Rialto Square Theatre Celebrates 100 Years with Centennial Gala

The Rialto Square Theatre marked its 100th anniversary with a 1920s-themed gala celebrating a century of entertainment, preservation, community pride, and the enduring legacy of one of the nation’s most beautiful historic theatres.

The Rialto Square Theatre celebrated a remarkable milestone this past Saturday evening with its 100th Anniversary Gala, a joyful and beautifully themed tribute to one of Illinois’ most beloved historic theatres.

The 1920s-inspired evening welcomed approximately 450 guests to the “Jewel of Joliet” for a celebration filled with history, entertainment, community pride, and the unmistakable grandeur that has defined the Rialto since it first opened its doors in 1926.

Guests were welcomed by vintage cars displayed outside the theatre before stepping into a night designed to honor the Rialto’s glamorous beginnings as a vaudeville movie palace. Inside, the celebration featured a custom-built speakeasy, a memory room filled with Rialto artifacts, a 360 photo booth, professional photography with printed keepsakes for guests, guest gift bags, and complimentary valet service.

Entertainment on the Stage Factor stage brought the theatre’s history and personality to life with performances and characters inspired by the Rialto’s past, including introductions by “Al Capone,” appearances by the Rialto’s Honey Taps, Charlie Chaplin, the ghost Vivienne, and a juggler. The evening also featured remarks from the Mayor and a performance by Maggie Speaks.

A special painting of the Rialto marquee by artist Dante DiBartolo was also featured during the evening and made available in support of donations.

The Gala was led by Executive Director Wade Welsh and the Rialto Square Theatre Foundation, whose work has been central to the theatre’s centennial celebrations throughout 2026. The Foundation’s 1926 Campaign invites supporters to commemorate the Rialto’s grand opening year with gifts of $19.26, $192.60, or $1,926 to help preserve the theatre for the next 100 years.

Opened on May 24, 1926, the Rialto Square Theatre was envisioned as a grand vaudeville movie palace in the heart of downtown Joliet. At the time, the Joliet Sunday Herald News captured the excitement surrounding its debut, writing, “When the doors of the new Rialto open tomorrow, Joliet will have one of the finest theaters in the United States.” Nearly a century later, that statement still rings true.

The Rialto has long been recognized as one of the nation’s most beautiful theatres. Its architecture reflects Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Renaissance influences, with details inspired by some of Europe’s most iconic landmarks. The esplanade, or inner lobby, was designed after the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, while the arch between the esplanade and rotunda was carefully copied from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The elegant rotunda is surrounded by 18 Corinthian-style columns and topped by a dome similar to the Pantheon in Rome.

Among the theatre’s most beloved features is the suspended eight-arm crystal chandelier known as “The Duchess.” Measuring approximately 20 feet long and featuring about 250 lights, the chandelier remains one of the many breathtaking details that make the Rialto such an extraordinary place to experience live entertainment.

Over the decades, the Rialto has welcomed generations of guests and legendary performers, including Johnny Cash, Tony Bennett, Cary Grant, Jay Leno, Liberace, Jerry Seinfeld, Red Skelton, Andy Williams, and many more. What began as a vaudeville movie palace has grown into a treasured performance venue where artists, audiences, and the Joliet community continue to gather.

For VenuWorks, which serves as the facility management company for the Rialto Square Theatre, the evening was a powerful reminder of why historic theatres matter.

Historic venues like the Rialto are more than beautiful buildings. They are gathering places, cultural anchors, economic drivers, and living pieces of a community’s story. Their continued success depends on thoughtful stewardship, strong local support, creative programming, and a shared commitment to preservation.

VenuWorks is proud to congratulate Wade Welsh, the Rialto Square Theatre Foundation, the Rialto team, sponsors, volunteers, artists, guests, and the Joliet community on a truly memorable centennial celebration.

As the Rialto looks ahead to its next century, VenuWorks is honored to help support a venue that continues to flourish as a place where history is preserved, performances are celebrated, and community memories are made.

Watch the Rialto Square Theatre 100th Anniversary video and view photos from the Gala below.