Vic Theatre
217 E. Walnut Street,
Green Bay,
WI
54301
217 E. Walnut Street,
Green Bay,
WI
54301
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox Wisconsin Circuit, Marcus Theatres
Architects: George H. Johnston, Irving A. Obel, William A. Oppenhamer
Firms: Oppenhamer & Obel
Previous Names: Green Bay Theatre, Jay-Are Theatre, Orpheum Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the Green Bay Theatre on February 24, 1900. Seating was listed at 1,114. It became the Orpheum Theatre on September 30, 1912. It was given an Art Nouvau style rebuild to the plans of architectural firm Oppenhame & Obel and reopened as the ‘new’ Orpheum Theatre on September 19, 1930 with Edward Everett Horton in “Once a Gentleman” plus vaudeville on the stage. It was equipped with a Barton 3 manual 14 ranks organ. It was operated by Fox Wisconsin Theatres from August 25, 1933. On December 25, 1957 it was renamed Vic Theatre and was operated by Marcus Theatres. The theatre was located a couple blocks from the West Theatre on E. Walnut Street.
The theatre closed in the late-1980’s. The building is still standing and became a banquet Hall/nightclub named Confetti’s and is very recognizable as a former theatre. By 2017 it was a bar. It was being redeveloped as the Vic Theatre in 2022.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 23 comments)
Did you know that the downtown Green Bay redevelopment plan lists the Orpheum Theater as one of the “Cultural Anchor Enhancements” of downtown Green Bay?
http://greenbaywi.gov/csa/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/AuthentiCity-Plan-final-4-18-14.pdf
How many Green Bay natives are out there? Please chime in.
Just posted some articles and a picture of the outside of the theater after its 1930’s remodel. The September 18, 1930 issue of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has a very large write up about the theater.
Excerpt from: NEW ORPHEUM THEATER OPENS DOORS FRIDAY AFTERNOON Green Bay Press-Gazette September 18,1930
“HIS DREAM COMES TRUE” Harry K. Timm manager of the Orpheum theater, brings to his post an excellent background of experience in the legitimate drama, vaudeville and motion picture fields, and is regarded by the stage folk as one of the most capable managers in the middle west. Frequently in the past visiting players have remarked “It’s good to be back in a regular show-house”. Mr Timm has been manager of the Orpheum in Green Bay for 14 years. Prior to that he was with the Finn & Heiman theater circuit, later absorbed by the Orpheum circuit. Before that he was with the W. S. Butterfield chain of theaters in Michigan. Altogether, he has been in the show business for 18 years, and is thoroughly conversant with all its branches.
FIRST PROGRAM WILL BE GIVEN AT 1 O’CLOCK Organ Recital, Comedy and Four ‘Vodvil’ Acts Scheduled. Simple but impressive services all within the theater will mark the reopening of the Orpheum Friday afternoon and evening after being closed since the winter of 1929, according to Manager Harry K Timm. There will be four performances the opening day, one at 1 o’clock, one at 3:30, one at 7, and one at 9:30. The doors will open at 12:30 noon, and at 6:30 in the evening to permit the crowds to inspect the interior of the theater f before the performance starts. There will also be an intermission between the first and second shows, afternoon and night.
The Vic is under new management and will reopen again as the Confetti Club. Opening night is April 21st.
I noticed it on a little scrolling marque in the window of the theater. It looks like it never reopened.
Its now a bar that my dad helps manage ive been in there and let me say this its creepy as f**k lights turn on by themselfs ive personally had something screem my name!
After it became a Fox operated theater, the Orpheum didn’t change its name to the Fox Theatre at all. It retained its Orpheum Theatre name (although it was sometimes named Fox Orpheum Theatre by advertisements for secondary purposes).
50sSNIPES is correct. The Orpheum sign was still on the building in the mid-1950s, and a photo from that time was published in Boxoffice of June 2, 1958. Though the theater was advertised as the Fox Orpheum in the 1930s, the Fox Wisconsin circuit only leased the house from 1933 to 1943, after which it was independently operated as the Orpheum Theatre by Victor McCormick until he leased it to Marcus Theatres in 1956.
Locals tend to refer to this theatre as the Vic Theatre, which is how it is listed here on Cinema Treasures. Fox built another theatre in town in 1929, and perhaps they did own the Orpheum for a while, but the historic property record does not show that. Here is a link to the State/National historic property record: https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI2226
Either way, it is a lovely example of an Art Deco facade!
George Johnston and John Fischer announced plans for their opera house in 1899 under the working title Green Bay Theater. The brick venue was architected by George Johnston opened on February 24, 1900, initially presenting plays. Its debut production was “Because She Loves Him So,” with seats priced at $10 each. The regularly / popularly priced opening followed on February 26, 1900, with ticket prices ranging from a quarter to a dollar. Sturtz’s Studio was on hand, taking opening-night photos of patrons for fifty cents each.
In 1910, J.R. Minihan took over the venue, and in February 1912 he converted it to a full-time film and vaudeville house, reopening it as the Jay-Are Theatre - using his initials spelled out - on February 29, 1912, with five acts and films for just 15 cents. Later that year, the operators of the original Orpheum Theatre assumed control, renaming it the “new” Orpheum on October 4, 1912. H.K. Timm then hired architects William A. Oppenhamer and I.A. Obel to redesign the venue. The Orpheum closed on February 10, 1929, and the following day its contents were sold in a salvage sale including its original organ. Bookings were temporarily moved to the Columbus Community Auditorium while the original structure was essentially rebuilt over the next 18 months.
The $300,000 project resulted in a taller, sleeker Art Nouveau “new” Orpheum Theatre, which reopened on September 19, 1930, featuring a three-manual, 14-rank, $25,000 Barton Wonder Organ with George La Motte at the console. Five acts of vaudeville supported the opening film, “Once a Gentleman” which - itself was supported by the Terrytoon’s short, “Swiss Cheese.” The “new” Orpheum had virtually nothing resembling the original structure which was considered a postive. Patrons were impressed by circular panels depicting ships from Green Bay’s past, along with artwork of fish and crab. Reinforced with 115 tons of steel, the theatre was built for longevity in downtown Green Bay.
In August 1933, the Orpheum was taken over by the Fox Wisconsin Amusement Enterprises Circuit under a ten-year agreement. In 1943, Victor McCormick assumed control of the Orpheum. On December 1, 1956, Marcus Theatre Corp. acquired the aging venue and closed it for a major streamlining and interior renovation after the final show on October 27, 1957. Bookings were moved to the former Strand, renamed the Time Theatre. The Orpheum reopened as the Vic Theatre on Christmas Day, December 25, 1957. Reports of the day said that only about 25% of the 1930-era Orph remained. Marcus closed the Vic on September 15, 1985, with “Gone With the Wind,” and the theatre finished the year hosting the play “A Christmas Carol.”
In 1986, the building became a live events venue known as City Centre Theatre with plans by R. Schenkelberg Associates, operating through March 1993 as the venue’s exterior and auditorium footprint were about the only remaining elements of the 1930-era theater. It reopened later that year under the revived Orpheum name. In August 1994, it was converted into the City Lights Night Club, and in 1997 it became Confetti’s Night Club. In 2022, the property was acquired and entered a lengthy redevelopment phase, with plans to reemerge in the 2020s as the Vic Theatre.
(This venue was owned by Fox but not named the Fox.)