Exploring the Historic Abandoned Avalon Regal Theater - South Chicago’s Most Extravagant Playhouse [SS2Uqrt1gHS]
KFJ Explores Season 4 Episode 13 Abandoned Avalon Regal Theater - Chicago, IL 05/23/2025 Contribute to the Avalon Regal’s reopening! - ❌Disclaimer - This site is currently in the process of reopening and will undergo renovation work in the near future. Everything shot in this video was done with the permission of the site's owner, Jerald Gary. Do not attempt to go to this location without contacting the owner beforehand!❌ On today's adventure, we’re exploring south Chicago’s most extravagant playhouse, the infamous abandoned Avalon Regal. Built in 1927 and designed by renowned theater architect, John Eberson, this playhouse features immaculate ornate detailing all throughout its interior, which reflect an intricate combination of both Moorish revival and atmospheric architectural styles. Allegedly, the theater's elaborate theme was influenced by a Persian incense burner the architect found at an antique market in New Orleans and, whether or not this is true, the architecture and design throughout this building is beyond breathtaking to see. In its opening as the Avalon Theater, this 2,500 seat venue served as a house of vaudeville and featured live stage performances until 1934. At this point the theater transitioned to exclusively showing projected motion pictures and operated as a movie palace for the next several decades. By 1967, however, the Avalon theater closed due to a lack of attendance and was soon after reopen as the Miracle Temple Church. For the following 14 years the theater would serve as a meeting hall and religious space, until 1987, when the site was revived as a theater once again. At this time the venue was renamed the New Regal Theater, honoring the historic Regal in Bronzeville which burned down in 1973. During this time, the theater served as a performance arts venue and became a cultural cornerstone for the heavily prevalent African-American community within the sites surrounding neighborhoods of South Shore and Avalon Park. The New Regal offered an upscale entertainment venue specifically for Black art and music in an area that had few of its kind and none of its caliber or its enormity. With its grand stage and its extravagant architecture, the theater symbolized both pride and possibility for its community for many years. Despite its impact, the New Regal would only operate for about 16 years. By 2003, the theater again closed down due to a lack of attendance and the operational costs of the building. In 2008, there was one last attempt at reviving the site and during this time the theater held a party to celebrate Barack Obama’s presidential nomination speech on his election night. Ultimately, however, this event became the cause of the building's indefinite closure as the required repairs weren’t completed by the time of the event and the property owners were fined by the city at which point they declared bankruptcy and the theater was left abandoned for good. On today’s episode, I'll be venturing through the theater's entire interior nearly 2 decades after its closure but prior to its upcoming renovation plans. Join me as I explore this once ornate masterpiece left frozen in time. 00:00 - Introduction / History 03:47 - Front Entrance / Ticket Booth 05:51 - Lobby Main Level 09:51 - Lobby Second Level 13:16 - Theater Balcony 17:25 - Projection Room / Spotlight Booth 20:03 - Theater Main Level 24:33 - Theater Stage 25:59 - Dressing Rooms 28:11 - Basement / Lounges (Men’s Smoking Room & Women’s Powder Room) 31:55 - Basement 34:24 - Photos Intro Music - Fuzzeke Background Audio - White Mamba Beatz Previous Videos - My Instagram - @KFJ.Explores Avalon Regal Website - More Information: