By Theo Miller

Alexander Pantages opened The Orpheum Theatre in 1926.  The name is taken from the Greek myth of Orpheus.  It’s said that his music and poetry were so remarkable that even the gods were awestruck.  The interior of the building was modeled after a French cathedral from the 1300’s.  The overall effect is magnificent. Location The Orpheum is located at 1192 Market Street.  It’s part of the Mid-Market Theater District.  Gavin Newsom has talked about allocating money towards gentrifying the area, but there has been steady opposition.  Although it needs work, residents want to preserve the San Francisco flavor. Parking Street parking is limited.  There are many lots in the area.  The Civic Center Garage is located at 355 McAllister.  You can also find parking at the Trinity Plaza Apartments on 8^th just past Market. Dining There are some wonderful places to eat around here.  The Cheesecake Factory, located atop the Macy’s building, faces out onto Union Square itself.  The food is almost as great as the view! There are a few nearby restaurants that have arrangements with the Curran.  The Lark Creek Steak give you free dessert when you show them your ticket stub.  Prime steaks, fresh ingredients, and yummy desserts are available at The Lark Creek Steak. A ticket stub can also get you a free dessert at Asia de Cuba.  Each table is limited to one of these transactions.  Enjoy the lavish interior, while consuming delectable Asian-Latin cuisine. Turn of the century Mexico is brought to life at the Colibri.  Just present your ticket stub and you will be given a free dessert.  The décor is modeled after a traditional Mexican cantina. French-California cuisine is served at The Grand Café.  A ticket sub can get you a free appetizer. Art deco and art nouveau are crossed with old Europe style to create the atmosphere for this exceptional restaurant. Urban Tavern is the place to go for the best pub food in the city.  All their food is organic and sustainable.  A glass of wine, five hours of complimentary parking, and a three-course meal are provided when you present your ticket before the show.  You can’t beat these classic meals when you know you’re getting the best ingredients around. Order an entrée at First Crush and get a free dessert with your meal.  You can order this one before or after the show.  It’s French American cuisine at its best.  I recommend sipping on one of their four hundred wines over dinner.  They also have a set menu for $30. Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese cuisines are all fuzed together at Ponzu.  Just present your ticket stub to get a free dessert. Your table gets a free appetizer when you present your ticket stub at Fish & Farm.  Americana has never tasted so good! Dessert comes free whenever you order a meal and present a ticket stub at Soluna.  Limit is one per table.  Northern California is the classification of this cuisine.  The restaurant is located two blocks away from the Orpheum Theater. A free dessert comes with your entrée when you present a ticket stub at the glorious restaurant called Zazil.  If you like Mexican food, you have to check this place out.  It can be found in the Westfield San Francisco Center.  Nothing beats a pizza cooked in a wood burning oven.  Check out Puccini and Pintetti to receive a free appetizer for your table.  All it takes is just one ticket stub.  They have amazing desserts too. Shows The Orpheum Theatre has been home to many Broadway shows over the years.  The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Hairspray, High School Musical, Altar Boyz, The Color Purple, and Jesus Christ Superstar are just some of the mainstream productions that have come though. In 2007, Conan O’Brien spent a week broadcasting Late Night from The Orpheum Theatre. SHN/Broadway SHN is a leading theatrical entertainment company in San Francisco.  Every year they present a theater series called Best of Broadway.  It runs at the Orpheum, the Golden Gate, and the Curran.  SHN stands for Shorenstein Hays Nederlander, which refers to Shorenstein Hays and James Nederlander.  Why Shorenstein gets both his first and last name in there, I do not know. San Francisco is brought to life by the international sensations presented at these renowned theatrical venues.  Original productions, West Coast premieres, concerts, events, and more are available through SHN.  Shorenstein Hayes once said, “I have a firm commitment to develop exciting new theatre and move SHN forward as a presenter of world class entertainment on our magnificent stages.  It is always a thrill to work with like-minded colleagues who share a similar vision.  As a major concert promoting enterprise, Pacific Arts Presents is the perfect match in the music business to what SHN represents for theater.  Irv Zuckerman and Steve Litman offer the ideal opportunity for SHN to expand our programming and bring new audiences into our theatres.”