Painting by Etienne (Dom Orejudos)

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Paradise Theatre Chicago, IL Styx Paradise Theatre Album The seats in the Etienne Auditorium as well as a few spares we originally part of the Paradise Theatre in Chicago… Yes, the same Paradise Theatre that the rock group STYX sung about in their album of the same name. Opened in 1928, the lavish Paradise Theater was an impressive but somewhat unsuccessful addition to the West Side amusement scene. Designed by renowned theater architect John Eberson, the 3,500-seat movie palace was one of the most elaborately decorated theaters ever built in Chicago, but its poor acoustic quality hurt its popularity once "talkies" became the norm. Never able to earn more than the most marginal of profits at the theater, its operator, the Balaban and Katz Company, closed the theater in 1956 and started demolition.

When the theater was demolished, the seats were offered to the Democratic National Committee for their 1956 convention. The convention was held at the International Amphitheatre near Halsted and 42nd St. That building was razed in the late 1990s and some of the seats ended up at 6418 N. Greenview Ave. as part of the Greenview Arts Center.


The auditorium is used for the LA&M film series, Cinekink, Pantheon of Leather Awards, demonstrations, lectures, community meetings and is always available for leather clubs and groups to use free of charge including the Chicago Leather Kennel Club, Windy City Boys Troop, The Next Generation Chicago (TNGC), Chicago Leather Club and Chicago Hellfire Club among others. We never charge for the use of the auditorium, however donations are accepted.


Dom Orejuos, Etienne


The murals in the first Gold Coast were actually painted on the walls of the bar. When Chuck and Dom lost their lease, they had to remove the murals by using paint remover or by painting over them. Some beautiful pieces were lost forever. When the Gold Coast fond it’s new home, Chuck and Dom decided to paint the murals on these 4’ x 8’ panels so if they ever had to move the bar again, they could save his works. Good thing too, the gold coast had five locations before the name was finally retired in 1988.


One of Etienne’s more erotic fantasies… The mural entitled Carwash was on display in the locker room of Man’s Country, a gay bathhouse owned by Chuck Renslow and Dom Orejudos (Etienne). The mural was removed from Man’s Country during one of its many renovations and moved to its new permanent home here at the LA&M.


Dom Orejudos, Etienne


Even in the face of a tragedy, Chuck can always find humor. Zolar’s was a Disco that Chuck and one of his “boys” opened in the 1980’s. The bar was located near a Chicago “L” track, a spark from a passing train lit the bar on fire and it burned to the ground. Being a new business, Chuck had not yet obtained insurance and the business and building were a total loss. This mural was the only thing saved from the ashes. If you ask Chuck today about Zolar’s, he will tell you the bar’s motto “Zolar’s, it’s magic, Zolar’s, it’s tragic.” The mural was displayed in the Man’s Country locker room until 2006 when it was moved to the LA&M.


Dom Orejudos, Etienne


So why is so much of Etienne’s beloved art in the hands of other people? When Dom Orejudos (Etienne) contracted AIDS in the 1970’s, little was known about the disease and of course, there was no cure. Chuck reluctantly sold off Dom’s work to pay for his care and to try to find a cure for this “Gay Cancer”. Many of the people that obtained Etienne’s work, or knew what it meant to Chuck, graciously donated (or sold) the items back to Chuck for his collection.



Etienne Auditorium "Take a Seat" Adoption Program

Adopt a Seat Seating Chart

  

Seat ID Badge Line 1 Badge Line 2 Badge Line 3
C01 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C02 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C03 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C04 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C05 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C06 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C07 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C08 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C09 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C10 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C11 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C12 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C13 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
C14 Mr. Jack McGeorge To Honor Our Master Facta Non Verba
C15 George Puddephatt Palm Springs, California  
C16      
C17      
C18      
C19      
C20      
C21      
C22      
C23 In Honor of Lawrence Burden  
C24 Nevada Women of Leather Living, Loving, Learning and passing on Leather Traditions
C25 To honor my Master: Master Skip Chasey  
C26 Mark Frazier Dallas, Texas  
C27 Harbor Masters of Portland, Maine, Inc. Incorporated 1982  
C28 Dallas Eagle Dallas Texas  
C29 John Preston, founding member and first President Harbor Masters of Portland, Maine, Inc.  
C30      
C31      
C32      
C33      
C34      
C35 The Imperial Sovereign Queen City Court of the Buckeye Empire, Cincinnati Ohio Mr. Queen City Leather 2005, Mike Glassmeyer
C36      
C37 The Imperial Sovereign Queen City Court of the Buckeye Empire, Cincinnati Ohio Mr. Queen City Leather 2004, Greg Barker
C38 Santa Clara County Leather Association 2004  
C39      
C40      
C41      
C42      
C43      
C44      
C45      
C46      
C47      
C48      
C49 slave garret McClain    
C50 Adopted by Hardy Haberman In honor of all my leather brothers and sisters.
C51 Ms. Kendra McClain    
C52      
C53      
C54      
C55      
C56      
C57      
C58      
C59      
C60      
C61      
C62      
C63      
C64      
C65      
C66      
C67      
C68      
C69 wayne madden Fort McMurray, AB., Canada  
C70 Remembering ALEXIS SOREL, 1937-1992 Former Vice Chairman of THE 15 from wayne m.
C71      
C72      
C73      
C74      
C75      
C76 In Loving Memory of Ms Derry A. Dogg (August 17, 2003) from Mike, Dennis & Shannon
C77      
C78 In Memory Of Ms Derry A. Dogg  
C79      
C80      
C81      
C82      
L01 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
L03 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
L05 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
L07 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
L09 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
L11 Doug Harris, Master to bob jacob harris Co-owners of The Sanctuary of a Dark Angel in Atlanta, Georgia
L13 bob jacob harris, In service to Doug Harris, Co-owners of The Sanctuary of a Dark Angel in Atlanta, Georgia
L15 Tom Stice    
L17 Tom Stice    
L19 Tom Stice    
L21 Tom Stice    
L23 Tom Stice    
L25 Tom Stice    
L27 Tom Stice    
L29 Tom Stice    
L31 S/MbionD/S Southern California  
L33      
L35      
L37      
L39 GW Leatherman Parks    
L41      
L43      
L45      
L47      
L49 Los Angeles Leather Coalition  
L51 e. scott smitherum    
L53 warren w. west    
L55 Joseph W. Bean    
L57      
L59      
L61      
L63      
L65      
L67      
L69      
L71      
L73      
L75      
L77      
L79      
L81      
R02 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R04 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R06 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R08 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R10 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R12 Bear Man Leather University 2000  
R14 Etienne    
R16      
R18      
R20      
R22 POWERSURGE Seattle, WA 1992-1998
R24      
R26      
R28      
R30 Pat Daley    
R32 Master Dean Walradt Houston / Dallas, Texas Nov. 1, 1950 - Dec. 15, 2003
R34      
R36      
R38      
R40      
R42      
R44      
R46      
R48      
R50 slave robert slave alia slavegirl ronda
R52      
R54      
R56      
R58 Rick Storer    
R60 Jeffrey Wirsing    
R62 Rick Storer    
R64 Jarret C. Christiansen Mightypup 1970 - 2001
R66      
R68      
R70      
R72      
R74      
R76      
R78      
R80      
R82      






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