Owner Hennepin Theatre Trust Reopened 1993 NRHP Reference # 95001548 Capacity 2,600 Phone +1 612-339-7007 | Operator Historic Theatre Group Built 1921 Added to NRHP January 19, 1996 Opened 16 October 1921 Architectural style Beaux-Arts architecture | |
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Address 910 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403, USA Profiles | ||
Orpheum Theatre is a theater located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of four restored theaters on Hennepin Avenue, along with the Pantages Theatre, the State Theatre and the Shubert Theatre (now The Cowles Center).
The building opened on October 16, 1921, originally named the Hennepin Theater. The theater actually 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 a number of garlands, swags, medallions, and other decorations. The ceiling has a dome with 30,000 squares of aluminum leaf.
The building seats 1500 on the main floor and 1100 on the three level balcony.
Several musicals, including Victor/Victoria, The Lion King, and The 101 Dalmatians Musical premiered at the Orpheum.
In 1988, the Orpheum was sold by Bob Dylan (who owned it from 1979-1988) to the City of Minneapolis; it was renovated and reopened in 1993. In 2005, the city transferred ownership of its theaters to the Hennepin Theatre Trust.
Historic Theatre Group's original partner was Jujamcyn Productions. SFX (now Live Nation) bought Jujamcyn Productions in 2000. Live Nation sold most of its theatrical properties, including its Minneapolis operations, to Key Brand Entertainment in 2008.