Tour To Give Behind-The-Scenes Peek At Historic Tivoli Theatre

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — For nearly a century, the Tivoli Theatre has stood on the corner of Highland and Warren Avenues in Downers Grove, a sparkling relic of the bygone days of lavish single-screen cinemas. On March 31, customers can go behind-the-scenes and see the inner workings of the Tivoli, including a rumored secret passageway, as part of a special tour hosted by Atlas Obscura Society Chicago.

The exclusive tour will take guests up into the Tivioli's projection booths, backstage behind the screen, and downstairs below the stage area. Guests will have a chance to see the Tivoli Theatre's historic Wurlitzer pipe organ and tiptoe through a hidden passageway that leads to the neighboring Tivoli Bowl.

Built in 1928, the Tivoli Theatre was billed as "the wonder theatre of suburban Chicago," since it was one of the first theaters of its kind to play "talkies" after the silent film era. According to Atlas Obscura, the Tivoli was the second theater in the U.S. built to play such films.

It remains one of the only single-screen theaters in operation in suburban Chicago.

The tour, which includes an introductory presentation, is part of Atlas Obscura's 2019 Focus on Films Series, a series of events curated by film scholar Dr. Kelli Marshall that explores the history of film stock, movies, and movie theaters throughout Chicago.

Visit the event Facebook page to get advance tickets to Tour the Tivoli, the Wonder Theatre of Suburban Chicago.