Orpheum Theatre

The Orpheum Theatre was built nearly 100 years ago - in 1915 - by local community member and nickolodeon theater owner William J. Olson. He budgeted $75,000 to build his vaudeville palace and completed its construction in 1916 for the princely sum of $135,000. The theater operated primarily as a live performing arts venue until 1936 when it underwent its first major renovation to accommodate the latest entertainment craze, the moving picture. The theater operated continuously until 1982 when Kerasotes Theatres closed the facility due to "high operating costs." Kerasotes deeded and donated the Orpheum to the Knox County Civic Center Authority which then received a grant of over $2 million from the State of Illinios through the tireless efforts of dedicated community members. In 1986 another renovation project was underway and the theater held its grand re-opening in 1988 featuring the Henry Mancini Orchestra.

Unfortunately, the renovation in the 1980s only afforded the Authority enough finances to upgrade the heating and cooling systems rather than replace them with new equipment. Therefore, today, the theatre still heats and cools this historic and ornate architectural icon with an antiquated system. Components of the system are original to the 1936 installation of "modern" air conditioning and the primary heating source, a Kewanee boiler, is original to the late 1950s and well beyond its useful life cycle. Several system break-downs have caused extensive and expensive damage to the building and deteriorating equipment have increased the theater's utility costs exponentially.

Therefore, the Orpheum Theatre is now in the process of raising funds to replace these antiquated heating and cooling systems with new, energy-efficient systems. The goal is to provide a comfortable and reliable environment for both patrons and the myriad tenant organizations who use the theater each year.

In addition to its tremendous contribution to our community's quality of life and the diverse cultural, entertainment and civic events offered, the expenditures and related activities of the Orpheum Theatre and her nearly 30,000 patrons contribute more than $1.25 million to the local economy - annually.

Proceeds from this Choral Dynamics performance will benefit the Orpheum Theatre's heating & cooling capital campaign to help ensure the theater continues to serve our community for another century.