Edwin Booth starred in '' A New Way to Pay Old Debts '' on May 31 , 1858 . He would later perform '' Richelieu '' , '' Richard III '' , and '' Brutus '' there , and he married one of McVicker 's daughters in 1869 . The theater was remodeled in 1864 . James Henry Hackett performed as Falstaff in 1865 . It was again extensively remodeled in August 1871 , but was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire weeks later . However , it was rebuilt , and reopened on August 15 , 1872 . Mark Gray fired two bullets in an unsuccessful attempt to murder Edwin Booth on April 23 , 1879 while the actor was performing '' Richard II ''
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
McVicker's Theater