Morse Theatre

It was a great space, so beautifully appointed and well-​executed by the brothers who conceived the refurbishing of this into a performance venue. Too bad it fell apart with their financial backer (who may have had a plan to take it over in the first place.)
Look for how the new owners handle the use and marketing of the space (unchanged) when it reopens as «The Mayne Stage» on June 18, 2010 with a comedy festival, «Just for Laughs.» Other acts of music, comedy, and cabaret have already been signed up through July. The restaurant space also reopens as the Act One Café on May 21.

What a beautiful and intimate theatre! Watching a show there was like traveling back in time to an old-​fashioned theatre. Recently renovated, the theatre is two levels. The main floor has seats up front and then on a step up they have leather benches around the sides with cocktail tables and even U-​shaped booths in the back of the theatre. There didn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house. I’m guessing the seating is always GA so get there early if there are more than two of you to get seats together.
I went for a Straight No Chaser concert (GO Hoosiers!) which is an a capella group and the sound was perfect. I was extremely impressed.
They have a reasonably priced bar in the lobby and also table service (which was very unobtrusive). I was particularly delighted about their beer selection on tap which included Mad Hatter and Three Floyd’s (!!!) for $ 5. Not bad at all.
I don’t venture up to Rogers Park much, but we took the red line and the theatre is less than a block away (now THAT’s easy). Definitely take public trans as I have heard the parking is limited around there.
It’s on my list of places to go back to — next up for the classical brunch!

Great place to see a concert, I love it.
I saw one of my very favorite bands here last night and I couldn’t have chosen a better venue.
The theatre is small enough that there are no bad seats. Seating surrounds the stage with a decent sized dance floor. Tickets are very fairly priced, $ 20 (and a very small service fee ($ 1.25) for a 2 hour live music show with a 10 pieces band. Great sound it was money well spent by Morse. I like the fact that there was table service so we didn’t have to miss parts of the concert to get a drink.
Just a warning it is close to impossible to find parking here. I drove around for 30 minutes. There is a parking lot off of Sheridan on Lunt about 2 blocks away, I would plan on that or take the train that drops you off right next to the theatre. I hope they arrange for a valet service soon.
They usually have a great line up of World, Jazz, blues and Folk so I think you should be able to find something here.
Enjoy and allow extra time for parking.

While I live far, far away from Rogers Park (especially when I am picking up a friend in West Town first), I am certainly glad for the addition of the Morse Theatre on, you guessed it, Morse. My friend and I went up to this small, for-​profit, Old Town School of Folk Music-​ish venue last night to hear the Infamous Stringdusters, who, in case you’re interested, are a really fantastic blue grass/​new grass band.
My favorite feature about the Morse is its location. My friend and I walked around the corner from the Heartland Café to the theatre in under five minutes. It’s right by the Red Line station too, for those of you who are fortunate enough to take public transportation. Being so close to the Heartland Café means that The Morse Theatre has become part of the local arts and music scene along Glenwood Ave. in Rogers Park, which is really fantastic. Another interesting thing about the Morse is that it has its own restaurant, the Century Public House. After seeing its cozy, pub-​like atmosphere, I feel bad that we didn’t try it out for dinner. Oh well, another time.
I must say, from reading one of the many news articles this late summer and fall about the Morse, I thought that its interior was going to be more like the Congress Theatre or the Music Box. Sadly, it doesn’t have any of the chandeliers or gilded woodwork I imagined, but it is a nice, clean, new space. The entire seating area is comprised of cabaret-​like tables and some booths in the back that are reminiscent of the Hot House (oh, how I miss you!). Seating for super tall people like me is a little tight, and some of the waitresses are still trying to figure out how to gracefully maneuver the floor without bothering people during the concert. In fact, the level of talking during nearly the entire concert surprised me; I mean, I know we weren’t listening to classical chamber music, but geez, it got kind of loud at times! Certainly something you would never deal with at the Old Town School. But then again, this definitely is a different crowd from Old Town; decidedly gentile, perhaps less North Shore? The age range was spot on though; at first my friend and I felt that it was a younger crowd, but then I looked around at all the gray heads and said, «wow, there are a lot of old people here!» This does, actually, concur with the article I read about in the Chicago Tribune about the audience they were trying to reach.
The acoustics were great, the beer was good, the Stringdusters were happy with the venue, and the place has a decidedly community feel. While many of the upcoming concerts are not something I’d flock up to Rogers Park for, if they have more blue grass I’m game.

Very happy with the venue. I like the acoustics. The mix of shows booked has varied quite a bit, from jazz to blues to folks to classic. Not to mention the occasional stunt booking. (Jeff Daniels? Really?)
The room is beautiful. The restaurant, the Century Public House, is also very nice, but the menu is lacking and heavy with german sausages. It needs less sausages and more comfort foods. Very small menu at dinner. Food-​wise, I’ve enjoyed Uncommon Ground, Morseland, or RoPa better.
If this place tried to do an upscale pub menu like Fat Cat or Uncommon Ground, I’d be in heaven. But, with the very limited choices they offer, it’s not some place I’d want to eat very often.

Well who would have thunk it? A brand spankin new classy music venue located on that scary scary stretch of land known as Morse Ave. (aka the ‘Broken Heart of Rogers Park’)
With memories of Biddy Mulligans dancing in my head, I travelled up here to see a performance. I honestly did not know what to expect. I’d heard that this place was a labor of love, a risk, a field of dreams of sorts for the creator. I’d heard about a fire, about man’s inhumanity to man, and about David and Goliath.
I’d heard about an adjacent restaurant.
Not bad. Kind of strangely situated, but not bad. It’s a very nicely appointed room with awesome acoustics and the staff have a bit of that grungy RP vibe. The lobby is fancy. There’s a coat check and a very nice bar with a great wine selection. They allow you to bring your wine glass (not plastic cup, Homer Simpson, but actual glass) into the theatre… I wonder how long that will last.. .
The owner (Andy?) got up before the gig to introduce the band and he seemed like a good and well intended guy.
In terms of niche? Hmmm. A step above the Old Town’s concert room. Classy, actually. Kind of like a mini Park West. I could see an interest from high brown Evanston types.
So the major issue here is parking. It is steps from the Red Line stop, but as many of you know street parking can be difficult around here and if you are driving from points South you must allow enough time to locate their lots which are a few blocks down or to get street parking. And so weeknight shows might be hard to get to.
Will the Morse Theater revitalize this stretch of Morse that is RP? Or will it remain an oasis like Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn, kind of hard to get to, but once you do you’re glad you did?
Time will tell.

You WILL fall in love. The retro marquee, the exquisite renovation is visually stunning, with dark woods and curving leather banquettes, two floors (yes, elevator, handicapped accesible), you are transported to a mood as if you stepped into a suave 1940’s supper club.
I was there on Wednesday night, which is Jazz Night (all of $ 7.00 — embarassingly inexpensive). There is a bar in the lobby of the theater, and there is also tableside cocktail service, but no minimum. I had no drinks.
I saw the Dave Cray trio with vocalist HInda Hoffman. Both amazing. Hinda had a clarity and vocal control and richness that made old standards sound fresh and unique. Hinda, if you read this, I am instantly a HUGE fan.
Morse Theater folks — you have Dave’s trio coming back, but vocalist to be announced. BRING BACK HINDA — Dammit!
WMFT does live broadcasts on other nights, the theater will be the Northside’s premier intimate showcase for musical talent.
To whomever is responsible for the restoration, the programming, the concept, the financing that made it happen, BRAVO to all of you. You collectively have created an instant landmark and have uplifted Rogers Park, Morse Avenue and provided a gift to music lovers everywhere.

I’m a lifelong Rogers Park-​ian, so I’m biased in that, if I find a sweet spot in the neighborhood, I promote it as much as I can. Aside from that, this place is awesome. I went there a few weeks ago to see Inti Illimani, which was an amazing show, and I was very impressed by the venue itself. A great bar with a very friendly bartenders, fantastic acoustics inside the theatre, great table layout, and a very inclusive atmosphere in general.
This place definitely feels new, and clean. Dark wood everywhere is nice, and the beers on tap are some of the best the midwest has to offer. No miller lite here, the bartender actually semi-​scolded someone down the bar from me for asking for a miller lite.
Awesome, my kind of place.

I caught a show here on Friday night. The place was wonderful. Prices were mid range. But, I think the place tends to sell itself as more upscale. So, I was actually pleasantly surprised that I had money left over walking out the door. The acoustics were good. But, I’m not an expert. Or, maybe it was that one of my favorite musicians was on stage that led to the great sound! Location seemed good with a red line station close. We actually took a taxi from Ravenswood because we were running behind. I looked at the lineup for future shows and I had never heard of any of them. I think I got lucky when the Morse brought in Paul Thorn because it looks like his music style is totally opposite to what they normally have. So, double kudos for a great venue and for the Morsse stepping out of their comfort zone and hiring a more rock and roll act. I’ll keep watching for the next group I like and will be back.

went to the Morse Theater this morning for a live radio concert broadcast on 98.7 WFMT Chicago. Mid 20^th century classical music it was great !
the Theater itself looks for all the world like a Cabaret from the twenties ! There are little tables and chairs just off the stage and booths that surround the outer walls that can seat two to four comfortably, The colors are a deep forest green and dark browns very rich looking without being intrusive or distracting on the eye. a small theater but every seat seemed to be a good one !
i will go back !

The Morse Theatre is a new music venue in Rogers Park.
It’s been a few months but it still has that «new» smell. That’s right, it doesn’t smell like clowns, prog rock, and beer yet.
I’d been curious about this place and the attached restaurant, the Century Public House. Winning tix to a concert gave me a push to check it out; and I’m glad I did.
Being from Roger’s Park (7 years +), I’m used to going outside the neighborhood for entertainment. In terms of bars… there’s the Ho of course, which rises to the top, but I’d feel weird having that be the place where everybody knows my name.
So, on entering the theater through the pub, I was floored. I had no clue that anything this large and lovely and… un-​MORSE AVElike could be waiting for me on the other side of those doors.
This place was built in 1912 as a nickelodeon. Time had not been kind to the building or the neighborhood. The current owners took a chance and appear to have really put their hearts into remodeling the theater and carving out the attached restaurant. And it shows.
The short version — «wow, this place is in Roger’s Park? I know I’m coming back here.»
The best comparison I can make — it’s like a swanker and slightly more comfortable Old Town School of Folk Music. Dark and atmospheric — very well suited to the jazz show I attended.
You can listen to the music from the chairs with small attached tables on the main floor, or from one of the chairs or thickly padded (leather?) booths (i snagged one of these) in the slightly raised perimeter. the room is also ringed by a balcony level of seating. Seems like there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
Based on the layout, this seems like a place where you could bring a group or sit comfortably on your own. If you’d like to get sloshed, there’s waitress service and a bar in the hall.
The only possible downside to this place — the ticket prices are around $ 20, and not being so familiar with the jazz, singer-​songwriters, rootsy, and ‘world’ genres, it’s kind of a roll of the dice for me. Quite frankly, those genres encompass a lot of #%#.
But as much as I’d love to just win tickets again, I know I’m going to take a chance and come back sometime soon…