American Blues Theater opens first season in permanent home with "It's A Wonderful Life"
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A live interactive version of the holiday classic "It's A Wonderful Life" is playing at the American Blues Theater in West Rogers Park, but this production is different because of where it's taking place.
After decades of moving from location to location, the American Blues Theater finally has its own home. It opened last month on Lincoln Avenue just north of Bryn Mawr Avenue.
CBS 2 found out why it's so important for these artists to have a permanent place of their own.
The stage at this production of "It's A Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago" is a radio studio, but it's also part of a new home.
After 38 years of renting space, the American Blues Theater finally bought its own building. Its new permanent home opened last month.
"Between scheduling, renting, making sure that new patrons and new donors know where you are; it just made more sustainable sense for us to have our own building," said executive artistic director Wendy Whiteside.
Whiteside, also a member of the theater's ensemble, said the staff had rented more than 15 different venues across the Chicago area before moving into their own digs.
"When you have all the theaters competing for certain weeks to show their productions, it's kind of difficult to have autonomy of your own brand," she said.
Editha Rosario-Moore, an ensemble member and co-vice chair of the theater's board, said "it's a birth, but it's also a relief."
"There's nothing like planting roots," she said.
The theater bought the building in 2022. It took more than a year and a half to convert the former Dollar General store into a theater.
Whiteside recalled first time she could imagine what the building would become, as staff taped off where the stage would be.
"Just by standing right there on the floor, with the little painters' tape, I just lost it and started crying," she said.
The new theater has a 147-seat main stage. a second smaller performance space, and a solid future of bringing art to the community.
"We can really push the artistic merits of the company, as well as the service for the community, and that is just elation," Whiteside said.
"It's A Wonderful Life: Live In Chicago," now in its 22nd year, runs through Sunday. The rest of their season includes Charles Smith's "The Reclamation of Madison Hemings," and Audrey Cefaley's "The Last Wide Open."