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How Phoenix is honoring the Orpheum Theatre’s past while embracing new technology

The Mighty Wurlitzer organ on stage at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
The Mighty Wurlitzer organ on stage at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix.

Over the past few years, the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix has seen about $5 million in renovations. Recently, the city-owned building opened its doors to reintroduce its iconic history while welcoming modern technology.

The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix underwent a multi-year modernization effort. An event on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, showed off the changes.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix underwent a multi-year modernization effort. An event on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, showed off the changes.

“The Orpheum Theater opened in 1929 and it was designed to replicate the experiences that people have in the old Spanish outdoor theaters,” said Jerry Harper, director of Phoenix Convention Center and Venues.

The Orpheum’s centerpiece is a dome lighting and audio system designed to capture Arizona’s beauty. Staff traveled across the state to capture natural sounds from forests in Flagstaff to monsoons in the Valley.

“The first time they introduced me to that, I remember standing in the theater and then waving my hand by my ear because I really thought a bug was buzzing by. That's how crisp and sharp this sound system is,” Harper said.

Jerry Harper is director of Phoenix Convention Center and Venues.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
Jerry Harper is director of Phoenix Convention Center and Venues.

The audio plays as outdoor images — like vibrant sunrises and starlit nights — float overhead.

“I just noticed the moon that's moving over here, too,” said Megan Leetz.

The open house was her first visit to the Orpheum. She works with a concert promoter to book events.

“The other theaters that I've been to, like the clouds would just be painted on the ceiling, or they'll have some sort of mural up there, but having this moving and interactive is really fascinating,” Leetz said.

The Orpheum Theatre was built in a Spanish Baroque architectural style with intricate murals and moldings.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
The Orpheum Theatre was built in a Spanish Baroque architectural style with intricate murals and moldings.

The Orpheum initially featured vaudeville and films, including the 1933 premiere of "I’m No Angel" starring Mae West. Over the years, the Orpheum operated as a movie theater and playhouse, but by the early 1980s, it had lost its shine.

The theatre was on its way to being bulldozed for a parking lot until, at the urging of then-Mayor Terry Goddard, Phoenix bought the entire block to build a new city hall behind the theatre and landscape the area around it.

Staircase at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
Staircase at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix.

The Junior League of Phoenix worked with the State Historic Preservation Office to get the Orpheum on the National Register of Historic Places.

Voters approved $7 million for restoration, and the Orpheum Theatre Foundation raised the rest. In 1997, it reopened with a performance of "Hello, Dolly!" starring Carol Channing.

Orpheum Assistant Director Bob Fingerman said one of the most challenging upgrades involved replacing every seat to make them wider for today’s patrons.

“The casing of the seats were from the original, so when you look at the casing and the spacing in between, the way that the house was constructed, we were able to increase and a lot of that just comes with centimeters and inches that were shaved off the old to allow for bigger space,” he said. “But if you do that over the course of the entire house, you have more capacity.”

They even managed to add about 50 new seats, so the Orpheum now seats 1,410.

Peacock on ceiling at Orpheum Theatre.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
Peacock on ceiling at Orpheum Theatre.

“We are a great arts city, and with the investments we're celebrating today, we are taking it to the next level,” Mayor Kate Gallego said.

A 60,000-lumen Barco projector means brighter images for the larger screen. At 21’4.5” x 42’9”, the Orpheum has one of Arizona’s biggest screens. A performance by local group Fred Green Band showed off the theatre’s audio and advanced LED lighting system.

Located in the back of house is the Orpheum's Hall of Fame, where signed posters are displayed.

Bob Fingerman, assistant director, stands in the Orpheum's Hall of Fame.
Christina Estes
Bob Fingerman, assistant director, stands in the Orpheum's Hall of Fame.

“You can see Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush to dance, spoken word, standup artists,” Fingerman said. “Really an eclectic group of folks that have performed here over the years.”

But it’s not usually the artists who wow him the most.

“It's always the reaction that the audience has to the artist. And that is what, to me, is the greatest experience. That's the communal experience everyone wants, whether it be at a sporting event or at a theater, they want to feel a part of something. And that's what really just always makes my jaw drop,” Fingerman said.

Lobby at Orpheum Theatre.
Christina Estes/KJZZ
Lobby at Orpheum Theatre.

“Good luck asking ChatGPT to recreate that experience,” Harper said. “A place like this is really where those types of emotions can be realized and that magic is experienced.”

A visit to the Orpheum Theatre provides more than a live performance – it’s an immersive sensory adventure showcasing Arizona’s outdoors and Phoenix’s history.

The Friends of the Orpheum Theatre free public tours and virtual tours. The theatre is located at 203 W. Adams St.

More Arizona History

As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.