The Morse Theater operated in the East Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago from 1912 until 1930. Since then, it has operated as the Co-Ed Theater, a synagogue, a cobbler, a jazz club, and most recently in 2010, it reopened as the Mayne Stage.

History

Located at 1328 W. Morse Ave. in Chicago, the Morse Theater opened in 1912 as a 600-seat nickelodeon and vaudeville house.^[1] From 1930-1954 it operated as the Co-Ed Theater,^[2] a reference to its proximity to Loyola University. Starting in 1955 the building was used as a synagogue for the Congregation Beth Israel Anshe Yanova.^[3] In 1977 the building came under ownership of the Geroulis family and housed their business, Cobblers Mall. The shoe repair shop moved to a smaller location on the same block in 2004.^[4]

In 2008 the theater underwent a 6 million dollar renovation to become a jazz club featuring cabaret style seating and a high end audio system,^[1] once again operating as the Morse. That same year, the newly-renovated Morse was damaged in what officials suspected to be arson motivated by anti-gentrification sentiments.^[5] The Morse Theater suffered its next setback when the building owners entered into a dispute with its operators in 2009.^[6] It closed when efforts to resolve this dispute failed.

The theater reopened under new management in 2010 as the Mayne Stage, a theater focused on live music and comedy.^[7] The new name was a reference to the location of the theatre, on the intersection of Morse Ave and Wayne Ave. The Mayne Stage was viewed as a potential sign of renewal in what had been an economically challenged neighborhood.^[8] After six years, owner Jennifer Pritzker and management company Tawani Enterprises closed the Mayne Stage as a public venue for concerts. It currently operates as a site for private events.^[9][10]

References

42°0′29.8″N 87°39′54.1″W / 42.008278°N 87.665028°W / 42.008278; -87.665028