150 E. Wood Street,
Palatine, 60067
Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Box Office, two hours prior to any show.
Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center offers residents of Palatine and the surrounding area affordable live entertainment, as well as an opportunity to share their talents and resources in the performing arts. The 431-seat auditorium was built in 1928 as part of the original Palatine High School and is named after the first principal, Mr. Charles S. Cutting. The facility showcases various theatrical productions, film screenings, dance recitals, choral performances, band concerts, seminars, meetings, and weddings.
3:30pm – 5:00pm
Rentals and General information: 847-991-5318
The Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center seats 431 (333 on the main floor, 33 in the side mezzanines & 65 in the balcony) and is an ideal venue for your theatrical production, staged reading, audition, rehearsal, choral concert, dance recital, film screening, cultural event, private rental, seminar, corporate training session or graduation.
There are two parking lots that surround the facility. The east lot (front lot) is accessible from Wood Street and contains 39 regular spaces and 3 handicap spaces. The lobby entrance is clearly visible to the west of the lot. The north lot (back lot) is accessible from Fremont Street and contains 73 regular parking spaces. To enter the lobby from the north lot, take the sidewalk along the east side of the building to the lobby entrance.
Parking is permitted on the west side of Fremont Street and the neighboring side streets as posted. Street parking signs are clearly visible and guests are expected to obey any posted restrictions. Additional parking is also available in the two parking lots east of Community Center on the north and south sides of Wood Street. Please call the box office at 847.202.5222 to speak with a concierge for additional information.
Running from downtown Chicago to Harvard, take the Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) Metra train line to the Palatine Station and walk 9 minutes east (four blocks) on Wood Street to Cutting Hall. From Chicago to the east and from Harvard to the west, the Palatine Metra stop is located on the same street as the performing arts center.
Theater Coordinator
Cultural Arts Coordinator
Cultural Arts Manager
Cutting Hall is a facility owned and operated by the Palatine Park District. Cutting Hall serves the arts and entertainment needs of area residents in the northwest suburbs of Chicago as one of the few performing arts centers owned by a local recreation agency in the state of Illinois.
The theatre has been an integral part of the arts environment in Palatine since it was built in 1928 as part of the original Palatine High School. The auditorium is named after the first principal, Mr. Charles S. Cutting, who was born in Highgate Springs, Vermont on March 1, 1854. He received his early education in Minnesota and graduated from Williamette University in Salem, Oregon. In 1874, he came to Palatine to pursue a teaching career, and six years later was admitted to the Illinois State Bar. He went on to become Master Chancery of the Circuit Court of Cook County and was a member of the Cook County Board of Education for nine years.
When the curtains first opened on the Cutting Hall Stage on September 15, 1928, the theatre’s appearance was similar to today. The cross work of the beams was hand decorated by Gustave Bandt, one of four artists in the world who did this type of work. Six pillars support the auditorium area, and from each hangs a tiffany lamp which originally used gas as their power source, and the stage curtain displayed the PHS monogram on a purple and gold drape.
School District 211 closed the old high school when they moved to a new, larger facility in 1977. Grassroots efforts from area residents began a drive in hopes of saving the old high school building to use as a community center. Cutting Hall became a major aspect of this drive and, in the end, that section of the building became a free-standing facility through renovations undertaken by the Palatine Park District.
The intentions of the Park District were to restore and preserve Cutting Hall so that area residents would have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in amateur as well as professional productions. Additional renovations included a lobby with a box office and alterations of additional existing classrooms. These classrooms were redesigned to be used as a scene shop, dressing rooms, and a large rehearsal area. (See photos on the Rentals page.) Renovations since then have included a seating renovation in 1997, when all 437 seats in the auditorium were replaced.
On November 8, 2010, an electrical fire occurred in the theater coordinator’s office causing heavy smoke and water damage to the lobby. The facility was closed to the public for two weeks while restoration crews repaired the damage. In 2013, the lobby restrooms were revitalized to capture the character and spirit of the facility’s 1920s appearance.
Cutting Hall has seen substantial use since its first season as a community resource in 1979. During the course of the year, Cutting Hall is utilized by various theatre companies from around the area, as well as film screenings.
The Park District also utilizes the space for programs for children, the Palatine Concert Band, and many other Park District programs, including theatre, dance, and the Palatine Children’s Chorus.
Cutting Hall offers residents an opportunity to share their talents and resources in the performing arts. The Park District is proud to offer this lively example of the rich heritage which is found in our area. We sincerely hope that you will always enjoy the quality programs presented at Cutting Hall.
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