In a moment when the conversation around theatrical exhibition is one of doom and gloom, it’s important to look past the negativity to see that there are plenty of theatres which are succeeding and even expanding. A prime example is the Music Box Theatre, a classic art house located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Originally opened in 1929, The Music Box has found success through the ups and downs of the movie business, up to and including today. It is privately owned and operated and has returned to profitability after the COVID-era shutdowns lifted. Its Chicago location offers 700 seats and three screens, with nearly 300,000 admissions annually. The owners have recently expanded to a second location by acquiring The Heights Theatre in Columbia Heights suburb north of Minneapolis. The Chicago Sun-Times profiled the Music Box Theatre and its Co-Owner and CEO Brody Sheldon, who has spearheaded its “remarkable” growth by utilizing a “365-day film festival” model.










