late 1920’s interior lawndale theater diminutive floral rosette salvaged from the massive auditorium ceiling medallion – william p. whitney, architect

About This Item

all original and amazingly intact late 1920’s diminutive cast plaster lawndale theater floral rosette likely fabricated by the decorators’ supply company of chicago, il. the brightly colored rosette was originally apart of a larger, centrally located medallion attached to the ceiling high above the auditorium seating. the polychrome color scheme has not been altered in any way since it was applied in 1927. the rosette contains leafage surrounding a centrally located petaled flower. the cast plaster rosette is reinforced with horse hair (used as a binding agent) to strengthen the structural integrity. the 2000-seat spanish revival style “new-yiddish” lawndale theater was designed by william p. whitney and r. levine & company in 1927. the west side chicago theater original opened as the “new yiddish theater, but was later renamed shortly thereafter. the white terra cotta-clad theater building later became the rena theater until finally closing its doors in 1963. the theater was converted into a church, which operated until the 1990’s. although the theater building still stands (vacant and badly deteriorating), it is slated for demolition by the city of chicago. urban remains acquired the salvaged rights in 2009 and spent nearly six months carefully removing artifacts.