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Rialto Square Theatre: Shows, Tours and Visiting Joliet's 1926 Movie Palace

How to buy tickets, take a Tuesday tour and plan a visit to the Rialto Square Theatre in downtown Joliet, which opened May 24, 1926.

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The Rialto Square Theatre is a performing arts venue in downtown Joliet, built in the 1920s as a vaudeville and movie palace. It opened on May 24, 1926, and is marking its 100th anniversary. Today it hosts concerts, tribute shows and other live events, and it offers public tours on select Tuesdays.

History in brief

From the theatre's history page:

  • The builders. The six Rubens brothers undertook the project, and the Royal Theatre Company was formed to guarantee the $2 million cost. When it opened, the operation was leased to Great States Theatre, Inc.
  • The architects. The Chicago firm Rapp & Rapp, founded in 1906 by C. W. and George L. Rapp, designed it.
  • The contractor. Kaiser-Ducett built it; the firm was also the main contractor for many exhibits at Chicago's 1933 World's Fair.
  • The ornament. The theatre credits sculptor Eugene Romeo, who worked for the McNulty Brothers plastering firm of Chicago, with its signature architectural work. The theatre lists his other Chicago-area work as including the Board of Trade, Soldier Field, the Merchandise Mart and the Wrigley Building.

What you'll see inside

The theatre describes an inner lobby, or esplanade, modeled on the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, and an arch copied from the Arc de Triomphe. The rotunda is ringed by 18 Corinthian-style columns under a dome similar to the Pantheon's. Its eight-arm crystal chandelier, which the theatre calls "the Duchess," is 20 feet long with 250 lights. The theatre says the building reflects Greek, Roman and Byzantine architecture.

Tours

The Rialto's Tours page lists these options:

TourDetailsPrice
Tuesday public tourEsplanade, rotunda, stage and green room; begins at 1:30 p.m. on scheduled Tuesdays$5 per person, paid at the time of the tour
Private group tourMinimum 25 people; about 1½ hours$9 per person
Group tour with Barton Grande pipe organ concertMinimum 25 people; about 1½ hours$12 per person

As of November 1, 2026, the remaining public tour date listed for the fall was Tuesday, November 24. Dates are subject to change because of private events, so the theatre asks visitors to call 815-726-7171 to confirm. Group tours are booked through the same number; the Tours page lists extension 2106.

Tickets

According to the Box Office page, there are two ways to buy:

  • In person at the box office, 102 N. Chicago Street, with no handling fees. Hours are Monday through Friday, noon to 4:30 p.m. The theatre suggests calling ahead, because times may change.
  • Online through the Rialto's Ticketmaster page, which the theatre says is its only authorized online seller.

The theatre warns against third-party resellers: it can't help with lost tickets or refunds for tickets bought elsewhere, and its system recognizes only tickets bought through Ticketmaster.

The box office phone is 815-726-6600, and the email is Boxoffice@rialtosquare.com. The administration office is at 15 E. Van Buren St., 815-726-7171.

Getting there and parking

The Rialto is at 102 N. Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432. Its Parking page includes a downtown map and driving directions; check it before your show.

If you're coming by train, Joliet Gateway Center at 90 E. Jefferson Street is served by Metra's Rock Island and Heritage Corridor lines and by Amtrak, and is a few blocks from the theatre. Check train times against your show's end time; see our commuting guide.

Nearby

The Joliet Area Historical Museum and the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 are within a few blocks. Our Route 66 guide maps the downtown stops.

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