Ravinia announces major renovation of historic Martin Theatre

The 122-year-old Martin Theatre at Ravinia in Highland Park will be getting “significant enhancements” thanks to a $38 million gift from the Negaunee Foundation — the largest in Ravinia’s history — Ravinia Festival announced Wednesday.

According to a news release, the design phase has been completed, and construction will begin in October, following the end of the 2026 season on Sept. 23. As with the Hunter Pavilion, construction will be completed in two phases, allowing a pause for performances during the 2027 summer season. Work is expected to be completed by July 2028.

According to the release, the Martin Theatre is the only original building remaining at Ravinia from its 1904 opening, located just inside the park’s main gate. This is the fourth renovation in the theater’s history.

The project will provide “major” upgrades throughout the theater while “honoring” the Arts and Crafts aesthetics, the release said, including the stained glass windows that inspired the design of Ravinia’s logo and the Hunter Pavilion’s new acoustic shell.

In a statement, Ravinia President and CEO Jeffrey Haydon said officials there had announced an “ambitious” plan two years ago to renovate their stages leading up to their 125th anniversary in 2029.

Two of six stages have been completed, he said: converting the Sandra K. Crown Theater in 2025 for live music performances, and the unveiling of a $70 million Hunter Pavilion renovation this summer.

The renovation will be led by architect Michael Barnes, Haydon said, who led the renovation of the Hunter Pavilion and designed the Audrey and other elements of Ravinia’s modern-day park setting. Barnes will “preserve the many historic elements and original charm” while modernizing the facilities, Haydon said.

“We can’t wait to share it with our audiences in our 2028 season,” Haydon said. “The Martin Theatre holds a very special place in Ravinia’s history, and maintaining those elements that make it such a treasure was paramount in the foundation’s choice to fund this project.

“Much like the recent renovation of Ravinia’s Hunter Pavilion, I know great thought will go into bringing the theater up to today’s building and accessibility standards while honoring its nostalgic place in music lovers’ hearts,” he said.

Richard Colburn, president of The Negaunee Foundation, mirrored that sentiment in a statement in the release.

“It’s meaningful to know that this history will be upheld for years to come,” Colburn said.

Renovations will encompass “all areas of the venue,” the release said. In the stage, production and backstage areas, there will be a new mobile acoustic shell, modernized lighting and rigging systems, upgraded dressing rooms and purpose-built technical spaces.

The new theater seating will feature greater row depth for added comfort, a cross-aisle and new box seats, according to the release. The project will also bring “much-needed” improvements to the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, upgraded restrooms and repairs to the building’s exterior.

With the completion of the Hunter Pavilion and Sandra K. Crown Theater, future phases of the “Setting the Stages” campaign will include the renovation of the outdoor Carousel Stage and a thorough updating of Bennett Gordon Hall.

Long history

According to the release, the Martin Theatre, first known as the Ravinia Theatre, is the only remaining building from Ravinia’s 1904 opening.

Featuring a pipe organ, Tiffany-style fixtures and windowpanes, and hand-stenciled floral designs on the ceiling, it was designed by architect Peter Weber and originally seated a thousand people. When it opened on Aug. 15, 1904, its first performance was the play “Vivian’s Papas,” the release said.

While the venue presented both music and theater, it went dark in 1915 for 42 years, used instead as office space and storage, the release said. In 1957, the theater was restored, and renamed in 1960 for former Chairman Howell W. Murray, who helped lead the transformation.

There was another renovation in the mid-1970s to support programming across the performing arts, then again in 1992, when it was rededicated to small-ensemble instrumental and vocal performances — winning honors from the American Institute of Architects Chicago chapter and the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, the release said.

In 1995, it was renamed the Martin Theatre in honor of longtime Ravinia supporter Eloise Martin. Today, it’s both a National Register Property and a Highland Park Historic Landmark, according to the release.

This newest renovation likely won’t feature a name change, but will include the removal of the Festival Shop location attached to the theater’s east-facing facade.