Wichita’s 1922 Orpheum Theatre reopens after $13 million restoration project

The reopening arrives with a fitting sense of occasion. Grammy-winning singer and songwriter John Legend performed at the theatre, marking the return of the venue to its regular role as one of Wichita’s cultural gathering places. For a building designed to make moviegoers feel as though they were sitting beneath an open sky, the Orpheum Theatre has always offered more than entertainment. Nearly a century after opening its doors, Wichita’s historic landmark has entered a new chapter, reopening after a 15-month closure and a $13 million restoration that blends preservation with the demands of a modern audience, states an online report by KMUW 89.1 FM.A theatre built to feel like the outdoorsAs per reports, the Orpheum Theatre opened in 1922, at a time when atmospheric theatres were transforming the moviegoing experience. Designed with the appearance of a garden in Spain’s Andalusia region, the building was created to evoke the sensation of being outdoors beneath a star-filled night sky. Its elaborate interiors, atmospheric design and historic character eventually earned the theatre a place on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also among the earliest atmospheric theatre...