5/26/2023 0 Comments Itheater memphis![]() ![]() One of these was essentially a trivia contest having a twist. ![]() Unfortunately, the rebuild was followed shortly after that by the Great Depression, and the Orpheum Theatre had to come up with novel ideas to bring in entertainment dollars. The fraternal architecture firm of Rapp and Rapp designed the replacement theatre, along with 400 other venues across the country. Unfortunately, the good times came to an end – or at least a pause – in 1923, when, after a performance by actress and singer Blossom Seely, the Orpheum burned to the ground. Legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt, comedian Milton Berle, escape artist Harry Houdini, and composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa performed at the Orpheum. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Memphis was an essential stop for theatrical companies and concert tours because of the Orpheum. ![]() The Orpheum Theatre Group says that they have no plans of replacing any original branding in either of their buildings and will preserve the original character that has shaped the building’s development. The new branding elements will be rolled out in phases and include a redesigned website expected to launch in 2017. The revised mission statement of the Orpheum Theatre Group is to enhance the communities we serve by utilizing the performing arts to entertain, educate and enlighten while preserving the historic Orpheum Theatre and the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts and Education. When vaudeville arrived, the venue was sold to the Orpheum Circuit, a national chain of theatres specializing in touring specialty acts, and the name was changed in 1907. A performance hall called the Grand Opera House was built in 1890 on the corner of Beale Street and Main, over a former coal yard site. Since the Orpheum Theatre Memphis had its 90th birthday last year, technically, it’s the “new” Orpheum. The Original Orpheum Orpheum theatre memphis And, of course, there’s the Orpheum Theatre, the historic venue that has hosted countless legendary performances. Each time you think about Memphis landmarks, a few automatically come to mind: There’s Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum, Beale Street and The Peabody. ![]()
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