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The Regal was a major complex that featured films, dance, music, and comedy. The theater was a prominent entertainment venue for over four decades in
Chicago, Illinois. This theater opened on February 4, 1928, located in "Bronzeville", at 4719 South Parkway (now King Drive). The theater was designed
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For most of its time, the Regal thrived with business by bringing in musical talents from across the country. People had some of the best times at the theater which helped spread the word about it and bring in more business. Eventually, with developments in technology like with the radio and TV,
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in 1863, blacks began to slowly move from their southern homes. Once blacks had the ability to move away from their slave owners and find industrial jobs, the north was able to provide this "new life" for them. Over a 20- to 30-year period, waves of thousands of blacks left the south and entered
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business began to decline. With the repercussions of all these factors, the Regal began losing more and more business which eventually led to the owner having to file bankruptcy and close down the theater in 1968. The building was later demolished in 1973. The site is now occupied by the
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Often compared to the Apollo in Harlem, the Regal actually opened six years earlier, and had double the seating capacity. Both theaters were able to attract several big names but, due to its size and central location, the Regal was arguably able to book bigger acts.
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The Regal was lavishly decorated, featuring velvet seating, large pillars, and grand spaces. Costing $ 1.5 million (in 1928 dollars) to construct, it was a venue that opened new doors for
African Americans in the entertainment business.
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Owned by a white business association in
Chicago, and seating about 3,000 people, the theater was one of the first entertainment complexes available for black audiences, employing black staff members (other than the musical acts).
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Moore, D. "CineWiki - Regal
Theater and African-American Exhibition in Chicago." CineWiki - Regal Theater and African-American Exhibition in Chicago, December 14, 2008. Web. April 23, 2013.
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459:. They had been an opening act at the Savoy Ballroom and had begun to gain a following. Aware of their increased popularity, Balaban and Katz hired them as the Regal house band.
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chain, the lavishly decorated venue, with plush carpeting and velvet drapes, featured some of the most celebrated
African-American entertainers in America.
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444:. Typically shows consisted of an opening musical act followed by a film. The theater was situated near two popular black venues: both a nightclub (the
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In its early years, the Regal featured silent films, well-known black musicians of all genres, though mainly jazz and blues. Performers included
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appeared many times at the theater, and recorded a live album there in 1965 (variously titled
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was a night club, theater, and music venue, popular among
African Americans, located in the
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Ottley, Roy. "Regal
Theater, Frayed but Imposing, Tailored for the Community",
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Other acts to appear at the Regal over the years included such performers as
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1941 photograph of a crowd exiting into the lobby of the Regal
Theater
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major cities such as
Chicago, New York City, Detroit, and elsewhere.
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Selling the Race: Culture, Community, and Black
Chicago, 1940–1955
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performed frequently at the theater through the 1920s and 1940s.
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642:"This is the moment Aretha Franklin became the 'Queen of Soul'"
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recorded his famous live version of the number-one hit single "
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448:) and a major retailer (the South Center Department store).
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Prior to the opening of the Regal, Chicago experienced the
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Historically African-American theaters and music venues
519:. In May 1964, during a performance at the theater,
523:was crowned, "the Queen of Soul" by music promoter
455:One of the house bands recruited for the Regal was
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773:Demolished buildings and structures in Chicago
27:Former music venue in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
30:For the still existing Chicago theater, see
763:Buildings and structures demolished in 1973
457:Fess Williams and his Royal Flush Orchestra
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673:. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
381:by Levy and Klein and was influenced by
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686:"Once Majestic Regal Awaits Wrecker",
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314:International Sweethearts of Rhythm
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18:Regal Theater, South Side (Chicago)
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539:at the theater in November 1964.
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481:Harold Washington Cultural Center
66:Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive)
704:. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
758:1928 establishments in Illinois
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533:recorded his famous live album
788:Music venues completed in 1928
768:Defunct jazz clubs in Illinois
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187:. The theater was designed by
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561:Gladys Knight & The Pips
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594:The Encyclopedia of Chicago
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669:Green, Adam (2007).
549:Live On Stage In '65
503:there that included
62:4719 South Parkway (
32:Avalon Regal Theater
734:41.8092°N 87.6158°W
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389:in New York City.
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330:The Isley Brothers
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739:41.8092; -87.6158
545:Live at the Regal
536:Live at the Regal
350:Dorothy Dandridge
326:The Famous Flames
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664:Bibliography
649:. Retrieved
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342:Pearl Bailey
278:The Esquires
270:The Supremes
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235:Ethel Waters
211:Cab Calloway
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194:Part of the
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64:now known as
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555:opened for
505:Marvin Gaye
418:Miles Davis
398:Ray Charles
366:Dave Peyton
322:James Brown
298:Della Reese
251:Moms Mabley
239:Miles Davis
181:Bronzeville
94:Music venue
69:Bronzeville
752:Categories
725:87°36′57″W
722:41°48′33″N
679:0226306410
651:August 21,
576:References
513:Mary Wells
497:Fingertips
338:Etta James
227:Lena Horne
531:B.B. King
442:B.B. King
402:Sam Cooke
290:B.B. King
90:Nightclub
646:NBC News
306:Les Paul
102:Genre(s)
59:Location
499:" at a
376:History
166:c. 1968
164: (
159:c. 1968
146: (
124:R&B
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557:Motown
515:, and
383:Harlem
368:, and
324:&
261:, and
156:Closed
138:Opened
571:Notes
559:acts
119:Bebop
109:Blues
706:ISBN
675:ISBN
653:2018
563:and
547:and
175:The
148:1928
141:1928
129:Soul
114:Jazz
83:Type
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