▁photograph ing ▁actors ▁from ▁Chicago ' s ▁the ater ▁district . ▁His ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁the ater ▁grew ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁greatly ▁interested ▁in ▁art ▁and ▁imm ers ed ▁himself ▁in ▁books ▁on ▁the ▁subject . ▁Minn elli ' s ▁first ▁job ▁in ▁the ▁the ater ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Theatre ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁cost ume ▁and ▁set ▁designer . ▁▁ ▁O wn ed ▁by ▁Bal aban ▁and ▁K atz , ▁the ▁the ater ▁chain ▁soon ▁merged ▁with ▁a ▁bigger ▁national ▁chain ▁of ▁Param ount - Pub li x ▁and ▁Minn elli ▁sometimes ▁found ▁himself ▁assigned ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁shows ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁He ▁soon ▁left ▁Chicago ▁and ▁r ented ▁a ▁tiny ▁Green wich ▁Village ▁a partment . ▁He ▁was ▁eventually ▁employed ▁at ▁Radio ▁City ▁Music ▁Hall ▁shortly ▁after ▁its ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁opening ▁as ▁a ▁set ▁designer ▁and ▁worked ▁his ▁way ▁up ▁to ▁stage ▁director ▁– ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁task ed ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁color ▁consult ant ▁for ▁the ▁original ▁interior ▁design ▁of ▁the ▁Rain bow ▁Room . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁Radio ▁City ▁Music ▁Hall , ▁the ▁first ▁play ▁Minn elli ▁directed ▁was ▁a ▁musical ▁rev ue ▁for ▁the ▁Sh ub ert s ▁titled ▁At ▁Home ▁Ab road ▁which ▁opened ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁star red ▁Be atrice ▁L ill ie , ▁Eth el ▁W aters , ▁and ▁Ele an or ▁Pow ell . ▁The ▁rev ue ▁was ▁well ▁received ▁and ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁two - year ▁run . ▁Minn elli ▁later