Friends of the Orpheum Theatre

Friends of the Orpheum Theatre The Friends of the Orpheum Theatre is an all volunteer
501(c)(3) organization.

The Friends of the Orpheum Theatre is an all volunteer 501c3 organization whose serves to provide historical, educational, and fundraising support for the historic Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Phoenix, AZ.

08/28/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨
Meet David L. Fink, a young Phoenix realtor whose story was closely tied to the Orpheum’s earliest days.
When the Orpheum opened in 1929, Fink served as the exclusive renting agent for the building’s stores and offices—and even kept his own real estate office in Rooms 201–202 of the Orpheum Theatre Building.
By August of that year, he was enthusiastically promoting Phoenix as “The Best and Fastest Growing City in the Entire Southwest!”
His career appeared to be gaining momentum. On February 9, 1930, the newspaper reported that Fink had closed three leases in just a few days.
Just 16 days later, on February 25, David Fink died suddenly. Newspaper accounts reported that he was about 30 years old.
Fink had originally come to Phoenix from New York as a “health seeker,” but in his few years here, he became part of a rapidly growing city—and part of the Orpheum’s story from the very beginning.
One of many stories. Worth remembering. 🎭

08/26/2026

💙 Mamma Mia, here we go again! 💙

Get ready to sing, dance, and have the time of your life when MAMMA MIA! comes to the historic Orpheum Theatre!

🎬 MAMMA MIA!
📅 September 22 | 6:30 PM
📍 Orpheum Theatre Phoenix

Come for the movie. Stay for the ABBA. ✨

Presented by Friends of the Orpheum Theatre + Downtown Phoenix Inc.

🎟️ Tickets on sale now at pccticketing.com.

08/21/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨
Some things never change… including kids and banisters. 😂
On August 22, 1943, 12-year-old Charles Gaxiola reportedly suffered a cut to his head after falling while sliding down a banister at the Orpheum Theatre. The next day, the incident earned a brief mention in the newspaper, which noted that Charles had been treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
The article never said which Orpheum banister was involved.
But looking at the Peacock Staircase… we certainly have our suspicions. 👀
📸 Peacock Staircase photos: Historic Theatre Photos / Mike Hume

08/19/2026

The future is back. ⚡️

Travel back to 1985 and experience Back to the Future where it belongs—on the big screen at the historic Orpheum Theatre!

🎬 BACK TO THE FUTURE
📅 Tuesday, September 15
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Orpheum Theatre Phoenix
🎟️ pccticketing.com

Great Scott! We’re only FOUR WEEKS away! ⏰⚡️

Presented by the Friends of the Orpheum Theatre and sponsored by Downtown Phoenix Inc.

08/14/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨
Massage, anyone? 💆
In August 1936, a tiny classified ad offered a rather intriguing service: “Massage. 201 Orpheum Bldg. Billie.”
And Billie apparently wasn’t new to the business. Just a few months earlier, ads placed Billie at 15 S. 1st Ave. By August, Billie had moved—or at least the massage business had—to Room 201 of the Orpheum Building, where ads continued appearing regularly into the fall.
But Billie wasn’t the first to offer a little rest and relaxation upstairs.
When the Orpheum opened in 1929, one of its first tenants was the Symmetrizer Co. of Arizona in Room 209. Billed as “Arizona’s First Reducing Parlor,” it offered “Restful Body Massages” as part of The Symmetrizer Way
Movies downstairs. Massages upstairs. Apparently, the Orpheum had you covered. 😉

08/10/2026

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of F.W. Murnau’s Faust—a landmark of silent cinema renowned for its groundbreaking visual storytelling and breathtaking cinematography.

Experience this cinematic masterpiece on the big screen with an original live score performed by Mysterium Quartet. Blending experimental, industrial, Americana, dieselpunk, and psychedelic sounds, the quartet creates an immersive musical landscape that makes every performance a truly unique theatrical experience.

Experience this unforgettable event in the historic Orpheum Theatre, where the grandeur of a 1929 movie palace provides the perfect setting for one of silent cinema’s greatest achievements.

📅 Sunday, September 6
🕝 2:30 PM
📍 Orpheum Theatre

Presented by Friends of the Orpheum Theatre.

🎟️ Tickets available at pccticketing.com.

MysteriumQuartet

08/07/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨

In August 1939, the Orpheum made a very welcome announcement to summertime Phoenix: “The Orpheum is now cooled by refrigeration.” ❄️

But this wasn’t the theater’s first state-of-the-art cooling system.

When the Orpheum opened in 1929, fresh air was washed to remove dust and impurities, cooled with water, and circulated throughout the auditorium. Opening-day coverage reported that the theater’s air could be completely changed every 10 minutes.

Just ten years later, the Orpheum upgraded to refrigerated air—moving from one state-of-the-art cooling technology to the next.

In Phoenix in August, some innovations are especially appreciated. ☀️❄️🎭

08/05/2026

🚀 Prepare to go to ludicrous speed!

Join us for Mel Brooks’ hilarious sci-fi parody Spaceballs on the big screen at Phoenix’s historic Orpheum Theatre.

Classics at the Orpheum
Timeless films. Timeless theatre.

📅 Tuesday, September 1
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Orpheum Theatre

🎟️ Tickets available now at pccticketing.com.

Sponsored by DTPHX, Inc.

Whether you’re reliving the laughs or experiencing it for the first time, don’t miss this cult classic with fellow movie fans in one of Arizona’s most beautiful historic theatres.

May the Schwartz be with you!

07/31/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨
In the final week of July 1968, the Orpheum Theatre, then operating as the Paramount, began one of the most significant transformations in its history.
As part of its conversion into Palace West, the theater’s iconic Paramount marquee was removed, signaling the beginning of a new chapter.
The renovation also marked the loss of another piece of the theater’s history. The stage door—covered with layers of vintage posters dating back to the 1930s—was removed during the remodeling. Unfortunately, the door itself was never preserved, and its fate remains unknown. Today, it would be considered an irreplaceable artifact of the theater’s past.
At the same time, the theater’s Meisel-Sullivan organ was offered for sale, marking the end of yet another era.
While many original features disappeared during the 1968 renovation, the building itself survived. That decision ultimately made it possible for today’s Orpheum Theatre to be restored and once again stand as one of Phoenix’s greatest architectural treasures.

07/24/2026

✨ Fun Fact Friday! ✨
Before Saturday morning cartoons came into America’s living rooms, Phoenix kids headed downtown to the Orpheum Theatre for the Popeye Club.
The earliest advertisement we’ve found appeared in September 1938, launching what quickly became a Saturday morning tradition. Young audiences enjoyed feature films, Popeye cartoons, serials, live entertainment, prizes, music from the Popeye Club Orchestra, and even a Trading Post where children could swap school supplies and other treasures.
As the club grew in popularity, it welcomed special guests—including singing cowboy Tex Ritter, who made a personal appearance in March 1939, performing on stage before appearing on screen in Rollin’ Westward.
By July 1939, the Popeye Club had become a fixture at the Orpheum, drawing children downtown every Saturday morning for an experience that was much more than just a movie.
Later that year, the Popeye Club moved to the Strand Theatre, bringing the Orpheum’s Saturday morning tradition to a close.
Did you, your parents, or your grandparents ever attend the Popeye Club? We’d love to hear your memories!

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203 W Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ
85003

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