Orpheum Theatre (Champaign, Illinois)
Encyclopedia
The Orpheum Theater opened in Champaign, Illinois
in 1914 on the site of a vaudeville
theater theater built in 1904. Designed by the Architectural firm Rapp and Rapp
, the Orpheum (also known as "The New Orpheum") was built to accommodate both live vaudeville performances and the projection of film. After a series of renovations and changes of ownership, the Orpheum screened its final film in 1986.
Preserved from demolition in 1991, the Orpheum is now home to a children's museum
, the Orpheum Children's Science Museum
, and is undergoing restoration.
in the first decades of the twentieth century.
George Leslie Rapp, an 1899 alumnus of the University of Illinois School of Architecture, with his brother Corneilus, founded the firm of Rapp and Rapp. They designed over 400 theaters including the Majestic Theater in Dubuque, Iowa (1910), the Chicago Theatre
(1921), Bismark Hotel and Theatre (1926), Mighigan Theatre, Detroit (1926), Oriental Theater, Chicago
(1926), and the Paramount Theater in New York City (1926) and Aurora (1931).
Rapp and Rapp designed the Orpheum as a scale model of the opera house
at Versailles
. The following year, they designed the Al. Ringling Theatre in Baraboo, Wisconsin
, which was also a model of the Versailles opera house. The Ringlings, however, spent considerably more money for decorations.
The Orpheum interior style is French Renaissance and Baroque and the exterior is Classical Revival. There were 754 seats and 18 loge boxes.
The owners were Joseph M. Finn and Marcus Heiman of F&H Amusement Company. General contractor was Wile Brothers of Chicago, specialists in theater construction. The contract price was between $65,000 and $70,000. Work began in late May 1914. Mandel Brothers of Chicago had the contract for the draperies and other interior decorations. The scenery was done by Sosman & Landis of Chicago, who were considered the best scenery painters in the middle west.
The Orpheum was the main vaudeville stop in Champaign and Urbana, and a member of the famed Orpheum Circuit. It played host to many famous vaudevillians, including Trixie Friganza, Red Skelton
, Harry Houdini
(1923), Chic Sale, Virginia Sale, Will Rogers
(1915), the Marx Brothers
(1918), Bill Robinson (1921), Jack Benny
(1922), Bob Hope
(1928), and Burns & Allen (1929). A few of the now classic films shown during the Orpheum's long history include "Birth of A Nation" (1916), "Intolerance" (1917), "City Lights" (1931), "Gone With The Wind" (1940 & 1968), "Dumbo" (1941), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1952), "Mister Roberts" (1955), and "A Hard Day's Night" (1964).
During the Orpheum's Vaudeville period, part of the theater's second floor served as a boarding house, often housing African Americans at a time when local hotels practiced racial discrimination.
began operating the Orpheum Theatre (it also operated the nearby Virginia Theater
). Under the management of RKO, the theater was increasingly devoted to the screening of films, rather than to live performance in the Vaudville tradition. In 1967 a major renovation created a modern appearance by adding an aluminum facade and redoing the lobby.
In 1971 GKC Theaters
purchased the Orhpeum, as the theater struggled to remain profitable. In 1982 GKC leased it, as part of an attempt to recast the Orpheum as an Art Theater. After this attempt failed, the Orpheum briefly returned to screening first run films, before finally closing in 1986, screening the trick slasher film "April Fool's Day" as the theater's final showing.
PACA hired theatre consultant Michael Hardy to do a feasibility study of the Orpheum. He suggested, in July 1990, a children's museum as a possible use for the building. The city did not have a children's museum and there were already several successful performing arts facilities in the area.
The City of Champaign razed the adjacent warehouse building in February 1991. In the fall of 1991, the theatre facade was cleaned and painted and the marquee given cosmetic repairs by PACA. The trompe l'oeil cornice reminiscent of the original was painted above the theater entrance. In 1994 the Orpheum Children's Science Museum opened its doors to the public.
In January 2009, the Orpheum Children's Science Museum solicited proposals for re-use of the space, and proposals for building a new children's museum elsewhere.
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
in 1914 on the site of a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
theater theater built in 1904. Designed by the Architectural firm Rapp and Rapp
Rapp and Rapp
The architectural firm Rapp and Rapp was active in Chicago, Illinois during the early 20th century. The brothers Cornelius W. Rapp and George Leslie Rapp of Carbondale, Illinois were the named partners and 1899 alumnus of the University of Illinois School of Architecture...
, the Orpheum (also known as "The New Orpheum") was built to accommodate both live vaudeville performances and the projection of film. After a series of renovations and changes of ownership, the Orpheum screened its final film in 1986.
Preserved from demolition in 1991, the Orpheum is now home to a children's museum
Children's museum
Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums feature interactive exhibits that are designed to be...
, the Orpheum Children's Science Museum
Orpheum Children's Science Museum
The Orpheum Children's Science Museum is a children's science museum located in an old Orpheum Theatre in downtown Champaign. The Museum covers all of the entrance to the theater, and some adjoining space outside. There are plans to turn the stage and theater part into exhibits soon...
, and is undergoing restoration.
Design and Construction
One of the earliest examples of movie theater architecture, the Orpheum is an early design by the prolific architectural firm Rapp and Rapp, a firm that that would later design many famous American "Movie Palaces"Movie palace
A movie palace is a term used to refer to the large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s. The late 1920s saw the peak of the movie palace, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930.There are three building types in particular which can be subsumed...
in the first decades of the twentieth century.
George Leslie Rapp, an 1899 alumnus of the University of Illinois School of Architecture, with his brother Corneilus, founded the firm of Rapp and Rapp. They designed over 400 theaters including the Majestic Theater in Dubuque, Iowa (1910), the Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
(1921), Bismark Hotel and Theatre (1926), Mighigan Theatre, Detroit (1926), Oriental Theater, Chicago
Oriental Theatre (Chicago)
The Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre is a theater located at 24 West Randolph Street in the Loop area of downtown Chicago, Illinois. Opened in 1926 as a deluxe movie palace, today the Oriental is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a subsidiary of the Nederlander Organization...
(1926), and the Paramount Theater in New York City (1926) and Aurora (1931).
Rapp and Rapp designed the Orpheum as a scale model of the opera house
L'Opéra of the Palace of Versailles
The Opéra Royal de Versailles ' is the main theatre and opera house of the Palace of Versailles. Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, with interior decoration by Augustin Pajou, the Opéra was constructed entirely of wood and painted to resemble marble in a technique known as faux marble.The house is...
at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. The following year, they designed the Al. Ringling Theatre in Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo, Wisconsin
Baraboo is the largest city in, and the county seat of Sauk County, Wisconsin, USA. It is situated on the Baraboo River. Its 2010 population was 12,048 according to the US Census Bureau...
, which was also a model of the Versailles opera house. The Ringlings, however, spent considerably more money for decorations.
The Orpheum interior style is French Renaissance and Baroque and the exterior is Classical Revival. There were 754 seats and 18 loge boxes.
The owners were Joseph M. Finn and Marcus Heiman of F&H Amusement Company. General contractor was Wile Brothers of Chicago, specialists in theater construction. The contract price was between $65,000 and $70,000. Work began in late May 1914. Mandel Brothers of Chicago had the contract for the draperies and other interior decorations. The scenery was done by Sosman & Landis of Chicago, who were considered the best scenery painters in the middle west.
Early History as a Vaudeville Playhouse
Opening Night was on October 19, 1914. The evening's performance began with the New Orpheum orchestra, under the leadership of Larry J. Powers, playing the "Illinois Loyalty", followed by "America" and "The Star-Spangled Banner". Mayor Oliver B. Dobbins gave a short speech complimenting the management for its elaborate and expensive effort to provide such an elegant theatre. Five high class vaudeville acts were presented, headlined by singer and comedian Herman Timberg, who had appeared a few weeks earlier at Chicago's Palace Theater. The evening closed with moving pictures. The manager was C.S. Harris.The Orpheum was the main vaudeville stop in Champaign and Urbana, and a member of the famed Orpheum Circuit. It played host to many famous vaudevillians, including Trixie Friganza, Red Skelton
Red Skelton
Richard Bernard "Red" Skelton was an American comedian who is best known as a top radio and television star from 1937 to 1971. Skelton's show business career began in his teens as a circus clown and went on to vaudeville, Broadway, films, radio, TV, night clubs and casinos, all while pursuing...
, Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts...
(1923), Chic Sale, Virginia Sale, Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
(1915), the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
(1918), Bill Robinson (1921), Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
(1922), Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
(1928), and Burns & Allen (1929). A few of the now classic films shown during the Orpheum's long history include "Birth of A Nation" (1916), "Intolerance" (1917), "City Lights" (1931), "Gone With The Wind" (1940 & 1968), "Dumbo" (1941), "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1952), "Mister Roberts" (1955), and "A Hard Day's Night" (1964).
During the Orpheum's Vaudeville period, part of the theater's second floor served as a boarding house, often housing African Americans at a time when local hotels practiced racial discrimination.
Movie Theater Period
In the 1920's RKO PicturesRKO Pictures
RKO Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. As RKO Radio Pictures Inc., it was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chains and Joseph P...
began operating the Orpheum Theatre (it also operated the nearby Virginia Theater
Virginia Theatre (Champaign)
The Virginia Theatre is a live performance and movie theatre in downtown Champaign, Illinois. It has been providing theatrical and cinematic entertainment to the Champaign-Urbana community since its doors opened in 1921. Each year, the Virginia Theatre is host to movies from film reels, plays from...
). Under the management of RKO, the theater was increasingly devoted to the screening of films, rather than to live performance in the Vaudville tradition. In 1967 a major renovation created a modern appearance by adding an aluminum facade and redoing the lobby.
In 1971 GKC Theaters
Kerasotes Theatres
Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, LLC is a movie-theatre operator in the Midwestern United States. Based in Chicago, Kerasotes Showplace Theatres, LLC was the sixth-largest movie-theatre company in North America with 957 screens in 95 locations in California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio,...
purchased the Orhpeum, as the theater struggled to remain profitable. In 1982 GKC leased it, as part of an attempt to recast the Orpheum as an Art Theater. After this attempt failed, the Orpheum briefly returned to screening first run films, before finally closing in 1986, screening the trick slasher film "April Fool's Day" as the theater's final showing.
Children's Museum and Preservation
The Champaign Preservation and Conservation Association (PACA) sponsored a public meeting on April 8, 1989, in response to plans to raze the now closed and deteriorating theater. This meeting was held to gauge public interest in saving the Orpheum Theatre. The City of Champaign purchased the Orpheum and adjacent building as a site for a possible parking deck in January, 1990. The city allowed 45 PACA volunteers to spend Saturday, July 7, 1990, removing the aluminum facade to reveal the original look of the building and to assess any damage.PACA hired theatre consultant Michael Hardy to do a feasibility study of the Orpheum. He suggested, in July 1990, a children's museum as a possible use for the building. The city did not have a children's museum and there were already several successful performing arts facilities in the area.
The City of Champaign razed the adjacent warehouse building in February 1991. In the fall of 1991, the theatre facade was cleaned and painted and the marquee given cosmetic repairs by PACA. The trompe l'oeil cornice reminiscent of the original was painted above the theater entrance. In 1994 the Orpheum Children's Science Museum opened its doors to the public.
In January 2009, the Orpheum Children's Science Museum solicited proposals for re-use of the space, and proposals for building a new children's museum elsewhere.