The historic Orpheum Theatre is a century-old building that glows with an aura of elegance and majesty. Crowds dressed to the nines on grand staircases and row after row of gleeful patrons in a packed house were once integral to the core of the shared theater experience.
Because of the pandemic, most immersive entertainment experiences in 2020 just aren’t what they used to be. The Orpheum, however, has been able to adapt.
The theatre reopened to the public this month after the pandemic prompted seven months of temporary closure. In compliance with requirements from the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS), the Orpheum returned in October as a COVID-19-safe indoor movie theater experience. The film series is presented by The Friends of the Orpheum Theatre (FOTOT) and FilmBar.
The Orpheum Theatre, able to seat more than 1,300 people, will now sell just 200 tickets per screening. As another precaution, cash will not be accepted at the concession stand, and organizers encourage buying tickets online. FOTOT board member Alison Sipes said in an interview with The Arizona Republic that “one screening per day [allows] for thorough disinfection of seats and high-touch surfaces after each event.”
The film series began with two sold-out showings of “The Wizard of Oz.” Released in 1939, the film premiered a decade after the opening of the Orpheum Theatre. Horror-musical favorite “Edward Scissorhands” showed during Halloween weekend.
Next to arrive at the Orpheum is “Purple Rain.” The 1984 rock-musical-drama starring Prince shows Nov. 14 and 15.
FOTOT announced that future showings will include: “Psycho” on Dec. 11-13, and a filmed performance of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 19 and 20.
Tickets are $9 for children under 12 and $16 for adults.
First opened as the Paramount movie theater in 1929, the Orpheum is owned by the City of Phoenix and operated by Phoenix Convention Center & Venues. Friends of the Orpheum Theater is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit “support” organization that employed the help of local theater FilmBar for the series.
In an email to patrons, FilmBar owner Kelly Aubrey mentioned that “because the Orpheum is also a world-class live performance venue, you can add a mix of theatrical elements to the cinematic experience (smoke, incredible lighting effects, live performers).” Later, she said, “I’ve been kiddingly saying it’s going to be 4-D.”
A representative from FilmBar said opening weekend’s screenings of “The Wizard of Oz” turned out to be “a magical night.”
“The audience really seemed to enjoy it. People were really excited and felt safe,” she said.
For each event, available seats are spaced apart, audiences wear masks and there is a “self-checkout” feature at the concession stand.
The Orpheum Theatre is located at 203 W. Adams St. in Phoenix. Details for this event can be found here or at 877-840-0457.
Contact the reporter at aaankrah@asu.edu.
Correction: This story has been updated with correct information regarding the Orpheum’s opening year and operations.
