The Avalon Regal Theater (originally the Avalon Theater, and later the New Regal Theater) is a music hall located at 1641 East 79th Street, bordered by the Avalon Park and South Shore neighborhoods on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The theater opened in August 1927 and is a noted venue for African-American performers.
An upper view of the lobby, looking toward the entrance of the theater
The theater opened as the Avalon Theater on August 29, 1927, when the community was known as Avalon Park, a then predominantly German, Swedish, and Irish neighborhood. At the time of its opening, The theater served as a live performing arts venue until 1934. During the 1960s, more African Americans began to move into the area around the theater, becoming a staple for the Black community in the area.[3]
The Avalon Theater operated as a movie theater from 1935 until its closing in 1967. When the theater was sold in 1970, It served as the Miracle Temple Church and a meeting place for 14 years. In 1985, The building was purchased by Edward and Bettiann Gardner, the founders of Soft Sheen Products. The Gardners renovated and reopened the theater as a performing arts venue in 1987,[1] renaming it to The New Regal Theater in honor of the old Regal Theater[4] in Bronzeville, a celebrated cultural center for Chicago's African American community from the 1920s to 1971. In May 1987, the theater received a $1 million grant for renovations from Illinois Development Action Grant program under mayor Harold Washington's administration, part of a financial package totaling $4.1 million.[5] The theater received Chicago Landmark status on June 17, 1992.[6] In June 2003, after 18 years, the Gardners closed the theater due to low attendance and operational cost of the building.[citation needed]
A view of the stage from the second tier.
In 2008, the theater was purchased by Regina Evans, police chief of Country Club Hills, Illinois, and a state fund of $2.36 million, with the intent of reviving it as a cultural venue.[7] Evans secured a state loan for $1.25 million for renovations to the theater but used the funds for personal use.[8][9] The site held a party to celebrate Barack Obama's presidential nomination acceptance speech in August 2008.[10] The theater was foreclosed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. acquired the theater in 2011. It was later sold to Community Capital Investment, LLC. Jerald Gary, president and chief investment officer of Community Capital Investment Partners, LLC purchased the theater for $100,000 in a foreclosure deal in 2010[11] or February 2014.[8][12] In September 2018, Rapper and Chicago native Kanye West committed to help restore the theater, pledging to donate $1 million dollars.[13][14]
Chicago Regal and Architecture Foundation
The Chicago Regal Foundation 501(c)(3) was created to raise funds needed to reopen and operate the Avalon Regal Theater.[15] The Foundation plans to recreate pivotal moments in entertainment history using holographic stage technology.[16] The theater regularly participates in the Chicago Architecture Foundation's yearly event, Open House Chicago,[17] which allows visitors to tour the interior of the building for free.[18]
^Mark Konkol. "No man is an Island - Hop off the Dan Ryan for a compelling journey through a hood that's authentic Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. November 9, 2007. p. 12.
^New Regal TheaterArchived August 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Landmarks Division (2003). Retrieved on August 21, 2007.
^David Roeder and Fran Spielman. "Regal rebirth - The old Avalon Theatre is taking on new life as investors close a $2.36 million deal for the South Side icon". Chicago Sun-Times. March 14, 2008. pg. 54.
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