Drury Lane Theatre Chicago to get makeover
Crystal chandeliers and faux-marble Corinthian columns are out while sleek black carpeting and modern lighting fixtures will be in now that Broadway in Chicago is taking over the lease on the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place in Chicago.
At a brief news conference on Tuesday, Broadway in Chicago president Lou Raizin revealed that the 550-seat theater will be renovated and renamed the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
"We want to pay homage to Tony DeSantis," Raizin said, referring to the late theater entrepreneur who opened a new $7 million Chicago Drury Lane outpost in 2004 after a previous run occupied the same space from 1976 to 1983.
Broadway in Chicago previously rented out the theater for runs of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," "Shout" and "Xanadu," after Drury Lane experienced difficulty attracting audiences for its own productions.
Raizin stated that Broadway in Chicago plans on keeping the current seating configuration, but will transform the decor of the space to be "more contemporary."
Architect George Halik revealed that the new lobby's main entrance will face west toward the Water Tower Place mall. Halik also said there will be easier access for patrons who utilize the building's parking garage.
Broadway in Chicago Vice President Eileen LaCario announced that the Broadway Playhouse's inaugural production will be "An Evening with Sutton Foster," an intimate concert running from Sept. 23-26 featuring the Tony Award-winning title star whose Broadway credits include "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "The Drowsy Chaperone" and "Shrek The Musical."
Other shows lined up include the national tour launch of the French Canadian acrobatic spectacular "Traces" and a reworked musical version of Studs Terkel's "Working" by "Wicked" composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz with new material by "In the Heights" composer/lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Tickets to "Traces" are currently available to Broadway in Chicago subscribers and groups, while individual tickets to Broadway Playhouse shows will be released at a later date. Visit broadwayinchicago.com for more information.