Orpheum Theatre - Phoenix

The historic Orpheum Theatre - Phoenix, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now celebrating its 96th Anniversary season! Opened on January 5, 1929, it was the pride of Phoenix! Designed by architects Lescher & Mahoney, the theatre was built for $750,000 by Jo E. Rickards and Harry Nace. The Orpheum was designed in the atmospheric style, with the audience sitting in a garden surrounded by Spanish-style buildings, murals of mountains, and forests, under puffy white clouds moving across a deep blue domed sky. In July of 1946 the Orpheum Theatre was billed as a Nace Paramount Theater with the name officially changing to the Paramount in 1950. Harry Nace continued to manage the theatre, but took on a smaller role due in part to his quest to bring baseball to Arizona. The theatre was purchased by James Nederlander of the Nederlander Theatrical Corporation in April of 1968 and was added as a stop on the Broadway circuit. During the Nederlander years the theatre was known as Palace West. Over the years, the theatre played host to many Hollywood and Broadway greats including Mae West, Henry Fonda, and Lauren Bacall. By 1983 it seemed the best of the theatre's days were behind. Showing mainly Spanish speaking films and hosting the occasional concert booked by Feyline Presents Inc, the tired, worn, and outdated theatre was well on its way to being razed for a parking lot. The city decided to incorporate the entire Orpheum building into its new city hall plan, and the theatre underwent an immaculate 12 year, $14 million dollar restoration. It re-opened under its original name, on January 28, 1997, with the late Carol Channing starring in her final tour of Hello Dolly! Today, the Orpheum hosts an eclectic mix of live theatre, concerts, comedy, dance, drag performances, movies, community events, and holiday programming. It is the jewel of downtown Phoenix.