The Orpheum Theatre, located about four blocks from campus, recently underwent a shift in leadership. Andrew Driscoll has been Executive Director for four months now, though he has 25 years of experience in the theatre scene. He was intrigued by the Orpheum because of its beauty and history.

In the early 1900s, Galesburg’s Orpheum Theatre was a part of a chain of stops on the Vaudeville circuit. Before the time of television or movie theaters, entertainment came in the form of live performances. Performers of all kinds – musicians, singers, actors, magicians – would travel around sharing their craft with audiences.

The Orpheum was one of these stops and bears the marks of its rich history throughout the building. There is a faint cut-out in the backstage floor, which was made for Houdini himself when he performed there. A dark backroom storage area has been said to harbor a disgruntled ghost.

As the prevalence of television rose in America, the Orpheum, like many theatres, was converted into a movie house, and then closed down in the 1970s. At this time it was donated to the city and in the 1980s, a large effort from the community and politicians was successful in reopening its doors. Now, a variety of entertainment can be found on its stage.

“The perfect situation is finding a balance between film and live entertainment. And even within the live entertainment, it’s getting a wide variety of shows and events,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll is excited by the idea of establishing stronger connections with Knox College. The Terpsichore Winter Dance Show will be taking place in the Orpheum, and events such as Rootabaga and the Knox Mirza Jazz Festival also continue to utilize the space.

“I’m very interested in finding more of those opportunities with Knox. We are so close that when there are events or needs that raise to a level above the facilities that exist on campus, I would love to see the Orpheum continue and maybe even grow,” Driscoll said. “I see that the Orpheum can really serve a great role with the college.”

In addition to forging partnership with Knox performance groups, Driscoll keeps Knox students in mind when booking shows. While he prefers traditional plays, Driscoll recognizes that not everyone is interested in that genre of entertainment.

In addition to plays, the Orpheum hosts comedians, tributes to classic bands, dance performances, musicals, and movie screenings. Along with student-loved classics like the annual Rocky Horror Picture Show that happens each October, Driscoll created new events catered to Knox students as well. In January, there will be a Tay Tay Dance Party with DJ Swiftie, featuring popular Taylor Swift music. A screening of the original Star Wars films takes place in February.

Driscoll has also arranged for a showing of the Steven Spielburg animated series, Animaniacs. Recently rebooted on Netflix, Animaniacs includes many original songs and the show relies on a full, grand sound, similar to classic cartoons like Bugs Bunny. Driscoll has arranged for the composer of these original Animaniacs pieces to be on stage during the screening along with the Knox Galesburg Symphony, playing live to the animations.

“Symphony is a challenging artform for a lot of people, especially younger audiences. We’re not as connected to it because popular music for us is different. And so the classical symphonic groups can sometimes struggle to engage a younger audience,” Driscoll said. “My thought was, let’s do it by engaging them through an animated, supported event. Then the next time the symphony has an event – it might be Bach or Beethoven or a contemporary composer – [students] will come because they went to our event and had a really great time. What better place to sit and listen to music and look around, than a place like this?”

Driscoll tries to keep prices accessible for Knox students. In addition to reasonable entry fees for events and performances, the Orpheum sometimes hosts discounted $5 movie screening nights for students.

“We really want the student body to have a connection and a relationship with what happens here,” Driscoll said.

Most recent events include the Haunted Costume BASH with Revel in Red on Oct. 19, and Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct. 26. Information about additional events can be found on the Orpheum website, Facebook, or Instagram.

This spring, Catapult, a dance group who were finalists on America’s Got Talent, will be performing at the Orpheum.

“This will be the launch of their 2025 tour. So this will be the first performance of that tour and special to anyone who attends because it will be the first time anyone has seen this production,” said Driscoll.

Driscoll plans to show the dancers around the town and introduce them to the Galesburg community. The goal is that Catapult will be one of the first shows to begin their tours at the Orpheum. Driscoll believes it would be a good place for groups to launch their tours, especially being located near the Quad Cities, and between Chicago and St. Louis.

“The venue is pretty and while we don’t have a ton of depth or wings, it’s substantial enough in terms of the width of the proscenium, it will be applicable to a lot of other theaters that shows can go into. So they can put a show in here and tech it and rehearse it and be able to develop those tech items that go out to the additional theaters,” Driscoll said.

Forming a wider reach of connections could likely bolster the Orpheum and provide the community with a greater variety of entertainment. Driscoll works to continue the Orpheum’s legacy of providing exciting and unique experiences to its patrons, as well as strengthening connections with the Knox community.