 In 1997, six graduates of The Theatre School at DePaul University each pitched in $50 to launch a new theatre company focused on plays inspired by history that connect to today’s social and political issues. Over nearly 30 years, largely operating out of a modest, 99-seat black box theater in a Lakeview East church, TimeLine grew to be a vital force in Chicago’s arts scene.
Today, after nearly eight years of preparation including approximately 18 months of construction, TimeLine Theatre has successfully repurposed a former warehouse in Chicago’s Uptown community into a vibrant new cultural destination and the city’s newest live theater space.
TimeLine Theatre’s new home, now in the final stages of construction, combines 21,000-square-feet of new construction including a 250-seat flexible black box theater, a street-level bar, café and patio, gallery, rehearsal and public spaces, with 12,600-square-feet of adaptive reuse of portions of a 1910s Reebie and Brother warehouse, now production support and loft office spaces.
TimeLine’s sleek facade brings new visual excitement to the Broadway streetscape with a 40-foot vertical blade marquee inspired by historic marquees including the Uptown Theatre and Aragon Ballroom. A green storefront canopy will nod to nearby Uptown landmarks including Sun Wah BBQ and the Green Mill. A prominent glass curtain wall completes the Broadway facade, providing dramatic views into interior spaces that highlight the cultural activity inside. The new TimeLine Theatre is located one block from the new Argyle CTA Red Line station, and has convenient covered parking steps away.
Since launching It’s Time: The Campaign for TimeLine’s New Home, TimeLine has successfully raised more than $42.9 million toward the approximately $46 million project cost, including $12.9 million in public support ($2.9 million from the State of Illinois, $10 million from the City of Chicago), and funds from more than 200 generous individual donors.
TimeLine will host a special night for the theatre’s new neighbors—those who live, work, or go to school in Uptown, and make the community vibrant every day.
 TimeLine Theatre’s Inaugural Production, Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People
May 6 – June 7, 2026
Press Opening: Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m.
MORE INFORMATION:
timelinetheatre.com
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