Storytelling Workshop: A Short History of Thalia Hall

Thalia Hall is a Chicago landmark built in 1892, once again functioning as a facilitator of the arts after being closed for decades. To understand the history of the building, Ryan Ehresman sits down with Sinhue Mendoza of the Chicago Architecture Center and Will Quam of the Instagram handle @brickofchicago to discuss the construction of Thalia Hall, the opera house’s impact on the community it served, and the materials and architecture design style used to create one of Chicago’s favorite venues and event spaces.

This segment was produced by Ryan Ehresman for Vocalo’s Winter 2023 Storytelling Workshop. Vocalo’s quarterly Storytelling Workshop took place this winter with eight segments produced by community storytellers, uplifting the voices of individuals who add to the rich cultural diversity of Chicago. It was edited by Ari Mejia. More information can be found at www.vocalo.org/storytelling-workshop.