on the so-called Golden Age of Chicago theater, from 1837 to the early 1900s. He describes his efforts as a “way of preserving the history and lore of Chicago’s rich theater past.
“I am,” he said, “a storyteller passionate about my subject.”
Ten dollars will get you an hour’s worth of wandering through the Loop. Sounded good to me. I was on the hunt for some juicy old-time Chicago stories and Sussman did not disappoint.
But the tour itself is not without its quirks. The beginning, for one, is confusing and underwhelming. That is, if you can actually hear anything over the blare of nearby car horns and CTA buses rumbling down Michigan. A pamphlet with summaries of each story and a map identifying key highlights would go a long way toward correcting this problem. I joined a crowd of 13 tourgoers, a huddled mass baking in the midday sun, ready for Sussman’s primer.
For nearly 15 minutes, we remained at the noisy intersection. “One hundred seventy-five years ago this was a prairie town,” he said gesturing around him. At the time, local officials had enacted a stiff licensing fee for anyone wanting to open a theater. Even back then, it seems, Chicago was a city on the make.
It wasn’t until 1837–the same year the city was incorporated–that some enterprising actor-managers from New York came up with enough cash to pay the fee and open the first official Chicago theater venue in the dining room of the Sauganash Hotel. They were joined in their efforts by Joseph Jefferson II.
It seems Sussman has done his research, but his stories leave many questions unanswered. Where was the hotel located? And why was the dining room, of all places, considered a suitable place to stage plays? We were left to ponder these matters as Sussman barreled on. (The Sauganash, it turns out, was located near the corner of what is today Lake Street and Wacker Drive, and was destroyed in 1851.)
The name Joseph Jefferson might be familiar to some. Jefferson’s son, Joseph Jefferson III, would go on to become a famous actor, praised for his naturalistic style and comedic chops. The Joseph Jefferson Awards–better known as the Jeffs, Chicago’s quasi-equivalent to the Tony Awards–are named for Joe number three.
The theater licensing shenanigans were a problem in Springfield, as well, Sussman explained, delving into a popular theater legend. As a young lawyer, Lincoln himself worked to help repeal the licensing fees. “Lincoln was a big fan of theater,” Sussman went on, “and he came to Chicago often to see plays.”
That Lincoln would later be assassinated in a theater–by an actor, no less–was an irony our guide carefully spelled out. “John Wilkes Booth performed in Chicago,” Sussman said. “And there is rumor and speculation that his plan to shoot the president was fermented here in Chicago during the 1860s, but the opportunity did not present itself.”
Finally, we headed west.
Twenty minutes into the walking tour and we had only made it to State Street. Anyone with even a glancing familiarity with the Loop will find the walking portion unenlightening, as we never entered any of the buildings. This is less a tour for the eyes than for the ears.
Sussman led us farther down Randolph to stand directly across the street from the Oriental Theatre, site of the Iroquois Theater before it was consumed by a disastrous fire in 1903. Sussman recounted the events with an enthusiasm that had been missing up to that point.
“Nineteen hundred people filed in for a matinee performance of `Mr. Bluebeard,’ which had a cast of 500!” Sussman said. The heat from a stage light caused a fire, filling the theater with smoke. Compounding the problem, several exit doors were locked. More than 600 people died that day, most were women and children. “It was the fourth worst manmade disaster up until that time!”
Jumping back on the timeline, Sussman pointed to Block 37’s empty lot directly behind us. In the 1840s, a fellow by the name of John B. Rice opened the first permanent theater venue in Chicago at this location, though the building later burned down. Rice shifted into a different realm of Chicago theater–politics–and was mayor of Chicago during the post-Civil War era.
These facts and anecdotes were interesting, but they were delivered without much context or a sense of progression. You’re left with the impression that Chicago’s theater history is just a collection of odd bits of trivia.
Sussman continued on to the Goodman, and then farther south to the Auditorium Theatre. We had long passed the one-hour mark, and many in the group, including myself, begged off. There’s only so much theater lore you can absorb in a single outing.
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Theater tours around town
CHICAGO THEATER STORIES WALKING TOUR
The tour leaves from the southwest corner of Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue.
When: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily.
Price: $10 for the one-hour tour; $12 for an expanded 90-minute tour. Reservations are suggested, but walk-ups OK. Call 773-508-4894 or www.theatreclubchicago.com.
TOUR THE CHICAGO THEATRE
Features a glimpse at the backstage wall adorned with signatures from nearly every performer who has graced the stage since its 1986 rehab. Saturday tours may include a demo of the Wurlitzer pipe organ.
When: Noon Thursdays and periodic Saturdays; groups can schedule an appointment.
Price: $5; 312-462-6300 or www.thechicagotheatre.com.
TOUR THE AUDITORIUM THEATRE
Guided tour of this national landmark on Congress Parkway, a grand old building designed in 1889 by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan.
When: 9 a.m. Mondays; groups can schedule a tour by appointment.
Price: $6; 312-431-2389, ext. 0.
TOUR THE ORIENTAL THEATRE AND CADILLAC PALACE
The Broadway in Chicago company offers a guided tour through both popular venues, with an emphasis on the architectural and historical trivia.
When: 11 a.m. Saturdays. The tour lasts approximately one hour.
Price: $10; contact 312-902-1400 or www.broadwayinchicago.com and click on “Plan Your Trip.”
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