CHICAGO, July 20 (UPI) -- Chicago's Biograph Theater has been purchased by Victory Gardens Theater, which plans to renovate the historic cinema for live theater.
After next week's purchase of the property, reportedly for $2 million from owner Larry Edwards, a yearlong renovation will begin resulting in a transformation of the theater, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.
Officials for Victory Gardens, which won a Tony, plan to gut the interior of the theater but maintain its historic exterior in the $7 million to $8 million construction project.
The new Biograph will contain a 299-seat mainstage that will serve as the Victory Garden troupe's production home.
The new facility also will have a 130-seat studio theater, rehearsal hall and space for special events.
The Biograph is expected to close its movie theater operations in mid-September with plans to reopen in September 2005.
Part of the Biograph's storied history includes John Dillinger, the notorious bank robber, who was shot to death outside the cinema in 1934.
