Our beloved downtown performance art venue, the Orpheum Theatre, is getting a makeover and a new admission-only private club just over a year after Ambassador Theatre Group scooped up the Market Street property along with the Golden Gate Theatre. The Orpheum Theatre is located at 1192 Market Street, just 0.3 miles from NEMA San Francisco.
Officially designated as a San Francisco Landmark in 1977 by the San Francisco Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board, the Orpheum Theatre originally opened in 1926 with a façade patterned after a 12th-century French cathedral. Although this 2,200-seat theatre—located at the corner of Market Street and 8th Street—saw an external rejuvenation in 2016, the original and historical integrity of the landmark prevails as the Orpheum continues to welcome audiences across the San Francisco Bay Area to revel in the razzle-dazzle of Broadway.
"The show is only part of an entertainment experience," ATG managing director Rainier Koeners told the Business Times. "We want the entire experience of coming to our theatres to be an event before, during and after."
The San Francisco Business Times reports that group is renovating the Orpheum with new amenities, including on-site VIP area “admission-only club” called the Marquee Lounge. Half a million dollars’ worth of improvements is coming to the Orpheum, including a new amenity, the Marquee Lounge, carved out from little-used office and loft space. The new Marquee Lounge is a food-and-cocktails private club you can get access to before, during, and after your performance at the Orpheum Theatre.
Guests interested in the add-on experience will pay $95 per person for access to the lounge, available before and after the show. The space, with a total capacity of 56, will feature a dedicated bar service, specialty cocktails, and lounge seating, complementary welcome drink, small bites and snacks, private restrooms and a coat check. The Marquee Lounge is open 90 minutes before curtain.
Opening September 2022 in conjunction with the premiere of Moulin Rouge! The musical. Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis for each production. Current 2021–2022 Members get exclusive first access to the lounge for their performance of Moulin Rouge! The musical. Log in to your Member Account and select Marquee Lounge at the Orpheum Theatre now to purchase. Single ticket buyers will be able to get access to the Marquee Lounge by either selecting a seat that has the Marquee Lounge included, or by purchasing access as an upgrade during the purchasing process.
"It seems like we really are on the cusp of a Mid-Market restoration," said Scott Walton, spokesperson for BroadwaySF. "It feels like there is this movement back to reclaiming this space."
Image credit: Orpheum Theatre on Facebook
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