With new owners, historic Skokie Theatre to reopen this fall with a revitalized lobby and lineup

The Skokie Theatre is set to relaunch this fall with brand new owners and a brand new slate of shows. 

Two couples — Chris and Monica Matsakis, of Glenview, and José Pablo and Kristi Cantillo, of Los Angeles— have purchased the more than 100-year-old theater at 7924 Lincoln Ave. in downtown Skokie. 

After renovating the theater’s lobby to fashion a new bar, concessions and lounge space, the families, who share a background in the performing arts, intend to reopen the 150-seat venue in late September with a lineup of new comedy, theater and live musical acts, they told The Record.

José Pablo Cantillo, a professional Hollywood actor, said he and the other new owners have spoken with Skokie residents about the programming they want to see and, after kicking off with some “big opening acts,” they plan to create a community-focused space offering weekly shows and classes. 

That means the theater may soon be home to regular improv nights, jazz performances, film screenings, ceramics classes, magic shows, one-act plays and private events. 

“I’m excited to just see the transformation that we’re going to do, to see people walk in the doors and just how excited they’re going to be or kind of taken aback by how awesome it is,” said Monica Matsakis, who has taught storytelling classes at The Laughing Academy in Glenview. 

Cantillo said he met Chris when the two were students at Indiana University. After enrolling in a theater class to satisfy a graduation requirement, Cantillo said, he fell in love with acting and moved to New York City to perform on stage.

But opportunities in Hollywood came knocking, and Cantillo eventually went on to star in movies and television shows, like “The Manchurian Candidate,” “The Walking Dead,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Law & Order,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and, more recently, alongside Matt Damon in Netflix’s “The Rip.” 

The Matsakises and Cantillos stayed close over the years and apparently discussed going into business together. After Chris Matsakis left his role as the founder and lead operator of an e-commerce company last year, he reportedly told Cantillo that the Skokie Theatre was for sale.

Chris Matsakis, who spent some years participating in the Chicago standup scene, said the building’s history and the idea of facilitating the “joy” of live performances drew him to theater. Cantillo immediately said he was interested and flew to Chicago to take a look in-person.

For Monica Matsakis, vocal support from members of the Skokie community was the “tipping point” in their decision to buy the theater on June 29. 

Skokie residents they spoke to were worried the new owners would tear down the historic building, she said, but after announcing their vision for the space on social media, Monica Matsakis said it was “heartwarming” to see the amount of engagement they received from the community. 

While the new owners plan on refreshing the lobby with new carpeting, lighting, seating and other fixtures, Castillo said the theater itself is already “seaworthy” and doesn’t need substantial changes. The owners may also update the theater’s second-floor space into a members-only lounge. 

Taking it back

Emily England, manager of the Skokie Heritage Museum, said Samuel Meyer, a man who grew up in Skokie’s oldest structure, the Historic Log Cabin, first built the Skokie Theatre in 1915. 

According to local legend, England said, a Chicago-area film company called Essanay Studios shot a number of western films in what was then called Niles Center during the early 1900s. 

After electricity came to the area, Meyer reportedly built the Niles Center Theatre so those films and others could be screened to locals who may have appeared in them, England said. The venue gained its art-deco face during a 1942 renovation and eventually became the Skokie Theatre. 

The new owners will obtain some financial assistance in renovating the building as the Skokie Village Board on Monday approved a $50,000 Storefront Enhancement grant and an online crowdfunding campaign has so far collected more $13,000 for the project. 

Village documents show purchasing the building cost $875,000, and the first phase of improvements will cost $300,000. Wendy Kaplan previously owned and operated the theater via MadKap Productions starting in 2014. 

Looking ahead

Cantillo’s said he knows how difficult it can be for on-screen actors to find time — outside of the six-month to year-long commitments that the New York Theatre scene requires — to participate in theater.

That’s why he’s excited other actors have expressed interest in participating one-act plays or productions with smaller runs at the Skokie Theatre, which is something unique it can offer, Cantillo said. 

Cantillo added that Joe Carnahan, the writer and director of “The Rip,” wants to develop something for the Skokie Theatre’s stage. Likewise, a close friend who’s a spiritual medium with a long wait-list expressed interest in coming to the theater, Cantillo said. 

In conversations, Skokie residents reportedly have most-frequently requested the theater bring live comedy and jazz. Kristi Cantillo may also lead art classes and Monica Matsakis is set to teach storytelling courses. 

“Immediately, our conversations haven’t been about, you know, ‘Hey should we put a chandelier here and pink color?’ It’s been very much about the programming,” Cantillo said. 

Castillo also emphasized that he sees the decision to purchase and run the local theater as a way to push against the powers of social media and artificial intelligence, and instead foster a place for people to get in touch with their humanity through the ancient practices of storytelling. 

“Stories are how we learn. Stories are how we get inspired, how we connect with each other. And so I’m very adamant about that being one of the leading reasons, really,” Castillo said of why he and Kristi were interested in going in on the theater.

“Not just because it’s with Chris, but, you know, I love my children and I want to do what I can, of course, as they say, to make a little better place. How can you do that through art? It clicks, you know, being in a live room.”

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Become a member of The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a member? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.