It seems at times that it was destined for the wrecking ball -- but downtown Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre is now ready for another century. The one-time vaudeville house has been at the corner of First & Broadway since 1922 -- and now it's been restored to its former glory, at the end of a $13 million restoration that took more than a year to complete with the venue shut down. Supporters had been raising money for more than 30 years to keep the building in use.
There are nearly 1,300 new seats, new carpet, and the rotted plasterwork has all been restored and repainted.
The public will finally get to see the restored Orpheum on Sunday, August 30, for a sold-out concert by singer John Legend.
"Bringing the seats in was a huge moment for us, and with each item that we were able to put back in place, we saw the theater come back to life." https://t.co/4Af0Sgv8eJ
— Wichita Business Journal (@ICTBizJournal) August 28, 2026
Of the 100 Orpheum theatres that once existed on the vaudeville circuit in the United States, only 17 remain; Wichita’s was the only one remaining that hadn’t yet been restored.
$13 million revitalization for the 104-year-old entertainment venue
$13 million revitalization for the 104-year-old entertainment venue
