Music Box Celebrates 30 Years, Might Add Third Screen
By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 21, 2013 4:20PM
What do you get for an 84-year-old that is celebrating their 30th birthday? Usually, we'd recommend a good prescription to address what must be a full dose of either denial or senility, but we will make an exception if the birthday in question belongs to a movie theater. One of our very favorite local movie palaces, the Music Box Theatre celebrates its 30th anniversary as a repertory house this weekend in grand style.
We will gladly call you 30, Music Box, even though you were built in 1929 (for a cool $110,000). We understand that you closed in 1977, spent six years "finding yourself" (screening pornos, Spanish-language and Arabic-language films, etc.) and re-opened in 1983. We're not going to scrutinize your birth certificate as if you were some teenage Cuban pitching prospect. We're just going to enjoy the two weeks of special events you've got lined up.
The Chicago City Council has even gotten in on the celebration, declaring Nov. 22 to be "Music Box Theatre Day" in Chicago. Who can argue with the crowd-pleasing double-feature you've chosen to celebrate, Hitchcock's paragon of cool thrillers, North By Northwest and the Coen Brothers' candidate for most-quoted-dialog-of-the-21st-century, The Big Lebowski? On Saturday, the theatre throws a proper party to release its Winter 2014 calendar, with a restoration of the Harold Lloyd classic The Freshman with live organ accompaniment, along with performances from a 7-piece jazz band and an opening reception at 7 p.m.
With a renovation to your smaller screening room this year, the unflagging quality in your programming, the unmissable special programming that nobody else (literally) can put on like this year's 70mm Film Festival and incredibly fun events like the Music Box of Horrors, we feel comfortable saying: you're looking good, Music Box. So what sort of gift does one get for a 30th/84th birthday? If the reports of the Music Box expanding to add a third screen once the purchase of the building next door at 3735 N. Southport Ave. happens, we are not sure anything could top that. How about we just promise to stop cracking on your age by the time your "40th" rolls around? Because the prospects of that happening sure look good.
The Music Box Theatre's 30th anniversary celebration takes place this Friday, Nov. 22, beginning with a reception at 6 p.m. Tickets are available online.