New Venue Uptown Underground Opens

The Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway, is open for business as of Valentine's Day weekend after a lengthy dispute with the city and state over the art form of burlesque and the sale of liquor. Originally slated to open on New Year's Eve 2014, the Uptown Underground features retro-entertainment, cabaret, comedy, magic, burlesque and jazz, and is the new home of the long-running weekly hit The Kiss Kiss Cabaret. Jenn A. Kincaid and Chris O. Biddle are the co-owners of the Uptown Underground as well as co-producers of The Kiss Kiss Cabaret. For more information and complete schedule of events visit www.UptownUnderground.net.

"We knew there might be a fight because we are the first venue of this kind in Chicago offering these specific types of entertainment," said Kincaid. "But we had to stand up and defend the burlesque art form because it's not something lewd or obscene. There is a beauty, grace and strength that is an integral part of this kind of dance performance. The city was worried that we were opening a strip club and that couldn't be further from the truth. Thankfully we have tremendous support from the Uptown community and Alderman Cappleman. And now Uptown Underground is open for business and we couldn't be more pleased."

The application for a Public Place of Amusement and Incidental Liquor License was begun by the building's owner, Thad Wong, before Kincaid and Biddle even started work on the space. Wong had always intended the location to be an events space, but had attempted a couple of different iterations on the theme before Kincaid and Biddle proposed the idea of a theater in October of 2013. After the start of construction on the space, approval of the licenses was delayed due to questions about the possible combination of nudity during performances and alcohol being served. Without enough time to appeal the inquiry, Biddle and Kincaid threw a New Year's Eve party for family, friends and invited guests in lieu of the originally planned Grand Opening celebration week at the beginning of January, having at the time only been given the right to occupy the space and nothing more. A police "check in" on the private party at the beginning of the evening of entertainment to ensure the absence of any illegal activities gave the venue a true prohibition-style feel, and even lead some attendees to think it was all part of the speakeasy experience.

During the month of January, the Uptown Underground, LLC partners filed an appeal, drafted a requested Plan of Operation for the business, and appeared in court to speak to the City's regulations on what constitutes nudity and Chicago's definition of "Adult Entertainment" before the licenses could be granted. It was finally agreed by all parties that the business plans and types of theatrical productions to be presented at the venue fall within the City's purview of clean entertainment, allowing for the issuance of all licenses on February 16, 2015.

Located below the Broadway Ave. street level, the Uptown Underground is a 7,000 square foot, retro-themed adult entertainment (meaning geared towards an 18+ audience) venue with a 150-seat Moonshine Mainstage and a 50-seat Starlight Lounge. Uptown Underground features a full service bar, vintage 1920s arcade games and other jazz-age treats for patrons. Renovations of the 1926 building, the former location of The Equator Club, cost approximately $300,000. Kincaid and Biddle partnered with Thaddeus Wong of @Properties and owner of the building. Wong, Kincaid and Biddle worked with architect Jean DuFresne of SPACE Architects + Planners and scenic designer Kevin Depinet of XL Scenic to create the look and feel of the venue.

Uptown Underground is the new home of The Kiss Kiss Cabaret and many other variety performance companies and individual cabaret artists including PUR | The Company - an Indianapolis-based dance troupe, Chicago Magic Lounge, Brass Chuckles Comedy, The Nick Sula Spotlight, Over Your Shoulder - a throw-back cover band, Out Of Your Mind - a monthly mentalist performance series, and many, many more. The Kiss Kiss Cabaret features burlesque strip teases, bawdy comedy and inventive variety performers including jugglers, musicians and magicians. Every performance features a rotating cast of performers.

Uptown Underground, 4707 N. Broadway, is now open for business and currently features five nights a week of programming through June, expanding to offer a full seven nights a week within the first six months of production. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each performance. Performances and cover charges vary, however, The Kiss Kiss Cabaret performs Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m. For complete schedule of events and ticket prices visit www.UptownUnderground.net.

Photo by Greg Inda

To post a comment, you must register and login.