BWW Previews: ORPHEUM THEATRE MEMPHIS IS PROUD TO PRESENT… BROADWAY MINI GOLF! at Orpheum Theatre Memphis

The Orpheum is showing Memphis a HOLE new world! After Aladdin's magical run at the Orpheum in February, the theatre took a devastating hit from Covid-19. In March, the theatre community was shaken when Broadway actually closed down. Memphis theatres discussed their next steps while keeping safety at the forefront.

On Saturday the 15th, the Orpheum will host its first public event since March. Miss the beauty of the Orpheum Theatre? Reserve your tee time for Broadway-themed mini golf! Yep, you heard me right. Mini-golf on the Orpheum stage!

This is a fun and unique experience for the whole family! Guests will enter the building through the stage door, getting a close-up look at the Orpheum's iconic murals of past shows, before being led onto the historical stage where you too can feel like a Broadway star. Guests are met with a rare view that every performer who has graced the Orpheum stage has gazed upon. Broadway tunes serenade you as you make your way around the 9 putting greens. Each green represents a Broadway show that has been seen on the Orpheum stage, including HAMILTON, Memphis, Wicked, The Color Purple, Disney's The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Chicago, and Fiddler on the Roof. President and CEO Brett Batterson took a moment to point out to me small details that connected the show to its green. "Here at The Lion King, you have a little bit of Pride Rock, and at The Color Purple, you have a purple light." The HAMILTON green features the iconic star from the show's logo, and The Phantom of the Opera's green has the flag right in the Phantom's mask. It's all about the details... and the details make for a fun experience. Orpheum staff are scattered around the stage to help guide you through the course and help maintain social distancing.

After a special preview of Memphis's newest indoor entertainment, I asked Mr. Batterson for his thoughts on opening night and for the future. "I wish I could have done more than 9 holes," he laughed. He hopes this will draw people back to the theatre, and in turn, put money back to the theatre.

"This may well be the wackiest idea I have ever had in my years in the theatre business. But with our stage sitting empty for the time being, we had to get creative. The support of our patrons during this time has been vital. However, we still need help to ensure that the Orpheum survives this pandemic. Mini-golf on the Orpheum stage is an incredibly fun way to support us at this time."

Reservations are $10 a person with a limit of four people per party. Capacity is limited to 36 people per 90- minute slot.

"It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to make it through the course," says Communications Manager Kristin Bennett. "People can go through as many times as they like in the 90 minutes."

Pre-registration is required at Orpheum-memphis.com/minigolf. Reservations will open two weeks before each tee time. The course will be open varying hours weekly Thursdays through Sundays through the fall of 2020. Face coverings will be required at all times.

As Mr. Batterson says, "it's like a Broadway show. It will run as long as long as it's popular."

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