Orpheum

The Orpheum is identifiable by a tall, vertical neon sign displaying its name and a wide canopy extending over the sidewalk on Granville Street. Designed by architect Benjamin Marcus Priteca in a Spanish Renaissance style, the building opened on November 7, 1927. At the time, it was the largest and most opulent theatre in Canada, featuring a capacity of nearly three thousand seats, a massive chandelier, and an animal room in the backstage area designed to accommodate everything from dogs to elephants.