McVicker's Theater (1857–1984) was a

playhouse Playhouse () is a common term for a theatre. Playhouse, The Playhouse, Playhouse Theatre, or Playhouse Theater may also refer to: Venues and theatre companies Australia * Dunstan Playhouse, at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide, South Au ...

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, United States. Built for actor James Hubert McVicker, the theater was the leading stage for comedic plays in Chicago's early years. It often hosted performances by

Edwin Booth Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 – June 7, 1893) was an American stage actor and theatrical manager who toured throughout the United States and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he founded Booth's Th ...

, who married McVicker's daughter and was once targeted there in an attempted murder.

Adler & Sullivan Adler & Sullivan was an architectural firm founded by Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan in Chicago. Among its projects was the multi-purpose Auditorium Building in Chicago and the Wainwright Building skyscraper in St Louis. In 1883 Louis Sullivan ...

designed a remodel in 1883. Although destroyed in two fires, including the

Great Chicago Fire The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago, Illinois during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left mor ...

, McVicker's remained an operating theater until 1984. It was demolished the next year.

History

James Hubert McVicker was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

on February 14, 1822. His father James died shortly after his birth, so he was raised by his mother Nancy and two siblings. He attended some public school before apprenticing as a printer when he was ten. For the next five years, he operated machines in New York printing houses. In October 1837, he was hired as an apprentice for the '' Republican'' in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, and was named a journeyman three years later. However he found little enjoyment in the trade and he decided to acquire a classic education. In 1843, he entered a production at the St. Charles Theater in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

. McVicker traveled to various cities around the country to perform. In April 1848, he settled in

. The comedian who had worked at John Blake Rice's theater was just about to leave and Rice offered his position to McVicker. His first performance there was on May 2, 1848, in ''My Neighbor's Wife''. His wife also performed, starring in ''Hue and Cry''. McVicker starred opposite Rice's wife in ''Lend Me Five Shillings'' on April 27, 1849. Two years after the death of

Dan Marble Danforth Marble (April 27, 1810 – May 13, 1849) was an American comedic actor who gained great popularity playing "Yankee" roles in the 1830s and 1840s. Marble was born in East Windsor, Connecticut and made his stage debut in 1831 at Chatham G ...

, McVicker purchased the right to use his plays from the family estate. He went on a national tour and then toured

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

in 1855. The next year, McVicker became manager of the People's Theater in St. Louis. The playhouse was very successful and in March 1857 he used the proceeds to establish a new theater in Chicago. McVicker's Theater opened on November 5, 1857, featuring its own stock company performing the comedic plays ''Honeymoon'' and ''Rough Diamond''.

starred in ''

A New Way to Pay Old Debts ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'' (c. 1625, printed 1633) is an English Renaissance drama, the most popular play by Philip Massinger. Its central character, Sir Giles Over-reach, became one of the more popular villains on English and American sta ...

'' on May 31, 1858. He would later perform '' Richelieu'', ''

Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...

'', and ''

Brutus Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC) was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, which was reta ...

'' there, and he married one of McVicker's daughters in 1869. The theater was remodeled in 1864.

James Henry Hackett James Henry Hackett (March 15, 1800 – December 28, 1871) was an American actor. Hackett was born in New York City. He entered Columbia College in 1815 but withdrew. He then studied law privately. In 1818, he became a wholesale clerk in a groc ...

performed as

Falstaff Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays ''Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...

in 1865. It was again extensively remodeled in August 1871, but was destroyed in the

weeks later. However, it was rebuilt, and reopened on August 15, 1872. Mark Gray fired two bullets in an unsuccessful attempt to murder Edwin Booth on April 23, 1879, while the actor was performing ''

Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...

''. Actors and actresses who performed in McVicker's company over the years included James O'Neill,

Rossini Vrionides Rossini Waugh Stewart Vrionides (June 25, 1896 – November 25, 1943) was an American actress, composer, organist and violinist. She performed in vaudeville and on stage under the name "Gypsy Rossini." Rossini was born in Tipton, Indiana, Tipton ...

and

Robert B. Mantell Robert Bruce Mantell (7 February 1854 – 27 June 1928) was a Scottish-born stage actor who made several silent films. He used the name Robert Hudson early in his career, as his mother objected to her son becoming an actor. Born in Scotland a ...

. McVicker's was remodeled again in 1885 by

, but again destroyed in a fire in 1890. The rebuilt theater, designed by the same, opened on March 31, 1891, with a performance of ''

The Rivals ''The Rivals'' is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775. The story has been updated frequently, including a 1935 musical and a 1958 List of Maverick ...

'' featuring

Joseph Jefferson Joseph Jefferson III (February 20, 1829 – April 23, 1905), often known as Joe Jefferson, was an American actor. He was the third actor of this name in a family of actors and managers, and one of the most famous 19th century American comedians ...

, William J. Florence,

Louisa Lane Drew Louisa Lane Drew (January 10, 1820 – August 31, 1897) was an English-born British American actress and theatre owner-manager, and an ancestor of the prominent Barrymore-Drew acting family. Professionally, she was often billed and known a ...

, and Viola Allen. McVicker died on March 7, 1896. His widow assumed management until she sold the theater to Jacob Litt on May 1, 1898. The theater was demolished and rebuilt in 1922. Balaban & Katz purchased the building in 1926. It later showed films until it was shut down in 1984. It was demolished the next year.

Decor

The theater's decor, interior design work, steelwork, terracotta and other features were designed by many of Chicago's leading firms including Structural steel work by Albert H. Wolf; mason work by William D. Price; carpentery by Thos. Clark & Sons; ventilation and galvanized iron work by Jas. A. Miller & Bro.; plumbing and electric light fixtures by E. Baggot; painting and decorating by Healy & Millet; carpets and draperies by Marshall Field & Co.; seating by A. H. Andrews & Co.; electric lighting by Chicago Edison Co.; ornamental plasterwork by Schneider & Kline; ornamental iron work by W. H. Cheneworth Co.; tile work and fire-proofing by Illinois Terra Cotta, plain plasterwork by The Mackolite Plaster Co. and Michael Cyr; and bas-relief panels, by I^aSalles. The curtains ''March Through Illinois'' and ''The Fort Dearborn Massacre'' were by

Johannes Gelert Johannes Sophus Gelert (1852–1923) was a Danish-born sculptor, who came to the United States in 1887 and during a span of more than thirty years produced numerous works of civic art in the Midwest and on the East Coast.''New Jersey's Fir ...

; and the principal curtain, ''Chicago in 1833'', by Walter Burridge. The act drop curtain, ''Reverie of the Future'', was by Ernest Albert.McVicker's observanda; containing a graphic historical sketch of McVicker's theatre from its inception to the present date (1891)

References

External links

Graphic historical sketch of McVicker's Theater published in 1891
McVicker's Theatre in Chicago 1891
McVicker's TheatreMcVicker's Theatre programmeMcVicker's Theatre auditoriumBas-reliefs
by

La Salle's Triumphant March Through Illinois
{{coord, 41.8818, -87.6288, type:landmark_region:US-IL, display=title 1857 establishments in Illinois 1984 disestablishments in Illinois Louis Sullivan buildings Theatres in Chicago Theatres completed in 1865 Art Nouveau architecture in Chicago Art Nouveau theatres Buildings and structures demolished in 1985 Demolished buildings and structures in Chicago