Independently owned, the Music Box Theatre is the largest dedicated theater space in Chicago. It’s one of the city’s prime art-house movie theaters, screening foreign and independent films.
One of the Music Box’s greatest assets is its old-fashioned ambience. The design is a mix of Spanish and Italian by way of Hollywood. The dark-blue-clouded ceiling has a twinkling-stars effect and the walls are decorated in a style that evokes an Italian courtyard, making the audience feel as though they’re viewing the film out on the palazzo. Adding to the Hollywood magic is the Music Box Theatre’s homegrown ghost story: Legend has it that the theater’s former manager, Whitey, continues to watch over the theater even today.
- Public Transportation: Good (accessible by CTA bus and train)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Independent and foreign films
- Ticket Prices: General admission is $9.25; first-show-of-the-day discount (Monday–Thursday only) $8.25; Saturday and Sunday matinée films at 11:30 a.m. are $7.25.