Merle Reskin Theatre, Chicago
Designed by Marshall & Fox, the Beaux-Arts theater has carried commercial productions, touring shows, DePaul training, and Chicago performance history for more...
Watchlist Blog
DePaul’s Reskin exit leaves a landmark theater without a clear operator
Landmark protection remains, but DePaul's withdrawal removes the institution that programmed and maintained the 1,400-seat Blackstone Theatre.
May 31, 2026
Merle Reskin Theatre, Chicago
Updated 2026
The immediate preservation question is no longer demolition; it is whether a new owner or operator can keep the full historic playhouse active.
The curtain is closing on DePaul's long operation of the Merle Reskin Theatre. The university's retreat leaves the 1910 Blackstone Theatre protected within a landmark district but without a clear next operator.
That distinction matters. Exterior controls can limit physical change, yet a large theater also needs heat, inspections, backstage care, programming, and revenue.
Read the theater record in Merle Reskin Theatre, Chicago.
Follow more venue transitions in Watchlist Blog.
A protected theater still needs an operator to remain a theater.
What Changed
DePaul announced that it would stop using the Reskin as its primary downtown venue amid wider financial pressure.
The decision places ownership, operation, and maintenance ahead of any physical redevelopment question.
What To Watch Next
Sale or lease terms, interim maintenance, interior protections, operator interest, and future programming are the next milestones.
The strongest outcome would keep the auditorium and stage in public performance use.