Sioux City Orpheum

520 Pierce Street,
Sioux City, IA 51104

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The Sioux City Orpheum Theatre was designed by the nationally known Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp and constructed in 1927 as part of the Orpheum Circuit.

This opulent vaudeville and moving picture house boasted a large 2,650-seat, three-story auditorium complete with Wurlitzer pipe organ, half circle boxes, hand carved detailing, gilded ornamentation, several crystal chandeliers, and a hand painted ceiling.

Throughout the years, the Orpheum has been used for symphony performances, ballet, special attractions, and hosted entertainers such as Fred Astaire, Tallulah Bankhead, and Katherine Hepburn.

Beginning in 1999, the Orpheum was spectacularly restored to its original appearance, reopening in fall of 2001 after having been closed for nearly a decade.

Contributed by Jeff Henjes

Recent comments (view all 22 comments)

lostmemory
lostmemory on December 31, 2006 at 1:52 pm

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2000

New Orpheum Theatre (added 2000 – Building – #00000919)
Also known as Orpheum Electric Building
520-28 Pierce St., Sioux City
Historic Significance: Person, Event
Historic Person: Sanford, Arthur
Significant Year: 1927
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Business, Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade
Current Sub-function: Business

PaulWolter
PaulWolter on April 15, 2007 at 5:15 pm

Does anyone have any information on the old Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City? Apparently Rapp & Rapp designed a theatre in Sioux City around 1917.

lostmemory
lostmemory on July 31, 2007 at 7:32 pm

This is a 2007 photo of the Orpheum Theater.

lostmemory
lostmemory on September 25, 2007 at 6:40 pm

A Wurlitzer theater organ opus 1759 style 240 was installed in the Orpheum Theater on 10/19/1927.

rsalters (Ron Salters)
rsalters (Ron Salters) on August 3, 2008 at 10:23 am

The Fall 2008 issue of Classic Trains Magazine has a neat color photo taken in May 1948 of two Sioux City Service Co. trolley cars meeting at Turner and Villa streets. One car has on its front a poster ad for the Orpheum Theatre. Movies are Frank Sinatra in “The Miracle of the Bells” plus “co-hit” “My Dog Rusty”.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm

Here is a 1966 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6xum85

lostmemory
lostmemory on February 25, 2009 at 7:58 pm

Another photo of the Orpheum is here.

Chuck1231
Chuck1231 on March 28, 2009 at 9:29 pm

Is the name of this theatre the Orpheum or the Sioux City Orpheum. Even their web site just says Orpheum.

Chuck1231
Chuck1231 on April 8, 2009 at 12:12 am

1985 photo of the Orpheum Theatre.
View link

lostmemory
lostmemory on October 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm

This is another 1985 photo.

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