Music Box Theatre to close for month-long renovation this summer

CHICAGO - One of Chicago's most-loved movie theaters is going to be shut down for a month this summer to make it even better. 

The Music Box Theatre in Lake View will undergo extensive renovations and it will also give you a chance to own or sponsor a piece of Chicago movie history. 

"We're gonna kind of give a little makeover to our lovely old, old, 95-year-old space," said Oestreich.

Ryan Oestreich runs the Music Box Theatre – an anchor of the Lake View neighborhood since 1929. 

But, the grand old lady hasn't had a facelift in over 40 years and it's beginning to show. 

The seats are worn, the paint is coming off the proscenium and it has none of the modern amenities moviegoers are looking for.

"It needs to be modernized, but not in a way we're going to lose anything. The esthetics are going to be exactly how it was back in 1929," said Oestreich. 

So, beginning Aug. 12, the Music Box will be shut down for a month. All 740 seats will be replaced with new seats that include upholders. New carpeting and lighting will also be installed.

And, the beautiful proscenium will be fully restored. 

"If you think how the city is laid out, it is lost all its historic movie palaces. So, the idea you can watch a movie with 700 people and all laugh and all be scared together, and that's a great experience and it's really, really important that we keep that experience going," said Oestreich. 

While the main theater is closed, a small side theater will remain open, as well as the Music Box Garden – an outdoor theater that shows movies every night during the summer.

The garden also has food and booze for visitors. 

The renovation will cost around $750,000 and they hope to raise a good chunk of the money by sponsoring the new seats and selling the ones being replaced.