there were 650 seats(or so they say)-the architect was charles augustine-at times it was leased under the united theaters chain-the style of the interior was modest. floral print fabric walls, the lower part trimmed to resemble stone, a few upright pilasters, and double-candle light sconces of plaster with small shades. unfortunately, by the time it fell into my family’s hands nothing of the interior survived.
it is “the vogue” on the tile work at the top of the building and it says “vogue theatre” on the tile in the front walk, but i’ve always known it as “la vogue”, that’s what my father had on the second sign and put the gymnastics academy and discotech. i grew up with it, it just kinda sticks… kenosha has so many neighborhood theatres still standing. i believe there are 3 or 4 in our downtown alone and that’s basically one on every other block.
well, odd i came across this site one day trying to do research on the vogue, it’s been in my family since about 1977. a quick little history about it: in the begining it had vaudville acts and movies. in 1958 a religious group took it over. in 1960 the original marquee(which was fantastic!)was removed for the widening of 52nd street, that same year, the theatre was loaned out to the shoreliners drum and bugle corps, who then(and i always hate running into someone who was a part of this) had all the children who were in the corps tear out all the seats and leveled off the floor with cement. let’s hear it for child labor… but they did install a kitchen. in 1970 a group of college kids restored the box office, brought in a bunch of folding chairs and started showing 16mm films. there were many thoughts of demolition through it’s life. in about 1977 louis rugani (who has a show on am 920 in kenosha) helped my father attain the building. he had built a loft on the balcony to live in and had it as a gymnastics academy during the day and a disco at nite, special nites for roller disco too. guess that cement floor came in handy for something…my father passed away close to 11 years ago and my brother and i inherited the theatre. unfortunately, my brother passed about 2 years ago and i became the sole owner. my fiance and i live in it now and are renovating it. it needs quite a bit of work, but what house doesn’t? plus, i don’t think i could live anywhere else, it has just the right ceiling space for my inherited olympic size trampoline. if anyone has any information or photos of the vogue theatre in kenosha, please let me know. i would be greatly interested in them. the kenosha historical society isn’t that much help and the people that remember coming here, never can remember what the inside looked like. it’s a bit like the twilight zone. thanks for you time, denise diorio
there were 650 seats(or so they say)-the architect was charles augustine-at times it was leased under the united theaters chain-the style of the interior was modest. floral print fabric walls, the lower part trimmed to resemble stone, a few upright pilasters, and double-candle light sconces of plaster with small shades. unfortunately, by the time it fell into my family’s hands nothing of the interior survived.
it is “the vogue” on the tile work at the top of the building and it says “vogue theatre” on the tile in the front walk, but i’ve always known it as “la vogue”, that’s what my father had on the second sign and put the gymnastics academy and discotech. i grew up with it, it just kinda sticks… kenosha has so many neighborhood theatres still standing. i believe there are 3 or 4 in our downtown alone and that’s basically one on every other block.
address is: denise diorio
la vogue theatre
1820 52nd street
kenosha, wi, 53140
well, odd i came across this site one day trying to do research on the vogue, it’s been in my family since about 1977. a quick little history about it: in the begining it had vaudville acts and movies. in 1958 a religious group took it over. in 1960 the original marquee(which was fantastic!)was removed for the widening of 52nd street, that same year, the theatre was loaned out to the shoreliners drum and bugle corps, who then(and i always hate running into someone who was a part of this) had all the children who were in the corps tear out all the seats and leveled off the floor with cement. let’s hear it for child labor… but they did install a kitchen. in 1970 a group of college kids restored the box office, brought in a bunch of folding chairs and started showing 16mm films. there were many thoughts of demolition through it’s life. in about 1977 louis rugani (who has a show on am 920 in kenosha) helped my father attain the building. he had built a loft on the balcony to live in and had it as a gymnastics academy during the day and a disco at nite, special nites for roller disco too. guess that cement floor came in handy for something…my father passed away close to 11 years ago and my brother and i inherited the theatre. unfortunately, my brother passed about 2 years ago and i became the sole owner. my fiance and i live in it now and are renovating it. it needs quite a bit of work, but what house doesn’t? plus, i don’t think i could live anywhere else, it has just the right ceiling space for my inherited olympic size trampoline. if anyone has any information or photos of the vogue theatre in kenosha, please let me know. i would be greatly interested in them. the kenosha historical society isn’t that much help and the people that remember coming here, never can remember what the inside looked like. it’s a bit like the twilight zone. thanks for you time, denise diorio