Margie Korshak, publicist who helped make Chicago a top theater city, dies at 86

CHICAGO - A publicist who helped make Chicago one of the top theater locations in the world has died.

Margie Korshak was a public relations powerhouse who specialized in representing the entertainment industry.

She died on Sunday at the age of 86.

Making Chicago a theater city

The backstory:

If you’re a Broadway fan in Chicago, Korshak’s imprint is all over what the world thinks of Chicago as a theater town.

For more than 50 years, she was known to be the publicist to the stars and a trailblazer for women.

She started her own PR firm in 1967, working with the entertainment industry as well as retail and restaurants.

She also represented every Broadway show that came to Chicago and was instrumental in bringing big names and pre-Broadway shows that use Chicago as a testing ground, and still do so today.

What they're saying:

One industry leader said Korshak's efforts helped propel Chicago into one of the top three cities in the world for theatergoers.

"Chicago was considered a bus and truck town," said Lou Raizin, the president and CEO of Broadway in Chicago. "The shows were few and far between. It was basically a subscription and that subscription was at the Shubert Theater, and now, we’re the third-most important city in the world for commercial theater behind New York and London. And Margie was with us, right at our side as we forged that space in the theatrical world."

The Chicago Tribune reported that Korshak died on Sunday morning following kidney failure and other ailments. She was a relentless champion for her clients and never took "no" for an answer, but, at the same time, she was beloved.

Though Korshak has died, her impact will be felt in Chicago’s theater scene for decades to come.