Orpheum Theatre
126 Second Avenue,
New York,
NY
10003
126 Second Avenue,
New York,
NY
10003
2 people
favorited this theater
The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City.
A 1904 NY Times article describes a visit to the Orpheum as an evening which began with entertainment from a Hungarian orchestra, continued with dinner in the 7 o'clock hour, and concluded with a three-hour stage show by a Viennese theatre company.
The theatre was part of the exploding Second Avenue Yiddish theatre scene in the early decades of the 20th century but was exhibiting motion pictures by at least 1921. Additional references indicate that it continued to do so through the mid-1950s.
In 1958, the theatre became a home for legitimate theatre, referred to in some press accounts of the time as the New Orpheum, seating just 299 persons (down from a reported seat count of 560 while a cinema earlier in the decade). Though the Off Broadway venue continued to occasionally show film (hosting, for example, an International Film Festival for Children in 1971 and a weekly Film Makers' Festival in 1980), in the 1980s and 90s it became a venue primarily associated with two productions: the original stage version of “Little Shop of Horrors” (1982-1985) and “Stomp” (1994-present).
Contributed by
Damien Farley
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Bway… I think you have this mixed up with the uptown Orpheum. The Orpheum at 126 2nd Avenue is down in the East Village between East 7th and St. Marks Place and has been featuring live theater for a great many years. “Stomp!” has been playing here for 12 years.
Haha, yup, I am mixed up then. I am thinking of the one near 86th STreet. Is that one listed on this site?
Yeah… here’s the link.
I remember seeing “Star Wars” up there (I posted my memories on the page) on its intial release in ‘77 with my Dad. The theater operated as an up-and-down twin from 1968 (each theater using a different name and entrance) until its demise in the 1980’s.
Here is a photo of the Orpheum.
Evening shot.
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Is Stomp still at this theater?
Photo of the orpheum courtesy Nick’s Classic American Theatres.
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Bway,
Yes, “Stomp” is still, annoyingly, gratingly, pitifully, STILL running at this theater.
Thats too bad.Profjoe.
I was impressed by the length and narrowness of the theatre the first time I saw a live production there, I believe it was Anything Goes. I was in the last row. Made up for that with Stomp by being in the second row. Stomp was actually a very clever show that became a bit repetitious with time. I’m not disappointed that I saw it.