Orpheum Theater

What Orpheum Theater does

Orpheum Theater is a historic single-location performing arts venue in downtown New Orleans (129 Roosevelt Way) operating continuously for over 100 years, with a founding date of 1925 per its legal records. The venue's core product is live entertainment hosting across concerts, comedy, ballet, classical music, movie screenings, and special performances, anchored by two resident companies: the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (a 36-week season with 120+ performances annually) and the New Orleans Ballet Theatre (presenting classical and contemporary ballet productions including The Nutcracker). The technology stack is physical-asset-centric — a thrust-stage theater with orchestral facilities — augmented by an external ticketing integration through Ticketmaster and touring-content distribution via Live Nation and Outback Presents.

The business model is multi-revenue-stream and event-driven. Public events generate ticket-sale revenue (transaction-based) through Ticketmaster and the on-site box office, with premium overlay revenue from "Elevate Your Experience" VIP packages — Orchestra Floor Boxes at $250 per table and Ultimate Skybox Lounges at $2,000-$2,500 per lounge. A second major vertical is private event rentals, marketed through a direct sales channel ([email protected]) targeting weddings, corporate dinners, seminars, galas, and Mardi Gras balls. Food and beverage is operated as an adjacent business through the wholly-owned Double Dealer Bar, a craft cocktail venue beneath the theater that runs its own live entertainment calendar and supports private event bar service.

Customer segments span individual concert-goers (long-tail consumer), wedding parties (occasion-based), corporate event planners (enterprise episodic), and arts organizations (resident content partners). Go-to-market is hybrid: consumer-facing digital marketing (website, email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, SEO) drives ticket sales, while a dedicated private-events sales team handles enterprise bookings. Signature content series — Jazz Afterdark, Free Summer Movie Series, and named annual events like PJ Morton's Annual Black Friday Show — provide brand differentiation in the Gulf South regional market. The business is privately held with no disclosed parent company, investors, or funding rounds.

Name

Orpheum Theater

Legal name

Orpheum Theater

Website

https://orpheumnola.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orpheum Theater is a historic New Orleans performing arts venue (founded 1925) that hosts concerts, comedy, ballet, classical music, and movie screenings, anchored by resident companies LPO and NOBT. It generates revenue through ticketing, private event rentals, VIP experiences, and an on-site craft cocktail bar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concert Halls & Music Venue Operations (Symphony Halls, Recital Venues) (MPAGALAC), Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Venue Food, Beverage & Hospitality Operations (Concessions, Catering, Premium Seating) (MPAGALAN), VIP Hospitality & Client Entertainment (Boxes, Suites, Hosted Experiences) (MPAGAHAG), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Live entertainment venue
• Performing arts center
• Concert venue rental
• Wedding event venue
• Ballet orchestral performances

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from concert, comedy, ballet, and special performance tickets sold primarily through Ticketmaster and at the box office
2. VIP/Box Experiences: Premium experience packages including Orchestra Floor Boxes ($250) and Ultimate Skybox Lounges ($2,000-$2,500) with included amenities and bottle service
3. Private Event Rentals: Venue rental for weddings, receptions, corporate dinners, seminars, galas, and other private events
4. Food and Beverage: Food and beverage sales during events including the Double Dealer craft cocktail bar located under the theater

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Orpheum Theater operates a historic live entertainment and private event venue in downtown New Orleans, hosting concerts, comedy shows, ballet, classical music concerts, movie screenings, and special performances sold through the box office and Ticketmaster. The venue also rents its space for private events including weddings, receptions, corporate dinners, seminars, and galas, complemented by an on-site Double Dealer craft cocktail bar and premium VIP experience packages (Orchestra Floor Boxes and Ultimate Skybox Lounges).

Product overview

Orpheum Theater is a historic performance venue in New Orleans operating as a single-location theater with multiple distinct service offerings. The core product is live entertainment hosting—concerts, comedy, ballet, classical music, movie screenings, and special performances—featuring resident companies Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and New Orleans Ballet Theatre. Ancillary offerings include Private Events services (weddings, corporate events, galas), the Double Dealer Bar craft cocktail lounge, and Elevate Your Experience premium seating packages (VIP boxes and skybox lounges). The venue also produces signature event series including the Jazz Afterdark Concert Series and Free Summer Movie Series. All ticketing is managed through external Ticketmaster integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Double Dealer Bar: Craft cocktail bar located under the Orpheum Theater

Products and services

• Live Entertainment Events Core public ticketed offering of concerts, comedy shows, ballet, classical music, movie screenings, and special performances featuring world-renowned artists, with tickets sold through the box office and Ticketmaster.
• Private Events (Weddings and Corporate) Full venue rental and event services for weddings, receptions, corporate dinners, seminars, workshops, galas, and team-building events, including design assistance, catering and floral coordination, and bar service via the Double Dealer Bar.
• Double Dealer Bar Craft cocktail bar located under the Orpheum Theater serving beverages during public performances and hosting its own separate live entertainment calendar, with the space available for private welcome parties, after-parties, and wedding hospitality.
• Elevate Your Experience (VIP Box and Skybox Packages) Premium experience add-ons to standard ticket purchases: Orchestra Floor Boxes with candlelit pub tables seating four at $250 (six boxes per performance), and Ultimate Skybox Lounges for groups of 10+ at $2,000-$2,500 with 15 included tickets, panoramic views, 80-inch televisions, sofas, and private cocktail service with food and bottle service.
• Free Summer Movie Series Recurring series of free family-friendly movie screenings at the venue featuring films such as The Wizard of Oz, Coco, Inside Out, and Soul, offered at no charge to the community.
• Jazz Afterdark Concert Series Signature late-night concert series featuring jazz and jam band performances including artists such as Robert Glasper, Yebba, Grace Potter, WAR and The Wailers, Gov't Mule, Lettuce, and Big Freedia collaborations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 years of continuous operation as New Orleans's premier theater
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Louisiana Philharmonic OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLPO is the resident orchestra at the Orpheum Theater. Formed in 1991, it is the oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively-operated orchestra in the United States. LPO offers a full 36-week season with more than 120 performances including classics, pops, education, family, and community engagement concerts.
• New Orleans Ballet TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOBT is the resident ballet company at the Orpheum Theater. Founded in 2002 by Gregory Schramel and Marjorie Hardwick Schramel, it is Louisiana's premier ballet company. NOBT presents productions including The Nutcracker, Giselle, Dracula, and Cinderella, and offers dance education to the community.
• Live NationmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe world's leading live entertainment company that works with artists to bring their creativity to life on stages. Live Nation promotes concerts and touring shows at the Orpheum Theater, handling event promotion and ticket distribution for major performances.
• Outback PresentsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe leading independent full-service promoter of live entertainment in North America. Launched in 2019, Outback Presents is an artist-first, data-driven partner handling booking, production logistics, ticketing optimization, and marketing for shows at the venue.
• Double Dealer BarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCraft cocktail bar located under the Orpheum Theater. Available for private events, wedding welcome parties, after parties, and general bar service during performances. Features cocktails and beverages with the Double Dealer branding.
• TicketmastermajorTechnology or IntegrationPrimary ticketing platform for all public events at the Orpheum Theater. Handles online ticket sales, seat selection, and event discovery through Ticketmaster.com integration.
• New Orleans Opera AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization that LPO collaborates with and provides orchestral support for, per the LPO's mission description.
• New Orleans Vocal Arts ChoraleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization that LPO collaborates with and provides orchestral support for, per the LPO's mission description.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tipitina's: Iconic New Orleans live music club/venue for concerts and private events. Comparable as a single-location historic venue anchoring the city's live entertainment scene.
• The Joy Theater: New Orleans music and entertainment venue hosting concerts, comedy, and private events. Directly comparable in scale, programming mix, and target audience within the same local market.
• Saenger Theatre: Historic performing arts venue in New Orleans's downtown that competes directly with the Orpheum for concerts, Broadway tours, comedy, ballet, and private events in the same metro market.
• House of Blues New Orleans: Music-focused venue in New Orleans operated by Live Nation, hosting concerts and special events. Comparable in size, content mix, and shared promoter relationships.

Broad incumbents

• The Beacon Theatre: Historic ~2,800-seat Upper West Side theater operated by Madison Square Garden Entertainment, hosting concerts, comedy, and family shows. Comparable as a heritage performing arts venue with premium seating inventory.
• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Multi-venue performing arts complex hosting theater, dance, music, and film. Comparable as an anchor institution for resident and touring performing arts programming in an urban market.
• Fox Theatre (Atlanta): Historic 4,600-seat Atlanta venue for Broadway, concerts, ballet, and private events run by a nonprofit. Comparable scale and programming diversity to the Orpheum.
• Palace Theatre (Columbus): Historic ~2,800-seat performing arts venue hosting touring concerts, comedy, Broadway, and private events in a comparable mid-size market — useful for premium-seating and private-event benchmarking.

Others

• Ace Hotel New Orleans: Boutique hotel with event programming and venue spaces in New Orleans that competes with the Orpheum for private events, weddings, and corporate gatherings in the same downtown market.

Regional players

• Mahaffey Theater: Mid-sized performing arts venue in St. Petersburg, FL, with a similar mix of touring concerts, resident companies, and private event rentals — a useful regional benchmark for ticket yield and utilization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/orpheumnola
• YouTubeyoutube.com/lpomusic
• Facebookfacebook.com/orpheumnola
• Instagraminstagram.com/orpheumnola

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Orpheum Theater