Restoration at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre uncovers treasure trove of historical items

Restoration at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre reveals pieces of its past

The historic Auditorium Theatre in Chicago is between productions and undergoing some important restoration work, which in turn has revealed pieces of its storied past.

CEO Rich Regan and his team are committed to preserving the historic building.

“We’re in a constant state of restoration,” he said.

The latest project involves restoring the atrium and stained glass windows, which Regan said they know hasn’t been touched since 1967.

And the project has provided some unexpected entertainment. When workers removed a section of seats to put up scaffolding, they found what the audience left behind decades — even centuries — ago.

The treasures include a Chicago Herald newspaper from 1889, extremely brittle but still readable, and old programs from shows like Ballet Russe dating back to 1936., when you could buy a Buick for the cost of what is now a monthly car payment.

There’s even a 57-year-old ballet ticket; a seat to see the New York City Ballet at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31, 1967.

“From the imagery to the advertisements, the composer, the show time – all of those factors really catapult you back in time to that moment,” Regan said.

Who knows what history might be hiding under every other seat in the house.