User:Jauerback/Paramount Theatre (Aurora, Illinois)/References
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[edit] Aurora theater rehab to take 2 years
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Chicago Tribune - July 27, 2003 Author: Hal Dardick, Special to the Tribune. Aurora 's historicParamount Theatre will be expanded at an estimated cost of about $5.5 million over the next two years or so, officials have said. To help fund the project, the City Council have started changing the master plan for the downtown tax increment financing district to include the Paramount expansion. Affected taxing agencies soon will meet to discuss the new plan, and a public hearing will be held Oct. 14. Under the TIF plan, established in December 1986, government agencies' property and sales tax collections were frozen for 23 years. Any additional revenue collected because of rising land values and increased downtown sales has been used to fund improvements. The City Council around November would issue about $5.6 million in bonds under the proposal, city Finance Director Brian Caputo said. The Aurora Civic Center Authority, which runs the Paramount, would pay $350,000 a year toward an annual bond debt service of about $960,000 until the bonds come due in 2010, he said. Paramount Executive Director Diana Martinez said ACCA already has $1 million set aside and is considering selling theater naming rights to bring in up to $100,000 a year. The rest of the payments will be covered by TIF property tax revenue, Caputo said. Sales tax TIF funds, which the state started phasing out years ago, now are too paltry to cover any of the costs, he said. In addition to the new TIF plan needing council approval, the council and the Aurora Historic Preservation Commission must approve the architectural plans because the Paramount is on the National Register of Historic Places. The size of the lobby would more than double under expansion plans with the addition of 5,000 square feet of land to the west, now part of Sesquicentennial Park. The council in 2000 approved a deal under which the authority would buy the park from the city for $306,000. The lobby now can accommodate only about 1,000 of the 1,800 people who can fit into the theater's seats, Martinez said. "It's really a pain in the winter" when many theater visitors end up waiting outside before a show, Martinez said. She also noted the women's bathroom has only eight stalls, and plans would quadruple that capacity. Additional bathrooms also would be put in the 600-seat balcony. With the expanded lobby -- which would include a catering kitchen, a gift shop and lounge -- dinners could be held before or after shows, and the lobby could become a spot for banquets, wedding receptions and trade shows, Martinez said. The authority also paid $125,000 for the former Fox Theatre directly south of the Paramount, and the estimated $5.5 million renovation is expected to cover work on that building. The basement would be converted to a multipurpose area to provide rehearsal and stage operations space, wardrobe and prop storage, and a dining room. The first floor would accommodate a restaurant, and the second floor would be used for acting classes. All of the work is expected to help the Paramount attract more events and guests and boost its revenue, Martinez said. The art deco-style Paramount was built in 1931 as a movie palace. Edition: Chicago Final Section: Real Estate Page: 5G Column: THE SUBURBS. Index Terms: SUBURB ; MOVIE ; BUILDING ; DEVELOPMENT Record Number: CTR0307270425 Copyright 2003, Chicago Tribune
[edit] City, Paramount agree on expansion financing - $5.5 million project: Downtown taxes to pay public portion of cost
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Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - December 11, 2003 Author: Dave Parro AURORA -- The city will pay almost two-thirds of the cost of the $5.5 million Paramount Theatre expansion and renovation through downtown property tax revenue. The Paramount announced plans in July to expand the 1931 theater, which will include renovating and doubling the size of the lobby. The bigger space will allow the theater to hold banquets, weddings, conferences and dinners before or after shows. The proposed financing agreement between the city and the Aurora Civic Center Authority, which owns the theater on Galena Boulevard and the adjacent rear building at 28 E. Downer Place, calls for Aurora to issue revenue bonds to pay for the project. The annual debt on the bonds is expected to be about $967,000 through 2010. The annual debt on the bonds will be split between the two parties, with property taxes from the downtown tax-increment financing (TIF) district covering 64 percent of the cost. The Civic Center Authority will pay the remainder, about $351,000 a year. Aldermen on the City Council's Finance Committee discussed the agreement Wednesday, and a final vote is expected Tuesday. The cost-sharing percentages for repayment of the bonds were based on the agreement for splitting construction costs for the project, which show the Paramount paying $2 million and the city $3.5 million. With interest, the total cost of repayment will be about $6.8 million, said Aurora Finance Director Brian Caputo. Diana Martinez, executive director for the Paramount, said construction bids will go out early next year, and ground for the yearlong project could be broken by spring. The renovation also will include the addition of elevators to the mezzanine, expanded restrooms and enlarging the box office. The rear building on Downer -- the former Fox Theatre -- also will be renovated into space for acting classes, rehearsal, production and dressing rooms. The Civic Center Authority will ensure payment of its debt by allowing the city to withhold a portion of its $510,000 grant every year. Martinez said the authority is still hoping to raise its share of the costs so the funding level for the Paramount remains the same. "That $2 million we use for artist deposits," Martinez said. "We need to have that money available to us." Among the ideas for fund-raising include selling the naming rights to the theater and holding raffles. A campaign will kick off next year, Martinez said. Page: A1 Index Terms: NEWS Record Number: PFS1342158 Copyright (c) 2003 The Beacon News
[edit] Theater readies for expansion - Paramount in Aurora: $6 million project will double size of lobby, add other amenities
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Herald News, The (Joliet, IL) - May 28, 2005 Author: Ed Fanselow AURORA -- After more than 12 months of repeated delays, the long-awaited Paramount Theatre expansion project is scheduled to get under way next week, local officials said Wednesday. The $6 million project will double the size of the building's oftentimes cramped lobby, expand the restroom facilities and add a gift shop, concession area and bar. The former Fox Theater building, which has sat vacant for years behind the Paramount on Downer Place, will also be renovated to accommodate new dressing rooms, a storage area and classroom space for dance and acting classes that will be open to the public. Paramount director Diana Martinez said theater companies visiting the facility have often had to do without standard amenities and have even scaled back their productions because of the Paramount's close quarters. The Paramount Theatre, designed with art deco opulence by noted theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp, opened in 1931 . The theater was commissioned by theater owner J.J. Rubens who, before construction, sold the company to the Paramount Famous Lasky Corp. When Paramount Pictures owned the design, they decided to build movie palaces all over the country, using the Paramount as a prototype, according to the theater's Web site. Now, renovation of the theater is "long overdue," Martinez said. "This keeps us on the cutting edge of the entertainment scene here in the suburbs," she said. The new lobby, which will expand by about 5,000 square feet into the area now occupied by Sesquicentennial Park, will double as a ballroom for banquets, weddings, conventions and pre- and post-show dinners, Martinez said. "When you have seats for 1,800 people and a lobby that holds 300, it can be a challenge at times. This really opens up a lot of options for us in terms of attracting people here and to downtown in general," Martinez said. The cost of the work will be split between the theater and the city, with the city paying about $3.5 million and the Paramount anteing up about $2.5 million. Martinez said the Paramount has already lined up about $1.5 million through donations and by selling naming rights to the new lobby and the various other new rooms within the building. Those sponsors, as well as the details of the theater's public fund-raising campaign, will be unveiled during a groundbreaking ceremony Friday, she said. The project was supposed to have been completed by now, but various delays due to cost overruns pushed the project's timeline back about a year. The work is now expected to be completed sometime in June 2006. Paramount Theatre expansion Scope of work: expanded lobby and restroom facilities; new gift shop concession area and bar; renovation of adjacent former Fox Theater building. Cost: $6 million. Timetable: Work should be completed by June 2006.
[edit] Paramount project to serve stars, fans - More restrooms for customers, better facilities for performers - A class act - Paramount upgrade starts today: lobby, backstage, restrooms
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Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - June 3, 2005 Author: Ed Fanselow AURORA -- If you've ever guzzled an extra-tall latte on the way to the Paramount Theatre , you might have an idea why the forthcoming expansion and renovation of the beloved downtown Aurora landmark is being heralded as "long overdue." With a seating capacity of nearly 1,900 and just 15 bathroom stalls, intermission at the theater has become a notoriously bladder-busting experience. But Paramount patrons are about to get some relief. More toilets -- 38 of them, in fact -- are among the many welcome additions coming to the historic theater as part of a construction project that kicks off with a formal groundbreaking ceremony today. The work should be completed by next summer, just in time for the theater's 75th anniversary. "We want to be a world-class entertainment facility," explained Paramount executive director Diana Martinez. "and we think this should put us over the top." The centerpiece of the $6 million plan is a dramatically expanded lobby that will be built in the space now occupied by Sesquicentennial Plaza to the west of the current lobby. The two-story, 12,000-square foot addition also will include a gift shop, a coat-check, three full-service bars and a kitchen that will be used to serve crowds of up to 550 people. The "Grand Hall," as officials are calling it, is expected to play host to pre-show receptions, weddings, and other special events. The first landing of the room's three-tiered staircase could double as a formal, elevated speaker's platform or head table dais. "It's going to be a very impressive space," Martinez said. "There's a lot of potential there." The stairs, of course, also will lead to the theater's balcony and to a new upstairs space that will double as a gallery for the work of local artists and the new home of the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame. The theater itself, meanwhile, will remain untouched, but its art deco style will be carried throughout the new addition with custom brass railings, glass-covered pillars and lens-shaped chandeliers. "It's the same style," Martinez said, "just with a more contemporary application." The project also will include about $1.5 million in backstage work that most theater-goers will never see, designed to make performing a show at the Paramount a much less stressful experience. Martinez said cramped quarters behind stage have led many visiting performers to scale back their shows in recent years. "We've had backup singers and dancers getting changed in the alley," Martinez said. "There's just not enough room as it is now." The expansion should add dressing rooms, rehearsal space and storage areas behind the Paramount stage in the former home of the Fox Theater at 28 E. Downer Place. The second floor of the long-abandoned building also will be converted into classroom space that will be home to singing, dancing and acting classes available to the public. The project will also make the entire Paramount facility handicapped-accessible by adding an elevator, ramps and improved restrooms. The groundbreaking ceremony, which will feature Martinez, project chairs Arlene Hawks and Hilary Brennan, and Mayor Tom Weisner, begins at 9 a.m. Page: A1 Index Terms: NEWS Record Number: PFS1506238 Copyright, 2005, The Beacon News. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED.
[edit] Renovated theater seen as regional draw Aurora's Paramount - expansion one of several projects city hopes will create urban feel - downtown
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) - June 5, 2005 Author: Kari Allen Daily Herald Staff Writer Diana Martinez's eyes light up when she talks about amenities coming to Aurora 's Paramount Theatre as part of its $6 million expansion. A lobby six times bigger than what's there now will better handle crowds before and after shows. A banquet area within the lobby will house large meetings and wedding receptions. Increased production space will help performers feel more comfortable. And best of all, Paramount's executive director says, there will be more restrooms. Patrons now wait in long lines during intermissions at the downtown theater. The expansion will put washrooms on each level of the facility, cutting down the wait time and allowing staff to shorten intermissions. "We won't have to wait for 1,888 people to use seven stalls," Martinez said. Of course, transforming the theater's lobby from 3,200 to 18,400 square feet will have other perks as well. Workers broke ground Friday on what is expected to be a one-year project to expand the theater at 23 E. Galena Blvd. The new lobby is being built in the adjacent Sesquicentennial Plaza. The Paramount will remain open throughout the work, and the expansion should be complete for the theater's 75th anniversary. The renovation will add an art gallery and banquet area to the theater's lobby, along with bars and a cafe that will be open before and after shows. Additional production space also will include classrooms for theatrical workshops for the public. The expansion is needed, Martinez said, because the theater is attracting bigger-name performers and drawing 150,000 patrons a year - many from DuPage County and surrounding suburbs. Supporters say the project also will bring more customers to other downtown businesses; it fits nicely with Aurora's plans to bolster downtown. "It is an exciting time in Aurora, with a gem like the Paramount doing its expansion," said Sherman Jenkins, executive director of the Aurora Economic Development Commission. Building success In the past three years, Martinez has pushed for many changes at the landmark theater, built in 1931 . Her goal has been to attract bigger names and programs for fans of all ages. This season alone will feature an eclectic mix of performers, from singers Kenny Rogers and Natalie Cole to comedians Wayne Brady and Paula Poundstone to The Second City Touring Company and a variety of theatrical performances. Shows geared specifically toward children and families also are scheduled. "The demographics change with every show," Martinez said. As the 1,888-seat Paramount has drawn bigger stars and shows in recent years, it also has attracted more spectators - creating a space crunch before and after performances in its lobby, which can handle only about 350 people. "That's the problem," Martinez said. "It's crazy. It's absolutely jam-packed for the shows. The lines to the bathrooms are insane." The expanded lobby will have room to seat up to 550 people, making things much more comfortable before and after shows, Martinez said. "We just need more space," she said. "It's a good problem." Theater and city officials expect the facility's popularity to hold strong. Karen Christensen, Aurora's downtown development director and a self-described "theater junkie," said the Paramount offers a unique setting for performers. Christensen, who has visited theaters all over the country, said the Paramount can draw big names while offering a more intimate setting than many bigger facilities. "I think it's a pretty unique venue," she said. "There's no bad seat in the house. The acoustics are unbelievable." Plus, the theater offers shows for suburbanites who don't want to trek to Chicago for entertainment, Jenkins said. Roughly 35 percent of the theater's patrons already come from DuPage County. After Aurora, the theater draws most of its customers from Naperville, Wheaton, Batavia, St. Charles and Glen Ellyn. Those people like coming to the Paramount because it provides good entertainment in a convenient setting, Jenkins said. "People are thirsty for these types of things," he said. "We're close to home." And Aurora officials hope once people visit the Paramount, they'll stick around downtown for a while - or come back another time. An urban feel The Paramount expansion is one of many projects Aurora officials hope will revitalize the city's downtown. Waubonsee Community College is expanding its campus, more restaurants and retail shops are moving into downtown or renovating there, and new condominiums are on the drawing board. The developments are geared toward giving Aurora's downtown a more urban feel with plenty of activity. It's a logical goal for the state's second-largest city, officials say. "We really want this to be a lively place where people live, shop and play," Christensen said. "We don't want to be this quiet suburban spot." The Hollywood Casino already draws visitors downtown - but not the type who frequently explore the city beyond the riverboat, Aurora officials say. Leaders hope attractions such as the expanded Paramount will help build interest in the city's restaurants, hotels and shops. The theater's banquet facility is expected to host large meetings and wedding receptions, which should steer more business toward nearby restaurants and hotels, city officials predict. "Larger groups and weddings and banquets - there's a demand for that," said Rocky Pintozzi, owner of the Comfort Suites, a hotel within walking distance of the theater. " (The theater expansion) is an obvious help to the hotel and an obvious help to the downtown. It's going to help bring life to the downtown." Aurora leaders hope theater-goers will explore the city, which is starting to buzz with more activity. "For a long time we've been kind of a secret," Christensen said. "People from the area have not been aware of what's here. "We're not a suburb. Aurora is a city in every sense of the word." Edition: DuPage,Cook,F1,F3,Lake Section: News Page: 1 Record Number: 801995 Copyright 2005 Daily Herald
[edit] Paramount to show off new look
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Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - April 26, 2006 Author: By Andre Salles AURORA - If you've driven by the Paramount Theatre on Galena Boulevard anytime in the past few months, and wondered just what's been going on under those big tarps, here's your chance to find out. The theater will unveil its new facade, part of a $6 million renovation, on Thursday morning. And theater officials are promising a gala event to mark the occasion, including appearances from local dignitaries and some big news about upcoming events and projects at the Paramount. The facade is just the beginning - inside its doors will soon be the Grand Gallery, a 12,740-square-foot work in progress that will eventually house a caf‚, a gift shop and other amenities. The gallery will provide seating for 340, and allow for banquets and community programs. The full gallery won't be completed until August. But for now, the Paramount staff is proud and excited about their new exterior. According to Executive Director Diana Martinez, designing the project took three years and at least five different concepts. Adding to the complexity was the fact that the Paramount is a nationally registered historic landmark, a status which brings with it its own set of challenges. New additions to historic buildings must stand out as new - they can't blend seamlessly with the original architecture. "It's a delicate balance," she said. "It has to look new, but still match. You can't fool everyone into thinking that it's part of the original building. And you can't imagine how many millions of colors of bricks there are." Those problems pale in comparison to the issues Martinez says she faced when it came to the interior design of both the theater and the adjoining building at 28 E. Downer Place. She said she discovered during the process that the Paramount contains steel beams that run along its length, which keep the theater's portion of the FoxWalk from collapsing - beams which had to be designed and built around. "You couldn't change the floor levels, or the riverwalk would fall into the river," she said. "It was like a Rubik's Cube puzzle." The redesigned theater contains several new all-purpose dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces, and an elevator that helps to bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Paramount staff plans a sneak peek party on June 1 to show off the new gallery, two months before the grand opening. The entire project was funded by contributions from theater patrons and other donors, according to Martinez. She said the Paramount is within $250,000 of its goal, which she hopes to make up with the sneak peek event in June and "prayers," she said. "We've been helped by a lot of amazing, generous people," she said. "Some days I thought it wouldn't happen, but it's nice to have this now." The Paramount celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, and it was just named one of the 10 most patronized theaters in the Chicago area by the League of Chicago Theaters. The tarp will be lifted off the new fa?ade at 10 a.m. Thursday. Call (630) 896-6666 or log on to www.paramountarts.com for more information. Caption: Diana Martinez Section: MAIN Page: A1 Record Number: 2_1_AU26_PARAMOUNT_S1 Copyright, 2006, The Beacon News. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED.
[edit] Aurora theater marking 75th year
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) - August 24, 2006 A quick chat with an Aurora newsmaker The coming season at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora promises to be one of its best ever, Executive Director Diana Martinez says. The list of entertainers and national touring companies helping the Paramount celebrate its 75th anniversary include Kenny Rogers, Itzhak Perlman and the Peking Acrobats. The 1,888-seat theater at 8 E. Galena Blvd. is on the National Register of Historic Places and this year expanded its lobby - called the Grand Gallery - to offer still more amenities. Martinez recently sat down to talk about the theater's array of artists and its new gallery entrance. Q. What work did the Paramount have done for its 75th year? A. We added a Grand Gallery that is a huge two-story lobby, which gives us elevator access to the second floor and bathrooms on each level. We added a cafe, an art gallery and a gift shop along with seating at an event for up to 350 people. Q. What act will open the 2006 season? A. Sinbad kicks off our soft opening (at 8 p.m. Sept. 2) until we can do a gala grand opening sometime in November. Q. When making plans for a new season, what do you tackle first? A. The artist's availability is first. I divide the season in genres and try to get a good balance of different sorts of entertainment - music, comedy and dance - to appeal to a wide range of audience. I put my top 10 picks in a list and see who's touring and who is not touring, who is already booked and who is taking a vacation. Next, I do a lot of research on their numbers and success rate to make sure they have the sales and if I can afford them. Q. How is a ticket price determined? A. It is basically the cost of the show. For instance, Olivia Newton-John has an entire orchestra, backup, lights and sounds. We look at the real costs of all of those, plus stagehands, sound rental, spotlight rental, insurance, cleaning and theater overhead costs such as heating and security. We also factor in group and season-subscription discounts. We base our price on selling 70 to 75 percent of the house since all shows do not sell out. Then we estimate the best that we can. Q. Which show this season is a sleeper and deserves special mention? A. There are two of them. "My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm in Therapy" with Steve Solomon is absolutely a hysterical one-man show. It is about families and relationships from a man's point of view. It is witty, cutting edge and laugh- out-loud funny. The music sleeper is the East Village Opera Company that is an amazing band from New York. They modernize opera with rock instrumentation and appeal to everyone of all ages. They are really good. Q. What is the Paramount Theatre's connection to Paramount Movies? A. In 1930, when the Paramount was planned by a group of men in Aurora, one had just been to Europe and was inspired by the beauty of the Paris Opera House. He wanted to infuse some of that beautiful design into the theatre's design. The architects Rapp & Rapp of Chicago told him that art deco could not be mixed with Venetian architecture, but the gentleman asked them to try. They did, and this is what they came up with. During that time, Paramount Pictures knew that the talking picture was going to be a big deal and they were going to build 26 theaters across the country. They heard about this theater, bought it and made it a prototype for their other movie palaces. Q. Why is the Paramount a not-for-profit organization? A. Since our beginning, we've done a lot of charitable things through the theater. We have a fundraising arm for refurbishing the building. We have a "Dreams Come True" program in which we give more than 1,000 tickets away to underprivileged children and people who never could afford to come see a show. We do free movies for children in the summer and a few free city events. We also subsidize the movies we show, which will be 75 cents this year. A volunteer board of nine members runs the organization. Q. How do you become a season ticket holder? A. You just buy three shows. Then you get preferred seating, receive our newsletter and get invited to special events and fundraisers. The more you buy, the more you save. Q. What do you like best about the Paramount? A. Because we are out in the suburbs, we get the opportunity to create a sense of community. Our volunteers are really committed. They and our subscribers are part of our Paramount family. I do not know if a large theater downtown can get involved with free movies for kids or do things like our Aurora Idol competition. We can do special and unique things in the community and they look at us as their theater, which is nice. - Joan Broz Caption: Sinbad; Olivia Newton-John Edition: DuPage Section: Neighbor Page: 3 Column: 2-minute drill Record Number: 871845 Copyright 2006 Daily Herald
[edit] Paramount's sneak peek Public gets look at $6 million addition
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Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - September 28, 2006 Author: By Andre Salles AURORA - People attending the Midwest Literary Festival recently got a special treat - a sneak peek at the Paramount Theatre 's new Grand Gallery, set to open later this month. On Wednesday, the press was invited to look at the $6 million addition, in the works for three years. Encompassing 12,740 square feet and including a caf‚ and other new amenities, the Gallery is an impressive sight. Its ceilings are high and intricately decorated, and its floor tiles are terrazzo, a marble and concrete mix that matches perfectly with the original tile in other areas of the theatre. The original fa?ade of the building is visible, the 1931 brick design mirrored on the newly constructed face out front. Its massive staircase leads up to a balcony that traverses three of the four walls, with 112 feet of hanging space for art. This will be the home of the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame, including new work from local artists each month, beginning with Auroran Joyce Reuland. Art from Paramount performers will be among future exhibits.. The gallery includes a restaurant area, serving food, coffee and desserts. According to Marketing Manager Kathy Gustafson, this will allow the theater to serve food for the first time. There is a new gift shop, and a new elevator, making the upper balcony levels of the theatre accessible to the disabled. Perhaps most importantly, the new gallery adds 40 new restroom stalls - 24 for women, 16 for men. "There was only one restroom on the main level before," Gustafson said. "Older people up on the second level had to go down two flights of stairs to get to the bathroom, and they weren't happy about it." The second level includes a VIP room with a bar, allowing beverage sales for balcony patrons for the first time. The Paramount seats 1,800, and until this new amenity was constructed, there was only one bar for everyone. Gustafson said that she and the Paramount staff are all excited to see the Gallery finished. "The last few weeks have been the worst," she said. "Every day, everyone asks when it will open." And now, she can tell them - the Gallery is expected to open for Randy Travis' show on Sept. 29. The Paramount's 75th season kicked off this month with comedian Sinbad, who performed on Sept. 2. Gustafson said that the show went well, and very nearly sold out. Besides Travis, upcoming shows include Abba tribute Bjorn Again on Oct. 1, and comedian Steve Solomon on Oct. 6. For more information or to order tickets, call the Paramount at (630) 896-6666, or log on to www.paramountarts.com. Caption: The new Grand Gallery at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora glows brightly Wednesday night, Sept. 20 for a special preview. Section: Out About Page: 28 Record Number: 2_6_5_FV28_PARAMOUNT_S1 Copyright, 2006, The Beacon News. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED.
[edit] Fox Tales - What a treat! Watch a movie at the Paramount
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Beacon News, The (Aurora, IL) - January 25, 2007 Author: Judy Buchenot I can still remember the first time I walked into the Paramount Theatre in Aurora . All I could do was look up at the spectacular ceiling. My Dad loved movies and took us there as children to see a film but I have no recollection of the movie title. All I can recall was the beautiful theater. If you have never visited this spectacular venue, you should catch a movie there in the coming weeks. In honor of the Paramount's 75th anniversary, movies are being offered for 75 cents admission at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings through the end of February. The movies are classics. On Jan. 30, it will be The Pink Panther and on Feb. 13, they will show Gone with the Wind - a great pre-Valentine's Day movie. The movie titles are listed on the Paramount's Web site (www.paramountarts.com) but the best part of the evening is the theater itself. It has a wonderful history and has been carefully restored. The stories surrounding that theater abound. A few of my favorites start back in 1901. In the spring of 1901, the Pan-American Exposition was held in Buffalo, New York. Some say that Buffalo was trying to match the splendor of Chicago's Columbia Exposition held in 1893. President William McKinley visited the event in September and delivered a speech proclaiming that, "Expositions are the timekeepers of progress." While he was at the exposition, McKinley tried to personally greet as many people as possible. He was shaking hands in the Temple of Music on Sept. 6, which was a hot day. Many people had handkerchiefs out to wipe the sweat off their brows so no one noticed the man with his hand wrapped with a handkerchief concealing a gun. President McKinley was shot and died several days later. The building where these events happened was disassembled and moved to Aurora. It was rebuilt on the land near where the Paramount is today and became the Coliseum, but was later renamed the Fox In 1920, the Rialto Theater was added to the entertainment complex standing where the Paramount is today. In 1928, a fire destroyed all the buildings. But Aurora was known as an entertainment center so plans began to build another theater. The famous theater architects Rapp and Rapp designed a structure influenced by both the art deco style of the time and a Venetian influence. Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures had begun a push to invest in movie palaces around the country to show the new talking pictures. When they heard about the Aurora theater plans, they became investors in the project. They heartily supported the design, which inspired the look of 26 other theaters across the country. The Paramount cost a million dollars to build and opened in 1931 . It was the first building outside of Chicago to have air-conditioning. Unfortunately, it opened just as the effects of the Great Depression were intensifying. To entice people to spend a precious forty cents on admission, the theater offered free pre-show news reels and held raffles for groceries and cash prizes. The theater was designed to be a movie palace but could also accommodate live performances. The lively Sally Rand performed both her Fan Dance and Bubble Dance on the Paramount stage. There have always been strong supporters of the theater. One very loyal employee was Bernie Weiler, who served as an usher at the Paramount in 1941. The story goes that there was an armed robbery attempt at the theater and Bernie apprehended the robber. Bernie got shot in the arm but he managed to detain the criminal by sitting on him until the police arrived. Bernie worked up his way through the theater and became a manager in the 50s and 60s. He fought the idea of television in an effort to keep people attending performances at the Paramount. He became known as the "Night Mayor of Aurora" for keeping things active in the city at night. There are about 20 Paramount theaters still in operation today. To have one of those treasures in our own town is worth celebrating. Attending a live performance or movie in this historic venue is a wonderful treat. I have read stories about how people would walk hours from the rural homes to get to Aurora to see stars and moving pictures. We can drive along those same routes others have taken for decades and continue the tradition of enjoying quality entertainment in Aurora's Paramount Theatre. buchenot@comcast.net Section: AROUND TOWN Page: 2 Record Number: 2_6_5_FV25_JUDY_S1 Copyright, 2007, The Beacon News. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED.
[edit] New glitter for Paramount Downtown Aurora theater shows off - $6 million in renovations
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Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) - May 18, 2007 Author: Jill Jedlowski jjedlowski@@dailyherald.com One of Broadway's biggest stars marked the official opening of a glitzier and more spacious Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora . Bernadette Peters performed at 23 E. Galena Blvd. Thursday night as part of the grand opening festivities for some $6 million in improvements to the facility, which opened in 1931 . Most upgrades pertained to the "grand gallery." Leading up to the show, city and theater officials marked the occasion with a marching band, confetti, balloons and a champagne toast. "It marks the end of our 75th anniversary and a new beginning for the Paramount," said Executive Director Diana Martinez. "It's a big deal for the city. Now we have a world-class, full- service entertainment venue. There's nothing like it in the suburbs or even the city really." The theater's remodeled gallery includes a cafe, art gallery and gift shop. Martinez attributed the renovations to a record-breaking season that pulled in $3.1 million in ticket sales, which exceeded the former record high by $600,000. Mayor Tom Weisner, who underwent cancer surgery two weeks ago, said Thursday's was a momentous event that he just couldn't miss. "I call this the diamond of our downtown," he said. Stagehand Denny Bentley, the theater's longest-serving employee with nearly 40 years on the job, said the changes breathe new life into an old classic. "We all have one goal here: To entertain," Bentley said. "I just love it. We've got new people coming through our doors every single day." He said the addition of new restrooms is perhaps what patrons will notice most. "They were (virtually) nonexistent before," he said. Caption: The grand staircase at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora sparkles during the theater's grand opening Thursday. PAUL MICHNA/pmichna@@dailyherald.com
