Paramount Theatre - Aurora IL
The $1 million dollar building opened on September 3, 1931, to wonder, excitement, glamour, laughter and music. An organist was flown in to play the Wurlitzer, local dignitaries attended the opening, and telegrams arrived from Paramount Studios stars such as Claudette Colbert, Sylvia Sydney, and Janet Gaynor. In addition to the movies, The Paramount also offered vaudeville, concerts, sing-a-longs and circus performances…all inside Illinois’ first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago. Acoustics and sight lines had been so well designed that there was not one bad seat in the house. The luxurious theatre gave its patrons a brief respite from the troubles of the Great Depression.
Paramount Arts Centre, 1931
23 E. Galena Boulevard
The Paramount Arts Centre was designed by George and C.W. Rapp in 1931. Rapp and Rapp are renowned for their opulent movie palaces including the Chicago Theater. The movie palace opened in 1931, a terra cotta and steel building with an exterior covering of face brick. The most significant portion of the exterior is the octagonal tower It is elaborately detailed in brick and colored, glazed terra cotta and capped by an orange tile roof. The interior combines Venetian murals with Art Deco detailing. Reopened after renovation in 1978, the Paramount is a prestigious cultural facility that serves the entire region, and offers a full season of world-class professional entertainment.
Paramount Theatre - Aurora IL
The $1 million dollar building opened on September 3, 1931, to wonder, excitement, glamour, laughter and music. An organist was flown in to play the Wurlitzer, local dignitaries attended the opening, and telegrams arrived from Paramount Studios stars such as Claudette Colbert, Sylvia Sydney, and Janet Gaynor. In addition to the movies, The Paramount also offered vaudeville, concerts, sing-a-longs and circus performances…all inside Illinois’ first air-conditioned building outside of Chicago. Acoustics and sight lines had been so well designed that there was not one bad seat in the house. The luxurious theatre gave its patrons a brief respite from the troubles of the Great Depression.
Paramount Arts Centre, 1931
23 E. Galena Boulevard
The Paramount Arts Centre was designed by George and C.W. Rapp in 1931. Rapp and Rapp are renowned for their opulent movie palaces including the Chicago Theater. The movie palace opened in 1931, a terra cotta and steel building with an exterior covering of face brick. The most significant portion of the exterior is the octagonal tower It is elaborately detailed in brick and colored, glazed terra cotta and capped by an orange tile roof. The interior combines Venetian murals with Art Deco detailing. Reopened after renovation in 1978, the Paramount is a prestigious cultural facility that serves the entire region, and offers a full season of world-class professional entertainment.