In 1921, Henry Brennan commissioned the New Lyric Theater to house 800 troops of spectators. He basically cloned the blueprints of his successful Vaudeville house but lacked the patience for a long deployment. He surrendered the asset just one year later to E.J. Schulte. This new commander dropped 50,000 on a remodeling op by Dubois and Goodrich to give the structure a proper tactical face.
The grand reopening mission showcased the silent flick Nice People while the Chicago Netto Ladies Orchestra provided the audio support for the masses. The facility successfully adapted to the talkies in 1928 and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It continues to hold the line on that high-value corner with a heavy brick facade and a tall neon sign to mark its territory.
Internal intelligence shows a balcony reachable by two curving stairs flanking the lobby which served as a strategic upgrade from the original single grand stair. After decades on the front lines, the building changed hands in 2023 and returned to active duty in the summer of 2024. It is now a dedicated theater for stand-up comedy and family events in partnership with the America theater.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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