The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is a 1500-seat state-of-the art performance venue located in Chicago's Millennium Park. Opened in November 2003, the nonprofit Harris Theater was the first multi-use performance venue built in downtown Chicago since 1929. Harris Theater serves as a unique national model of collaboration between the philanthropic community and performing arts organizations in music and dance. More than a decade later, the theater features the most diverse offerings of any venue in Chicago, hosting local, national, and internationally renowned artists and ensembles. The Harris Theater's primary mission is to partner with an array of Chicago's music and dance performing arts organizations to help them build the resources and infrastructure necessary to achieve artistic growth and long-term organizational sustainability. The Harris Theater's original group of 12 resident companies has grown to include 35 diverse and exceptionally talented performing arts organizations, including internationally acclaimed Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Music of the Baroque, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNow, and collaborations with Lyric Opera of Chicago, National Museum of Mexican Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and Columbia College Chicago. Through these partnerships, the Theater has earned national recognition as a distinctive model for collaboration, performance, and artistic advancement. The Theater supports this mission by providing these partner organizations with subsidized rental, technical expertise, and marketing support, allowing the organizations to focus on what they do best-bringing the finest in music and dance performances to the public. The Theater offers professional development opportunities, including the innovate Learning Lab, endorsed with grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. The Harris Theater is also dedicated to presenting internationally acclaimed music and dance organizations to enhance its reputation as well as to help build audiences for the Theater's resident companies. Through the Harris Theater Presents series, the Theater has achieved widespread recognition as a vital cultural anchor in Chicago. Daniel Barenboim, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Renee Fleming, the Hamburg Ballet, Lang Lang, the New York City Ballet, the Paris Opéra Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, Stephen Sondheim, and many others have graced the Harris' Elizabeth Morse Genius Stage through this series. The Harris Theater maintains a commitment to engaging Chicago residents of all ages and communities. Programs like the popular Eat to the Beat and Family Series advance access to and understanding of the performing arts. The Theater partners with health and human service agencies, K-12 schools and community arts organizations, providing more than 7,000 underwritten performance tickets through the Access Tickets Program since 2009, along with master classes, artist talks and other enrichment activities.The Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance is a 1500-seat state-of-the art performance venue located in Chicago's Millennium Park. Opened in November 2003, the nonprofit Harris Theater was the first multi-use performance venue built in downtown Chicago since 1929. Harris Theater serves as a unique national model of collaboration between the philanthropic community and performing arts organizations in music and dance. More than a decade later, the theater features the most diverse offerings of any venue in Chicago, hosting local, national, and internationally renowned artists and ensembles. The Harris Theater's primary mission is to partner with an array of Chicago's music and dance performing arts organizations to help them build the resources and infrastructure necessary to achieve artistic growth and long-term organizational sustainability. The Harris Theater's original group of 12 resident companies has grown to include 35 diverse and exception...
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Reviews

B
bmanchester76

05/06/2011

Provided by YP.com
I don't go downtown much becau...

I don't go downtown much because I like driving, but I don't like driving downtown. So this was my first trip to the Harris Theater, to see Jay and Silent Bob Get Old. I love their podcast and I've wanted to see it live and when I heard they were coming to Chicago, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Parking was a little difficult to find, but I eventually found underground parking near the theater. Parking was $16 validated, which I hear isn't too bad for downtown. Parking in enclosed spaces is always fun when you have a nice exhaust rumble coming from your car :)

The auditorium was nice and clean and although the seating is a little crowded, how else are you going to get 1000+ people packed in? There were a lot of people around to help you get where you needed to go, which was nice because I didn't know where I was going.

My biggest gripe about the theater was that they don't have a lot of food options. Luckily, I was early enough so that I walked a couple blocks and got food before the show.

Overall, not a bad place and I hope they can offer more in terms of food.

More Business Info

BBB Rating
A+
BBB Rating and Accreditation information may be delayed up to a week.
Hours
Regular Hours
Mon - Fri:
Extra Phones

Fax: 312-742-7662

Fax: 312-334-2498

TollFree: 888-282-8891

Phone: 312-334-2400

Phone: 312-742-7638

Phone: 312-334-2457

Payment method
visa, discover, debit, check, amex, mastercard
Location
Two Prudential Plz
Neighborhoods
Central Chicago, Grant Park
AKA

Music & Dance Theatre-Chicago

Grant Park Music Festival

Harris Theatre

Category
Theatres
Other Information

Parking: Garage

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

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