The Orpheum Theater is a theater in the

Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

. Also known as the RKO Orpheum, it was designed by

G. Albert Lansburgh Gustave Albert Lansburgh (January 7, 1876 – April 1969) was an American architect largely known for his work on luxury cinemas and theaters. He was the principal architect of theaters on the West Coast from 1900 to 1930. Life and career Lan ...

, built in 1918, and opened for vaudeville in 1921. The Beaux Arts style building has 1,500 seats, and went on to host silent movies, “talkies,” live music and a range of other shows. In 1983, the Orpheum was scheduled for demolition but was acquired by the New Orleans Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and underwent a $3 million renovation. It served as the orchestra's home theater until the orchestra's financial demise in 1991. Under new ownership, the Orpheum became the home of the newly formed

Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is an American orchestra based in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the Gulf South. The orchestra performs at the Orpheum Theater. The Louisiana Philharmonic Or ...

(LPO), whose musicians prized the auditorium for its acoustical purity.New Orleans ''Times-Picayune'', July 7, 2006, p. 1 The theater is an example of "vertical hall" construction, initially built to provide perfect sight lines and acoustics for vaudeville shows which didn't have the benefit of amplifiers or modern lighting. The Orpheum Theater was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1982. It was also included in the NRHP listing of the

New Orleans Lower Central Business District The New Orleans Lower Central Business District is a historic district in New Orleans, Louisiana which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1991. It may be referred to as Lower Central Business District. Along with ...

in 1991. The theater was severely damaged in 2005 by

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

and the associated levee failure floodwaters and was sold to a Dallas businessman. It was then sold to Axiom Global Properties in 2011 (formerly Orpheum Properties, Inc.). Neither of these owners succeeded in restoring the theater to commerce. The theater was purchased in February 2014 by Dr. Eric George, who completed a $13 million renovation. Renovations included installing a new hydraulic floor that can be lifted and lowered to create sloped or flat footing, which allows it to accommodate concerts and events. Additionally, the upgrade included an expanded marble lobby, enlarged seating, additional bathrooms, multiple bars. George and his investment company, ERG Enterprises, completed a subsequent renovation in 2020 by opening a speakeasy bar in the basement of the theater. The venue, called the Double Dealer, opened January 24, 2020. The theater reopened in August 2015. The first event was held on September 17, 2015 with a performance by the

(LPO). The LPO has since become the anchor tenant for the theater.

References

External links

Official website of the Orpheum Theater - New Orleans
{{Authority control Cinemas and movie theaters in Louisiana Concert halls in Louisiana Music venues in Louisiana Performing arts centers in Louisiana Theatres in New Orleans Movie palaces Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana National Register of Historic Places in New Orleans

See also

References

External links