Orpheum Theatre (Minneapolis) facts for kids
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Hennepin Theater
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The Orpheum Theatre at night
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| Address | 910 Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota United States |
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| Owner | Hennepin Arts |
| Operator | Historic Theatre Group |
| Capacity | 2,579 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Reopened | 1993 |
| Website | |
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Hennepin Theatre
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| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Kirchhoff & Rose |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001548 |
| Added to NRHP | January 19, 1996 |
The Orpheum Theatre is a famous historic theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is located in the downtown area. The Orpheum is one of four old theaters on Hennepin Avenue that have been beautifully restored. The others are the State Theatre, the Pantages Theatre, and the Shubert Theatre (now called The Cowles Center).
Contents
History of the Orpheum Theatre
The Orpheum Theatre first opened its doors on October 16, 1921. It was originally known as the Hennepin Theater. More than 70,000 people visited during its first week! Famous performers like the Marx Brothers were among the first to entertain audiences there.
A Grand Vaudeville House
When it opened, the Orpheum was known as the largest vaudeville theater in the country. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts, like comedy, music, and dance. The Orpheum hosted many big stars of that time. These included comedians like Jack Benny and George Burns, and singer Fanny Brice. Big bands, such as those led by Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Count Basie, also played there.
Building Design and Features
The theater has two main parts. There is a long lobby that stretches back from the street. The main auditorium, where the shows happen, is set further back. The restored lobby has six cool sculptures made of terra cotta. The auditorium is very fancy, with many decorations like garlands and medallions. The ceiling has a large dome with 30,000 shiny squares of aluminum leaf.
Seating and Size
Today, the Orpheum Theatre can seat 2,579 people. About 1,500 seats are on the main floor. The other 1,100 seats are on the three-level balcony. This makes it the largest of the three main theaters on Hennepin Avenue.
Famous Shows and Ownership
Many popular shows have started their journey at the Orpheum. These include musicals like Victor/Victoria and The 101 Dalmatians Musical. The world premiere of Disney's The Lion King before it went to Broadway happened here. The national tour of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida also started at the Orpheum.
From 1979 to 1988, the famous musician Bob Dylan owned the Orpheum. In 1988, he sold it to the City of Minneapolis. After a big $10 million renovation, the theater reopened in December 1993. In 2005, the city gave ownership of its theaters to the Hennepin Theatre Trust, which is now called Hennepin Arts.
Renovations and Reopening
After the City of Minneapolis bought the Orpheum in 1988, they wanted to make Hennepin Avenue a lively entertainment street again. The nearby State Theatre had already been renovated. The Orpheum had a deeper stage, which was perfect for bigger Broadway shows like Miss Saigon. The city decided to pay for the renovation.
First Renovation Phase
The first part of the renovation started in 1993. To fit large Broadway productions, the Orpheum's stage was made almost 20 feet longer. Workers carefully removed the back wall of the theater brick by brick. During the lobby renovation, some amazing discoveries were made. They found six beautiful sculptures called Pompeiian friezes. These had been hidden for years behind curtains and fake walls!
The Orpheum Theatre reopened in December 1993 after its $10 million restoration. The first event was a concert by the band Heart. In January 1994, the Broadway production of Miss Saigon opened there.
Unexpected Discoveries
More improvements were planned for a second phase, like cleaning the outside of the building and restoring the lobby. But during the first phase, workers found a terra cotta wall behind a plain wall in the entrance area. It was 85 percent complete! A worker broke through a layer of plaster and found beautiful plaster sculptures of griffins and urns.
Entertainment at the Orpheum
The Orpheum Theatre has hosted many different types of entertainment over the years.
Music Performances
- Cheap Trick - November 23, 1983
- Phish - November 26, 1994
- Barenaked Ladies
- Bob Dylan - 1992
- Luis Miguel - February 12, 2000
- Crowded House - September 9, 2007
- Diana Krall - March 15, 2002; August 7, 2015
- Barry Manilow - February 28 - March 1, 2002
- John Prine - September 30, 2000
- Celtic Woman - October 22, 2005; April 5, 2006; April 17–18, 2007; April 13, 2013 (2 shows); June 13, 2017
- Brian Wilson - September 30, 2004; October 2, 2016; November 28, 2018
Comedy Shows
- Jeff Foxworthy recorded his special Have Your Loved Ones Spayed or Neutered here in 2004.
- Larry the Cable Guy recorded Morning Constitutions here in 2006.
- Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy recorded their Netflix special We've Been Thinking here on March 19, 2016.
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon recorded its Super Bowl postgame show here in 2018.
- Ellen DeGeneres recorded her Netflix special For Your Approval in August 2024.
Musicals
- Waitress
- Mamma Mia!
- The Lion King
- The Phantom of the Opera
