The Badger Herald: News: Historic theater still enriching downtown Madison

News

Historic theater still enriching downtown Madison

BEN SMIDT/Herald Photo

Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.

Also by Alaina Wendlandt:

Mifflin building proposal faces opposition (April 21, 2005)
Officials discuss party rules (April 27, 2005)
Development talks continue (March 31, 2005)
City Council faces lobby law changes (March 16, 2005)
Majestic Theater still iconic in downtown (March 4, 2005)

Friday, February 11, 2005 12:00 a.m.

2 Vote 0 Votes

When making the daily trek down State Street, students may miss one of Madison’s most culturally rich representations of the American heartland, the historic Orpheum Theatre.

Incoming patrons are warmed by chandelier lights and old-time jazz inside the theater. Though the independent films and local bands featured at the Orpheum cater to the college crowd, the rich aesthetic aura serves as a tangible memory for old-time locals.

“[The Orpheum] is an American institution … [and] a very special place for a lot of Madisonians,” owner Henry Doane said. “A lot of people had their first date here … their first kiss.”

In 1927 it opened as one of more than 100 “Orpheum Circuit” theaters around the United States. The Madison Orpheum was originally built due to growing University of Wisconsin student enrollment and high demand for theater, which was at the epicenter of social life during this time.

Students flocked to silent films, vaudeville shows, large stage productions and big band artists such as Frank Sinatra, George Burns and Benny Goodman. Today local and national bands, such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, grace Madison with their spirited presence.

Orpheum employee Brandon Skala said the presence of the Orpheum Theatre and the Civic Center is “a constant reminder that there’s a thriving arts and cultural aspect on State Street.”

But long-term preservation of this jewel has not been easy.

According to Doane, Madisonians once had their pick of a dozen local movie houses. But the birth of television, improved transportation and the population shift from the city to suburbs led to the decline in theater popularity and owners were forced out of business. Since then, multiple factors have posed a threat to the existence of the Orpheum, including a 1998 proposal to turn it into an IMAX theater and a recent fire this past January.

In an act to defy historical trends and dangerous mishaps, the red velvet seats have not grown dusty.

“This is the last movie house from the golden age of movies,” Doane said. “Amazingly, [it] has survived.”

One aesthetic appeal of the theater is the Baroque architecture, which, according to Doane, could never be replicated. When he purchased the Orpheum Theater in 1999, he not only put in the early American-style restaurant, but also restored the tradition of live music.

The smaller StageDoor theater, housed within the Orpheum, was built in the late ’60s and now features local artists. The main theater plays art house films that are not normally distributed by large studios.

“It’s unlike anything else in Madison,” freshman Garret Smith said after attending the Wilco concert last October. “They did a very good job … maintain[ing] the old fashioned theater atmosphere.”

Doane’s ultimate goal is to make the theater look like it did when it was first opened.

“Historically and architecturally, it’s second to only the Capitol,” Doane said. “[But] it’s an ongoing restoration project and it needs a lot of attention.”

Tarnation and Overnight, two documentary films, are currently playing in the theater. Upcoming shows include moe. Feb. 20.

2 Comments | Leave a comment