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Specialties: Performing
Arts
ORPHEUM THEATRE
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The
Orpheum premiered on January 5, 1929; a showcase for vaudeville,
burlesque, touring shows, and movies. Built by local theater
owners Harry Nace and J.E. Richards at a cost of $750,000,
Phoenix’s Orpheum was reputed to be the most luxurious movie
palace west of the Mississippi. The Orpheum’s designers,
Lescher and Mahoney and Hugh Gilbert, were influenced by
movie palace designer John Eberson. Known for his “atmospheric”
designs, Eberson’s movie palaces were fanciful edifices
decorated with outdoor motifs (murals and domed ceilings
with drifting clouds and twinkling stars) designed to create
the illusion that movie goers were enjoying a romantic evening
“al fresco.”
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The day of its premiere,
The Arizona Republican’s headline proclaimed: “Orpheum Theatre
Opening Marks Epoch in City History.” But the era of the movie
palace did not last forever. The depression, the exodus
of families from downtown to the suburbs and television contributed
to the decline of the movie palace.
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In
1949, the Orpheum was sold and renamed the Paramount, but
still was used as a movie house. In 1968, it changed hands
and names again when James Nederlander of New York City
called it the Palace West and put on musical comedies and
plays there. In 1977, the theatre was leased to the Coronal
family for Spanish-language films.
Then-Mayor Terry
Goddard and the city council had Phoenix acquire the theatre
in 1984. During the next year, the theatre was placed on
the National Register of Historic Places. The Junior League
initiated the Orpheum Theatre Foundation, and in 1988 voters
allocated funds for the renovation. In 1989, the city brought
in van Dijk, Pace, Westlake Architects, the architectural
firm responsible for the restorations of Cleveland’s Playhouse
Square Theatre and Indianapolis’ Circle Theatre, as well
as other performing arts facilities.
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The Orpheum Theatre
opened on January 28, 1997. Described as “the new reigning star
of the downtown arts scene”, the Orpheum has been restored to
its original splendor and transformed to a major performing arts
center with a new stage, lobby and audio and theatrical systems.
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This
project was executed in four phases over eight years: new
stage house and rehearsal facility and tie-ins to the new
Phoenix City Hall which surrounds the theater; exterior
restoration; interior development; offices, dressing rooms
and performance systems and a theater organ to create a
fully functioning theater.
Location:
Phoenix, AZ
Original Architect: Lescher and Mahoney
Original Completion Date: 1929
Project Cost: $7,344,000
Completion Date: 1996 (multiple phases and construction
packages)
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