Orpheum Theater
126 W. Market Street,
Orwigsburg,
PA
17961
126 W. Market Street,
Orwigsburg,
PA
17961
No one has favorited this theater yet
A nice, small-town theater with two sets of stairs at the rear of the theater leading up to a large, full balcony. A big, single screen surrounded by velvet curtains. Large, green antique lights hanging from the center of an ornate tin ceiling. Vintage popcorn machine in the lobby…you could watch it pop, put in a dime, and get a delicious bag full! Ornate tin on the walls, blue mirror-glass tile pillars on either side of the entrance’s interior. Wooden, glass-paned doors created the entrance, with the big letters “OT” above them on the building’s exterior.
Left to deteriorate since mid 1980’s, plans were underway to convert it into a restaurant. Not wanting to suffer the indignity of conversion, the Orpheum perished a proud, but neglected theater when, sadly, it burned to the ground November 11th, 2006.
Contributed by
Jessica Yoder
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
I would just like to add a few extra lines…The total number of seats was 383,I counted them as a child because my father(Barry) was the bouncer there from 1966-1981 along with his twin brother Garry who was the projectionist from around the early part of 1966-1983 when the theatre closed..It was a real shame to see the theatre burn down,but my brother is currently working on putting a web site together in dedication to the Orpheum & also in memory to the Adams twins whose hearts were very much dedicated to the theatre..Check out [url=http://www.orpheum-theatre.net]
Yes, I am currenty putting a web page together about the Orpheum Theatre dedicated to the Adams twins. I spent basically spent my childhood days in that theatre. I use to help my dad paint the floors, the exterior entrance, and the lobby. I have many good memories in that theatre. I remember my dad hanging the movie posters in the outside frames for the following weeks movie, and also going around town hanging up flyers of the up coming movies. The popcorn machine was a popcorn warmer, we use to get it by the bags and load it inot the top of the machine and the light would warm it. And yes for a dime you would get a bag full. I can still hear the sound of it. But please if you have history on this theatre visit www.orpheum-theatre.net and email me. Any pics of the theatre in its hay days would be appreciated.
Just remember that not only myself, but 6 other people in that building have been displaced, and another deceased because of that wonderful building you'se talk about. I’m sure the memories are wonderful for that place to some. At 4:30 that morning to the 8 of us inside, it was hell. Those are the lasting images of that building we will have instilled in out brains forever.
12-14-16
Actually, the popcorn machine never really “popped” popcorn. Popcorn was poured into the machine, and a fan “whirled” the popcorn around. A light bulb warmed the popcorn.