Marriott Theatre
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 Marriott Theatre, April 2018 | |
 Interactive map of Marriott Theatre | |
Former names | Drury Lane North Theatre |
|---|---|
| Location | 10 Marriott Dr, Lincolnshire, Illinois 60069 |
| Coordinates | 42°11′38″N 87°55′41″W / 42.194°N 87.928°W |
| Owner | Marriott International, Inc. |
| Capacity | 838 |
| Event | Theatre |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 1, 1975 |
| Website | |
| www | |
The Marriott Theatre is a regional theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, outside of Chicago. Attached to the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, the theatre produces an average of five musicals each year, presented in the round, as well as productions aimed at younger audiences.[1] A small, live orchestra provides accompaniment.
Founded in December 1975, The Marriott Theatre has presented more than 170 musicals and is currently led by Executive Producer Peter Blair and Artistic Director Peter Marston Sullivan. It is the most subscribed musical theatre in the country.[2]
The original executive producer, Tony DeSantis, viewed the venue as a place for star performers. When Kary Walker took over in 1979, he switched to producing musicals, which have been the primary productions of the theatre ever since.[3]
The Marriott Theatre has presented more than 3,000 professional actors in classic American musical theatre, new musicals, and "re-thought" musicals.[citation needed] Broadway has long considered The Marriott Theatre a prime venue for launching shows into the regional market with premiere productions of A Chorus Line, Chess, Baby, Grand Hotel, They're Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl, The First, Miss Saigon, Cats, Sunset Boulevard, Beauty and the Beast, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Producers and Little Women.
A founding member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, The Marriott Theatre fosters artists in creating new works for the stage. The result has been a string of American and World Premieres including Matador, which subsequently played London's West End; Annie Warbucks, launching a national tour and opening off-Broadway in New York to rave reviews; Phantom of the Country Palace, Grover's Corners, Maury Yeston's History Loves Company (1991), Windy City, The New Yorkers, Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, Peggy Sue Got Married, Once Upon a Time in New Jersey, The All Night Strut, A Fascinatin' Rhythm, Married Alive, The Bowery Boys, For The Boys, and Hero.
Marriott's Theatre for Young Audiences has presented numerous original works as well as classic fairy tales. To date, Marriott's Theatre for Young Audiences has presented more than 45 productions. Every year, these musicals introduce more than 100,000 children to live theatre. In all, The Marriott Theatre attracts more than 400,000 people to Lincolnshire each year.[citation needed]