Orpheum Theatre, Historic theater in Civic Center, San Francisco, US.
The Orpheum Theatre at 1192 Market Street is a 2,197-seat venue with a Plateresque Revival facade and a vaulted interior ceiling. Its dark green marquee, framed in vertical tiers, carries gold capital letters spelling "ORPHEUM" above a lit poster panel and a canopy with dark bulbs and a patterned band.
The Orpheum opened in 1926 as the Pantages Theatre, one of many houses that architect B. Marcus Priteca designed for circuit owner Alexander Pantages. A $20 million renovation completed in 1998, after a 1970s reworking, refitted it for Broadway shows; "Show Boat" reopened it that April. It has been a locally designated San Francisco landmark and is now owned by BroadwaySF.
The Orpheum's name comes from the Greek myth of Orpheus, and the theatre opened in 1926 as the Pantages. Its stage has hosted tryouts of shows before Broadway, including Evita in 1979 and Mamma Mia! in 2000-2001, and Wicked ran here for two years from January 27, 2009.
The venue is located in the Civic Center neighborhood and is easily accessible by public transportation. Visitors should arrive early to find their seats and explore the concession areas for snacks and drinks.
The interior preserves many original details from 1926, giving visitors a sense of the theater aesthetics from that era when they enter. This older beauty creates an interesting contrast with the modern lights and sound systems installed for current performances.
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