The Many Stages of James McVicker

The McVicker's Theatre in 1878 designed by Louis Sullivan

Carrying on many of the traditions established by his friend and mentor, John Rice, James Hubert McVicker became synonymous with Chicago theatre for nearly half a century.

McVicker began his career as member of Rice's acting ensemble. A character actor, he became well known for portraying country bumpkin or Yankee roles. Though his favorite part to play was that of the grave digger in "Hamlet". He soon found that he also had a talent as a producer and parted company with Rice to strike out on his own.

The first theatre to bear McVicker's name opened on November 5th, 1857 on Madison and Dearborn. His productions continued to satisfy an appetite for plays, musical, opera and variety that John Rice had only whetted.

The McVicker's interior 1903

McVicker's productions gave audiences a unique theatrical experience. They came to expect productions like, "Rip Van Winkle", "Our Governor", "The Mighty Dollar", "The Marble Heart", and "Hamlet". In an effort to prevent audiences from leaving during lengthy scene changes or double billed plays, McVicker treated patrons to variety entertainments. Short farces, popular songs, magical acts, dance performances, and even poetry readings were a few of the offerings employed to encourage audiences to remain seated during these intervals.

These diverse entertainments were witnessed by a former producer of Minstrel shows, Tony Paster who developed and expanded this format to create the kind of theatre that became known as Vaudeville.

McVicker's Vaudeville 1912

The Great Chicago Fire claimed McVicker's theatre as one of it's victims. Enlisting the aid of Louis Sullivan, McVicker replaced it with an even grander structure. In time this too would be destroed by fire and rebuilt. In total there five theatres' bearing the McVicker name. And while the building underwent many changes the location at Madison and Dearborn remained a constant. For his audiences it seemed as though as long as there was a McVicker's there would be top quality entertainment in Chicago.

John Wilkes Booth who starred as Hamlet at  the McVicker's,  however his most famous role would be that of Abraham Lincoln's assassin.