Arie Crown Theater

History

The theater inside McCormick Place first opened to the public on February 18, 1961, billed as the “Big Theater,” for a stage show tied to the Chicago Auto Show, and was named the Arie Crown Theater that June for Chicago merchant and arts patron Arie Crown. A fire on January 16, 1967, closed it until the rebuilt Lakeside Center hall reopened for Mahalia Jackson’s funeral on January 29, 1971. Later acoustic changes cut the original 5,086 seats to 4,188. It still books concerts, musicals, comedy, and large civic and corporate events on Lake Shore Drive.