There are whispers of a Chicago museum for the theatre or the performing arts. Do a Google search on the topic and you'll find several articles and blog posting calling for an archive of reviews, productions, and performers.
While there aren't any real plans or investors for the project, it is an intriguing cultural institution. As we talk about theatre as a national scrapbook for memories and identity, what is preserving the memories of the theatre?
However, before we start chomping at the bit, Kris Vire of TimeOut Chicago perhaps has the best perspective on the issue:
"Why send tourists to look at pictures of theater when we could be sending them to actual theater? Better to invest in our theater's future than build a monument to its past."
Then again, just as a theatre company needs to put together a company history as part of a grant proposal, perhaps having a more concrete history of the Chicago theatre will help out with City Funding, tourism, and advocacy.
What do you think? Is a Chicago theatre museum a worthwhile institution? And if so, what would you like to see preserved within its collections? What would be essential to represent the spirit and drive of Chicago and her theatre artists?
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