The Orpheum Theatre Memphis

I attended a Ballet Memphis performance here recently. The performance was excellent. The building itself has a gorgeous interior. There are some areas where improvement is needed:
1. Concession lines were too long and the counters were understaffed.
2. Seating is cramped. No leg space, and if someone tall is seated in front of your, forget about seeing the play without contorting your neck and spine. (Not sure what if anything can be done about that)
3. They really need to work on hiding the backstage from the audience. I was seated near the front row and could see the man who was pulling the curtain and could see people walking around with head sets. This is unprofessional and it takes away from the experience. How hard could it be to add a curtain panel to hide the people backstage?

Not a bad seat in the house! The stage is visible from all angles and the chairs are comfy. Although cup holders would be a good addition, as most attendees grab a beverage or two on the way into a show. I enjoy entertainment here. Shoot for the end seats… the rows on the floor in the middle are loooonnnngggg. You don’t want to keep getting up to let people in/​out. Only one criticism. .the chairs are too close together. Not much personal space here… eeekkkkk

The Orpheum is a stunningly beautiful theatre and worth visiting at least once in one’s life. I was most impressed with the plethora of parking options nearby, which made for a fast exit once the show ended. I regularly go to shows at TPAC in Nashville, which has very limited convenient parking, so the Orpheum’s situation really puts ours to shame. Centrally located in downtown Memphis, it’s within fast walking distance to all the restaurants and venues on Beale Street. The theatre staff were very friendly and helpful, and really the only teeny tiny complaint I have is that the seats were very close together. However, if you have no problem getting up close and personal with your neighbor, then that won’t be an issue for you.

The Grand Old Lady still shines, perhaps as brightly as ever. The seating is old, tight and uncomfortable. Acoustics are difficult, at best. Still a nice place to lose yourself to good theater.

Beautiful theater with great sound. I don’t think there is a bad seat in the house. Book of Mormon musical was hilarious and I highly recommend it, especially if you’re a huge South Park fan like me. I also saw bill maher there and it was great for a comedy show as well. Overall great venue with a wonderful ambiance.

I only saw it from the outside but it looked gorgeous. I would love to attend a show here sometime. My son and I enjoyed reading the stars on the sidewalk.

One of the most beautiful theaters anywhere! We visited recently on a Saturday evening to catch comedian Brian Regan. We purchased our tickets at the box office, avoiding the Ticketmaster ridiculous fees. We got fantastic floor seats at a great price!
It never hurts to just show up sometimes you can get a great deal…

Beautiful Theater!!! It was the PERFECT venue to watch the Broadway Musical… A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. However, parking downtown Memphis on a Saturday night is a challenge so get there early or plan on using the Orpheum valet service which is $ 20 bucks.

The Orpheum is definitely a lot smaller than I envisioned before coming here, but that doesn’t make it any less grand. I love the balcony seating and look forward to sitting up there later this year. I had a ton of fun coming here for the Rocky Horror Picture show and I look forward to returning for the Legend of Zelda Symphony as well as the Celtic Women concert.

I still haven’t made it inside this Beautiful Architecture .I can’t wait to get my chance but I did get to walk around it a few times and take some wonderful photos.
Some History on the Theater:
The Orpheum Theatre, located on South Main Street at Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, was built in 1928 and is one of the few remaining «movie palaces» of the 1920s. The theatre presents a variety of events from Broadway shows and concerts to films.[1] A $ 4.7 million renovation in the 1980s included refurbishing of ornamental plasterwork, crystal chandeliers and original furnishings plus remodeling of backstage and technical areas. It seats 2,400. The Orpheum Theatre has survived several financial bankruptcies, a devastating fire, and the threat of demolition for the construction of an office complex. However, the Orpheum, called the «South’s Finest Theatre» rose above all this and now is a première performing arts center for the Mid-​South.
In 1890 The Grand Opera House was built on the corner of Main and Beale Street. The Grand was billed as the classiest theatre outside of New York City. Vaudeville was the main source of entertainment at the time. The Grand became part of the Orpheum Vaudeville circuit in 1907, and was renamed the Orpheum Theatre.
Vaudeville at the Orpheum was successful for almost two decades. Then in 1923, after a show that featured the singer Blossom Seeley, a fire started and the theatre burned to the ground

I used to be the VP of Marketing back in the day, so I’m a little biased. :)
Love the shows, the staff, the volunteers! What great memories I have of not only my job here, but just the fun atmosphere, all the intense behind-​the-​scenes crazy amount of work that went into bringing a show to Memphis, and the people who helped make it happen.
Gorgeous from top to bottom! Now go buy your ticket… TODAY!

The Orpheum is a crown jewel of Memphis and the MidSouth. The restoration of the beautiful theatre is amazing. The array of concerts, Broadway shows and events hosted there are always fun and appeal to a variety of audiences. Their programming geared to children is phenomenal.
I love the introduction of the «adult» sippy cups that allow you to now take a beverage into the theatre. They always do a generous pour. Being able to attend some pre-​show events in the Broadway Club is always fun, too.
I always enjoy being able to see a show at the Orpheum

The process at the ticket both was quick, simple and I avoided all those Ticketmaster fees.

I’ve been a season ticket holder at the Orpheum for 4 years now, and show nights are some of my favorite out of the whole year. The shows range from classics to the big modern hits, and over the past two years I’ve gotten to see several shows that I never had before. It was recently announced that they would be updating the seats & taking out a couple rows to give more leg-​room, and I am really looking forward to that!

The Orpheum Theatre provides a wonderful movie-​watching experience. The architecture is beautiful and helps to create an atmosphere that hearkens back to the golden age of Hollywood. Attendees seem to really get into the themed nights and go all-​out with costumes. Parking is relatively easy to find.

I love going to shows at the Orpheum. It is such a beautiful building, surrounded by great restaurants and the downtown atmosphere. The seats are close together (I’m always cramped!) and the sound has always been an issue during the Broadway shows, but it is not enough to keep me from coming back.
The summer movie series is a lot of fun. Depending on the movie, there are costume contests, games, trivia, and sing-​a-​longs. Some movies are for families; some movies for girls’ night out; some for date night. They really work on providing options for everyone.

The ornate grandeur that is the Orpheum Theatre will impress you the moment you walk through the door — every time you walk through the door!
Going to the Orpheum is to go back in time — to an era of elegance, grace and culture.
When you walk into the Orpheum, you are taken back in time — to a time when gentlemen wore tuxedos and ladies wore long gloves with their evening gowns to go to the «Theatre» (as in «Titanic» — the movie). It was a time when ornate elegance was more commonplace than it is today. As impressive as the Lobby is, while you wander through the rest of the building you can imagine the theatre in its full glory of days gone by. The restored beauty of each wall and ceiling fixture makes you feel proud and excited simply to be there.
I have gone to the Orpheum Theatre for many, many years and never cease to be proud that we have this last jewel of a more sophisticated time in our city.
Whether you have gone a number of times or only a few, whether you live in Memphis or venture from other areas, when you go to the Orpheum next — take the time to look around and truly observe what a rich treasure we have right here in Memphis. The next time you go to a standard «movie theater», you will have a greater appreciation for our Memphis Orpheum Theatre. Did you know that the Orpheum actually once was a Malco Movie Theatre?
So, if you live in or near Memphis, you owe it to yourself to experience The Orpheum Theatre. If you’re planning a trip to Memphis, check what will be playing during your time in Memphis and get a ticket to experience it for yourself.

Beautiful theater!

Absolutely beautiful venue for a evening out on the town. Old charm and luxury! The plays and entertainment are usually Broadway quality and there are plenty of good restaurants within walking distance.

I attended a memorial service here for a great man. This place is awe-​inspiring. The history, the attention to detail. It is beautiful. I have seen several plays here as well, and all the performances are top notch. I haven’t dealt with the ticket people lately so I can’t speak to that.

Awesome place to catch a show. It is definitely the crown jewel of the Memphis arts scene. Get there early for convenient parking… otherwise you will need to walk. Bar and bathroom lines can really get painfully long… I race for the door at intermission. But once you get your drink, you can bring it to your seat, covered of course! Love this place… just not downtown.

The Orpheum is a classic for a reason. Great concert venue, show venue, movie venue — this place has it all.
The beautiful architecture is a huge plus, as is the variety of events. The ushers very between really really nice and a little too helpful, and surly, but you only have to deal with them for a minute.
Check out the summer movie series, and of course the Broadway season.

I love the Orpheum! If I were able to pick where in Memphis an artist would perform, it would be here. It’s the best place to see a concert, a play, or a movie. That’s right, they even show movies. Of course they show older movies, and it’s only during the summer. But it’s so much fun to go. That almost makes it more fun, as then it’s open seating, and you can sit wherever you choose. If you’re a newbie when it comes to going to the theater, it can be a great way to get an idea as to where you prefer to sit.
I’ve seen concerts, ballets, musicals, basically I’ve seen everything here. The architecture is absolutely gorgeous. They definitely don’t make them like they used to. If you’ve seen any film about any musician that takes place in Memphis (and perhaps even a couple that don’t), then you’ve already seen the interior of the Orpheum. Walk the Line is a good example.
The only downside? The seating. The seats themselves are fine, at least I think so. They seem to be your standard seat. It’s the length of the aisle. There’s just no freaking legroom. My suggestion? Get an aisle seat if you can. At least then you can sort of sit with your legs angled out towards the aisle, buying you another inch. From what I remember too, the seating isn’t any better in any part of the place, meaning it isn’t like well it’s cramped on the floor, but if you can stand sitting up in the mezzanine… nope. It’s like that everywhere. You have more legroom when you fly on an airplane.
But other than that issue, it’s easily the best venue of Memphis.

I’m absolutely in love with the Orpheum! It’s so incredibly beautiful and full of history. If you’re touring around Memphis for the first time then this is definitely a must see. They have so many shows to choose from as well. Musicals, plays, concerts, and comedy shows, what’s not to love? Plus, they show classic movies in the summer! Check it out!

I just LOVE The Orpheum Theater! No matter what I go see here, whether it is a concert, a play, summer movie series, watching stand up, dinner on stage or an auction I always have the best experience. The historical Memphis Orpheum just beautiful inside. Words can not express. I can not say a bad thing about it. I have gone to so many events here over my life span and as I get older it just keeps getting better!
Wicked was the last thing that I saw here and let me just tell you… WOW! Now I have seen Wicked in New York twice on broadway and it was just as good as the broadway version of this play. There is no bad seat in this place! We sat at the very top and it was just like we were on the stage, in my opinion.
It is always a treat to come to the Orpheum and I always look forward to the next time I get to go and have a new experience!

Ahhhh, I LOVE the Orpheum! As I’m sure all Memphians do.
It is magical, magnificent, lovely, and played a large, wonderful part in my childhood.
Some history because what else is there to say other than you must go! And that you should definitely try the dinner on the stage if you can. It was amazing! (I’ve been twice and a third time is not out of the cards…)
The Grand Opera House was built in 1980 but burned down in 1923 (it became the Orpheum in 1907 when the Orpheum Circuit Company bought it after years of struggling).
Architects Rapp and Rapp rebuilt the theatre and the Orpheum was open from 1928 to 1940. Malco bought it and kept it until 1975 when the theatre returned back to the Orpheum.
Soooo to wrap it up, check out their calendar and go to as much as you can! Perfect with the kids, perfect for date night, perfect with your parents… perfect for the whole fam… perfect, perfect, perfect.

The first time I went to the Orpheum, it was to take my Mom to see Leonard Cohen for her birthday. It was such a beautiful, intimate venue, and we had a great time.
D and I have been to three nights of the Orpheum’s summer movie series so far this summer, and it has been great! Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, and a Ghostbusters/​Poltergeist double feature. (Bonus-​these are General Admission, so you can sit in the «Suites» and feel Super Fancy!)
We’re looking forward to this year’s Broadway series, too. The people at the Orpheum do a great job at bringing fantastic events to the area! (Now, if they could just do something about the uncomfortable seats…)