Orpheum Theater (Madison)

[Raven Hawk]

I have read books that mention (in passing) that the Orpheum Theater (in Madison) is haunted, but they never give say why, or give any examples.

Does anyone know the story, or what goes on there?

[ghunter25]

Has anyone done a investigation there? If so can you write me back on details?

[omw]

I almost forgot that this post was here. I went to the Orpheum last Tuesday night for dinner in the lobby restaurant and then we saw the 9:15pm screening of 'Antichrist" (which is kinda beside the point???) in the main theater. My friend and I go to see a lot of movies together and we luck out a lot and end up getting the whole theater to ourselves. We asked the dude who sold us the tickets if anyone else had showed up and he said no. When we went in I made my friend sit up in the balcony with me, it's rare for me to get to watch a movie from a balcony and I thought it would be fun. One other person did end up but they were sitting downstairs. We had the entire balcony, which must be over 1000 seats to ourselves. Well about 20-30 minutes into the movie we started hearing a lot of noise like there was a party or reception going on. Lots of voices, and music. Erica was freaked out being up in the balcony by ourselves before the noises even started. Then when she hear all that noise, she got really freaked out. It sound like big band music. I couldn't make it out exactly but it sounded just like a party with brass instruments playing. She was all freaked out and I was all, let me go investigate, but she didn't want me to. She swore she heard a voice yell "hhheeeelllllpp" but I never heard that. I kept telling her to shut up about being so scared. It was so loud and a lot of ruccus. I kept telling her there was no way that it would be something paranormal, it was too constant and loud. It went on the whole movie but the brass instrumants stopped. Then the credits ran and I made her leave in the same direction the noise was coming from. We went down a hall and there were a number of people gathered in the Orpheum lobby, making lots of ruccus. When we were leaving the front doors we saw the guy who sold us our tickets. He was also the one who climbed way up top to start the projector from the room at the top of the balcony. I asked him "were there brass instruments playing down here?" and he said no. I said "that's really weird, we were in the balcony and we were hearing all sorts of strange noises during the movie." He said "I know" and then he walked away. It was all really strange and I am not making any of this up. I keep trying to tell myself that noises that I heard were just what was going on in the lobby, but I definately heard like trumpets or trombones, there was no question about it. I guess it could've been in the music that they were playing but, I don't know. Erica, who wants nothing to do with anything paranormal beyond scary movies said she is not going back there. It has all spiked my interest, I want to go back and talk to the ticket guy and see what he knows. That place is really big and erie, I want to go there and explore some more.

[omw]

Raven, do you know which books mentioned the Orpheum?

[darkman]

is this on state street by the kids museum???

[omw]

Yes. It's at the top of State St., but just for future reference, the childrens museaum just closed down. They are moving to their new location on N. Hamilton (still on capital square), they will be closed until they finish the move, which will be in the fall.

[darkman]

yeah thats right, almost forgot about that, we take my boy there a few times a year. that sucks they won't be open until fall. I like the coffee shop next door with the painting of robert smith.