Studebaker Theater

A jewel of Chicago theater since 1898, the Studebaker Theater first emerged as a music and opera hall, hosting a variety of acts and performers. Situated where the Studebaker Carriage Company once held its carriage showroom, the theater sat 1,550 people and featured classical music, opera, and vaudeville performances, as well as resident companies such as the Castle Square Opera Company. In 1910, the Studebaker hosted a sold-out two-week farewell engagement with the famed French actress Sarah Bernhardt.