Hennepin Theater | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Hennepin_Avenue-Minneapolis-2006-12-14.jpg) The Orpheum Theatre at night | |
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| Address | 910 Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Hennepin Arts |
| Operator | Historic Theatre Group |
| Capacity | 2,579 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Reopened | 1993 |
| Website | |
| hennepinarts | |
Hennepin Theatre | |
| Coordinates | 44°58′36.37″N 93°16′38.97″W / 44.9767694°N 93.2774917°W |
| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Kirchhoff & Rose |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001548 [1] |
| Added to NRHP | January 19, 1996 |
The Orpheum Theatre is a historic theater located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of four restored theaters on Hennepin Avenue, along with the State Theatre,[2] the Pantages Theatre, and the Shubert Theatre (now The Cowles Center).
The building opened on October 16, 1921, originally named the Hennepin Theater, its first performers included the Marx Brothers with more than 70,000 guests attending the opening week run. Billed as the largest vaudeville house in the country when it opened, the Orpheum became a major outlet for such entertainers as Jack Benny, George Burns, and Fanny Brice. It also hosted big bands including Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie.[3] The theater consists of two separate structures: a long, fingerlike lobby that extends back from a narrow facade along Hennepin Avenue, and the auditorium, which is set back and parallels Hawthorne Avenue. The restored lobby includes six terra cotta bas relief sculptures. The auditorium is intricately plastered, with several garlands, swags, medallions, and other decorations. The ceiling has a dome with 30,000 squares of aluminum leaf.[2]
The theater currently seats 2,579 guests with 1,500 on the main floor and 1,100 on the three level balcony, making it the largest of the three Hennepin Avenue theaters.[3]
Productions that have originated at the Orpheum included Victor/Victoria and The 101 Dalmatians Musical, the pre-Broadway world premiere of The Lion King and the national tour premiere of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida.
In 1988, the Orpheum was sold by Bob Dylan (who owned it from 1979 to 1988)[4] to the City of Minneapolis. Following a $10 million restoration, the Orpheum re-opened in December 1993. In 2005, the city transferred ownership of its theaters to the Hennepin Theatre Trust (now known as Hennepin Arts).[5]
Historic Theatre Group's original partner was Jujamcyn Productions. SFX (now Live Nation) bought Jujamcyn Productions in 2000.[6] Live Nation sold most of its theatrical properties, including its Minneapolis operations, to Key Brand Entertainment in 2008.[7]
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 15, 2006.
- ^ a b Millett, Larry (2007). AIA Guide to the Twin Cities: The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St. Paul. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-87351-540-5.
- ^ a b "Hennepin Theatre District: Theatre History: Orpheum Theatre". Retrieved 2007-06-13.
- ^ "The silent partner: Bob Dylan's days as owner of Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre". Star Tribune.
- ^ History: Hennepin Theatre Trust
- ^ Twin Cities-based show producer Jujamcyn is sold to N.Y. giant SFX
- ^ "Live Nation Finds a Buyer for Its Theater Business (Published 2008)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.