Getz Theater

Have you ever heard of the Chicago Woman’s Club? It was a progressive organization founded in 1876. The Woman’s City Club of Chicago was founded in 1929 and built its headquarters in the now called Getz Theater Center at 72 E. 11th St. in Chicago. This building housed meeting rooms, offices, and an auditorium. It was also the place for rallies in support of women’s voting rights. The building was occupied by the Women’s Army Corps during World War II and served as a USO Center. Then in 1946, The building became home to Spertus College until they moved in 1974. Finally, Columbia College Chicago acquired the building in 1980. It became the home of their Theatre/Music Department. In 1985, the main auditorium was renovated and became the Getz Theater Center. It was named after Oscar and Emma Getz, who had a long and distinguished history of supporting the arts. The Getz Theater Center houses four performance spaces, including the Courtyard Theater, the Sheldon Patinkin Theater, the Classic Theater, and Studio 404. The theater center also has a costume shop, a design lab, a makeup lab, a dance studio, and a library/resource center. The Getz Theater Center is a testament to the rich history and vibrant culture of the South Loop neighborhood.