The Rialto Square opened in 1926, it was originally designed and
operated as a movie theater, but it now houses mainly musicals,
plays, concerts, and standup comedy. Designed in the Neo-Baroque
style, it is considered one of "150 great places in Illinois" by
the American Institute of Architects. Inside Rialto Square Theatre,
which opened in 1926 and underwent a restoration in the 1980s,
shining scagliola columns rise into a celestial dome full of
intricate sculptures. A Duchess chandelier dominates the rotunda.
Cream-colored marble walls line the lobby and cherubim flutter into
the auditorium. The lobby’s marble walls were polished by Conrad
Schmitt Studios, the same company that did major restoration work
at the Rialto in 1980. The black marble base on the walls of the
esplanade, fashioned after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of
Versailles in France, has been polished, as has the elegant red,
pink and gray scagliola above the base.
The Rialto was one of Al Capone's favorite haunts. It was also
the place where Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry held their
wedding reception in the final episode of My Fair Brady. The Rialto
was also featured in several other movies including Kevin Bacon's
Stir of Echoes and host several popular game show auditions
annually. The theatre also is home to the Rialto School of the
Arts, an art, choir, and drama educational program for children. A
Visual Arts Camp explores different media, tools, and techniques. A
Choir camp is also offered, and gives kids a chance to sing and
dance, with a final performance on the magnificent Rialto Square
Theatre stage. Children's Theatre Workshops are also offered at the
theatre by Our Town Productions, a Downers Grove professional
company.
You are looking for a magnetic keyholder within view of the
theater.
