Theater Spotlight: Orpheum Theatre

Originally known as the Hennepin, the Orpheum Theatre opened on October 16, 1921. Located at 910 Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota the theatre was designed by the Milwaukee firm of Kirchoff & Rose and cost 1 million dollars to build. Over 70,000 guests came to watch the Marx Brothers perform during opening week.

The Orpheum seats approx 1500 on the main floor, with an additional 1100 seats in the three-level balcony. It's a finely refurbished theatre, with comfortable seating and lovely decor. Both acoustics and sight lines are outstanding.

Throughout the early 1920's, the Orpheum was a major venue for many variety show type entertainers including Jack Benny, Burns & Allen and Fanny Brice. The best seats in the house sold for 47 cents, and children's tickets were only 9 cents. The Orpheum also featured an unheard of playroom and baby-sitting services for small children on the first floor mezzanine lobby. After the 20's, the Orpheum easily changed with the times and became one of the major cinema houses in Minneapolis that we know today. 

Restored to an elegance and beauty before only imagined, the Historic Orpheum Theatre has become the favored stop for touring Broadway blockbusters. This elegantly restored theater successfully hosts Broadway hits and rock superstars with equal ease. Its great location in the Hennepin Theatre district and ability to attract big name shows makes the Orpheum one of the most sought-after tickets in town!

Theater Spotlight: The Guthrie Theater

The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota is a nationally acclaimed venue and Tony Award winner. The theatre is a unique venue for staging plays and is the result of Sir Tyrone Guthrie's desire for a new kind of theater that would provide an atmosphere which would encourage the production of great works of literature and cultivate actors' talents away from the more commercial environment of Broadway.

The Guthrie Theater has performed in two main-stage facilities. The former building was designed by architect Ralph Rapson and was active from 1963-2006. After relocating, the Guthrie now finds its home in the work of French architect Jean Nouvel's design. It is a 255,000 square foot facility that replicates the former theater's signature thrust stage and includes a new 1,100-seat auditorium, 700-seat proscenium stage, 250-seat studio theater, new classrooms and food service.

Even with the brand new digs, the Guthrie Theatre, now at 818 South Second Street in Minneapolis, is filled with history and tradition. Along with the Guthrie's innovative production philosophy, the theater itself gained a lot of attention by the unique style.