The newly renovated Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport reopened late last year. Celebrations officially begin this weekend with the theater’s first major show, featuring Chance the Rapper.
For more than 35 years, the once bustling Ramova Theatre at 35th and Halsted streets sat vacant, deteriorating in condition. But in 2017, the building was purchased for exactly $1. With investors including Chance the Rapper, Jennifer Hudson and Quincy Jones, the goal is to make the Ramova Theatre Bridgeport’s staple entertainment venue.
It’s a concept developers Tyler and Emily Nevius have created centered around their passion for live entertainment and craft beer.
“Almost everything, to the extent it could be, was revitalized to its original layout or close to it … We worked with national parks and others on it,” Tyler Nevius said. “The plaster inside, the ceilings and the paint schemes, the flooring … it’s the historical windows and marquee. Anything that could be seen and documented historically, we started trying to bring it back to that original posture.”
With 45 additional community investors, the remodeled venue offers a live music space and will soon include a brewery and new edition of the Ramova Grill.
Chance the Rapper is set to play one of the venue’s first shows in a concert for all ages.
“We built this for everybody. To have an all-ages show is something Kyle, our director of programming, was adamant about,” Tyler Nevius said. “We need to open this place up to people of all ages, all backgrounds, all experiences. … For Chance to have his first show with all ages was an exciting surprise for the team. It’s like going back to his roots, but he also never really left. … It’s going to be exciting.”
Tyler Nevius said the goal is for the theater to become an extension of the surrounding community.
“The South Side, Bronzeville, Canaryville, obviously Bridgeport, get folks up from Hyde Park, really create a connection point for the amazing history that Chicago has, but also the creative community,” Tyler Nevius said.
The Ramova Grill and new brewery are both scheduled to open in March. If you’re a Bridgeport native looking to get involved, email [email protected].
Follow Angel Idowu on Twitter: @angelidowu3
Angel Idowu is the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation Arts Correspondent.
