Orpheum (Vancouver)

The Orpheum Theatre
The inside of the theatre
Map
Location884 Granville Street Vancouver, British Columbia
Coordinates49°16′48″N 123°07′13″W / 49.280096°N 123.120196°W / 49.280096; -123.120196
OwnerThe City of Vancouver (used to be owned by Famous Players)
TypeMusic venue (used to be a movie palace)
Capacity2,780
OpenedNovember 7, 1927
ClosedNovember, 1975
Reopened:
April 2, 1977
Website
Official website

The Orpheum is a theatre and music venue. It is located on 884 Granville Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Orpheum is a part of the Vancouver Civic Theatres group of live performance venues along with the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Vancouver Playhouse. It was opened on November 7, 1927 as a vaudeville house although they had their first show the day before.[1] When it opened in 1927, The Orpheum was the biggest theatre in Canada, had three thousand seats and cost $1.25 million to build.[2] When vaudeville was slowing down from its popularity, the Orpheum found new owners in Famous Players and became mainly a movie house but hosted live events every now and then.

In 1973, Famous Players wanted to turn the place into a multiplex because of economic reasons.[3] There was a "Save the Orpheum" public protest that was launched, which Jack Benny flew in to help with.[4] The Orpheum was then saved.

It is the home of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.[1] The Orpheum was designated a National Historic Site of Canada on November 15, 1979.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "History of the Orpheum". City of Vancouver. Archived from the original on 2014-07-03. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  2. ↑ "The History of the Metropolitan Vancouver - 1927 Chronology". Vancouver History. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  3. ↑ "The End". The Puget Sound Pipeline Online. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  4. ↑ "Jack Benny with the Vancouver symphony orchestra : a benefit for the Orpheum theatre, April 15, 1974". City of Vancouver Archives. Retrieved 2014-06-15.
  5. ↑ "Orpheum Theatre". Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2014-06-15.

Other websites