Wichita's Orpheum Theatre History

Wichita’s Orpheum was designed by John Eberson, a great in the movie palace design industry. It was with this theatre that he debuted what would later become an iconic design in theatres worldwide: The atmospheric theatre.

The atmospheric theatre presented a unique concept. Where traditional theaters seated the audience in a formal setting with ornate domed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and marble accents, the atmospheric theatre transports the audience to exotic, European gardens.

Balconies, arches and trellises made up large parts of the design, surrounding audiences to make them feel as though the were actually in a garden.

In addition, plants and trees were used to drive the point home. This design was intended to further involve the audience in the story by taking them to an imaginary place where they could be completely removed from the stress of the world outside.

Wichita’s Orpheum was designed to resemble a Spanish courtyard, with visible Spanish influences in its architecture, tiling and ornate, hand-carved and hand-painted details.

The Orpheum’s ceiling was designed to imitate the appearance of a starry night sky complete with small twinkling lights that resembled stars. Several of the architectural styles used in the design of the Orpheum were widely used in several European countries.

Delmar Klocke, a member of the Orpheum’s Board of Directors suggests that these architectural styles likely made many of Wichita’s early European immigrants feel at home.

Wichita’s Orpheum was part of The Orpheum Circuit, meaning that it drew many big-name acts that performed tours that stopped at Orpheum Theatres across the country.

Over the years, the Orpheum boasted performances by Jack Benny, the Marx Brothers, Bob Hope and many, many more.

In 1939, The Orpheum held the Kansas premiere of “Gone With The Wind”. The premiere was attended by Wichitan Hattie McDaniel who portrayed Mammy in the film. She would go on to win an Oscar for her performance, making her the first African-American to receive the award.  

The Orpheum continued to be one of Wichita’s most popular places to see live performances and new films from the depression through the 1950’s. As the entertainment industry evolved, however, the Orpheum struggled to survive. The next two decades would prove a challenge. The Theatre closed and sat empty for two decades.

Empty and exposed to the elements, the once-grand building had certainly seen better days. It nearly faced the wrecking ball, a fate suffered by its early rival, the Miller, in 1972.

Thanks to a group of devoted Wichitans, however, the Orpheum’s fate was not sealed. Instead, the theater was saved by the efforts of this group, made up of civic-minded individuals who worked together to prove that Wichita’s Orpheum was worth more than the ground it was built on. The building was structurally sound but in serious need of repair.

Theatre Saved from Demolition

Now, even more repairs have taken place. The restrooms have been redone, featuring a much more functional design. The women’s has seen the most change, moving from a total of three water closets to a much more reasonable number for a facility of the Orpheum’s capacity. The back lobby, snack bar area and stairs to the mezzanine have also been renovated, including not only pain on the walls, but also hand-painting of the moldings.