Masters of Iconography
and Historic Renovation

Daprato Rigali Studios is the industry leader in interior design, renovation, and restoration of cherished landmarks and sacred spaces that will bring the
Catlow Theatre’s interior back to life

Written by lisa stamos

Mike Rigali (on left) is one of the owners of Daprato Rigali Studios.
He and his son, Dan Rigali, attended the Catlow Theatre fundraiser event
at Sanfilippo Estate last year. Photo: Linda M. Barrett.

Daniel Rigala National Sales Executive and Project Manager at Daprato Rigali Studios. He is the first of the 5th generation of Rigalis to begin working for Daprato Rigali Studios.

The Daprato Statuary Company catalog from 1928 contains an extraordinary number of patterns and designs for church and chapel statuary, altars, and windows. Materials to choose from included marble, metal, scagliola (an Italian decorative technique using a specialized plaster that creates the illusion of appearing as natural marble), and rigalico, a man-made composite material that was created by the Daprato Statuary Company and is attributed to John E. Rigali. This altar was designed for St. Leo’s High School Chapel in Chicago.

North Barrington is home for Dan Rigali, a fifth-generation member of the Italian family that came to America with their artistic skills and a dream. Dan is a Barrington High School graduate who attended North Barrington Elementary and Station Middle Schools. He later attended the University of Denver where he graduated with a Business Degree with a dual-focus in Real Estate and Construction Management.

Dan is a member of the Theatre Historical Society of America, the League of Historic American Theatres, the Chicago Architectural Club, and is an affiliate member of the Stained Glass Association of America. He also maintains regular involvement with Catholic Charities, Special Olympics Illinois, and is currently pursuing his real estate license. His parents, Mike and Julie, have lived in North Barrington for 35 years and still reside there. His dad Mike and other Rigali family members, Bob, John, and Lisa, own and operate Daprato Rigali Studios in Chicago.

Company and family patriarch John E. Rigali grew up in Barga, Italy, and as an artisan, he was known as a prodigy for the statuary busts he made from his molds with an emphasis on religious subjects. In 1881, Rigali came to Chicago to join the Daprato Statuary Company. Eight years later, founder John Daprato left the firm due to bad health, and Rigali became the president, and Lawrence Rigali the firm’s secretary. The business exploded in 1906 and reached a worldwide clientele with its high-quality products. Growing to 200 employees they had locations in New York, Montreal, Chicago, Italy, San Francisco, and Louisiana. It was their display at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair that drove immense growth with its visitors from around the world.

A statuary cast of characters awaits the care of Daprato Rigali Studio’s artists for restoration. Many of the statues that the studio repairs are original Daprato statues that were fabricated by the studio over 100 years ago. INSET: This statue demonstrates extraordinary attention to detail. The realistic flow of the garments, and the proportion of the figure’s face, fingers, and eyes made of glass, eyelashes, and realistic looking fingernails demonstrates precision in design and craftsmanship.

An Unexpected Opportunity Close to Home

Daprato Rigali Studios has a vast and accredited portfolio of many historic Chicago properties including Holy Name Cathedral, Music Box Theatre, Medinah Country Club, The Rookery Building, Queen of All Saints Basilica, and Ramova Theatre. With over a century of experience, Daprato Rigali Studios will ensure the Catlow’s historic features and elements will be perfectly preserved and restored. The Catlow needs a complete overhaul of the exterior masonry as well as a new roof. Once the building is watertight, interior restoration can begin.

Landing this exciting project was a bit of a surprise. Dan was approached by Brian Long of the Catlow 1927 Foundation and on March 14, 2024, the two met up at the theatre, a place Dan hadn’t been inside of for the past 20 years. The two toured the property and Dan learned of Brian’s vision for what the theatre could become once renovated. “Brian is focused on delivering value to the people of Barrington, and I feel he has the right vision,” Dan said. “We discussed a two-year timeline for the renovation, and I agreed that could work with the right partners.”

A Return to Artistry

Dan speaks highly of his team of artists at Daprato Rigali Studios. “I believe that artists are becoming empowered again,” he said. His family’s company represents a melting pot of places that their highly skilled artists come from. “Our talent pool represents people from Bulgaria, Poland, Mexico, England, Italy, Scotland, Peru, and the United States,” Dan said.

Catlow Theatre Restoration Elements

The artisans of Daprato Rigali Studios will attend to the restoration of these iconic Alfonso Iannelli details and designs, and many more inside the Catlow Theatre. Iannelli designed the entire interior of the Catlow about a decade after he moved to Chicago where he opened a studio in 1914.
Iannelli was arguably one of the most influential and yet overlooked artists of the Midwest. An Italian American sculptor, artist, and industrial designer, his career ranged from illustrating Vaudeville posters to sculptures to co-designing buildings. Shown here are the Catlow’s proscenium arch (top), gargoyle masks, ceiling stencils, and plaster corbels (left) and hand-painted coats-of-arms.
Photos Courtesy of the Catlow 1927 Foundation.

Lisa Stamos is the founder of Quintessential Media Group and the publisher of Quintessential Barrington magazine.
She may be reached at lisa@qbarrington.com.

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