Orpheum Board Honors President with Building Name
By: Tyler Peterson May. 26, 2015
"There's no one more deserving of this honor," says MDF Board Chairman Andy Taylor. "Pat's vision for this Educational Centre has inspired not only the Board of Directors, but the entire community. What we do to educate and expose our children to the arts today will pay huge dividends to the Memphis of tomorrow. The Board chose to honor the man whose vision put us on this course and to recognize all Pat Halloran's accomplishments over the past 35 years by naming the Educational Centre in his honor. The Orpheum, the Centre, the success of the MDF during Pat's tenure is a legacy to be celebrated."
The Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education will be dedicated as such in conjunction with Halloran's upcoming Roast, which will take place on Thursday, September 24th. The event will serve as a befitting celebration of Halloran's 35-year tenure as well as a fundraiser for the new Centre. Halloran has led the MDF to a current fundraising total of $13.9 million out of the $14.5 needed to complete the capital campaign. The Roast along with other ongoing initiatives is expected to help meet the campaign's goals by the time of the building's formal opening.
When Halloran's retirement becomes effective on December 31st of this year, he will move to the Centre where he will serve as a consultant.
During his career with the Orpheum, Halloran implemented multiple programs that continue to serve the Mid-South community. Each year, more than 66,000 students and teachers participate in The Orpheum's education programs, which currently consist of a student matinee series, summer camps, teacher professional development seminars, master classes, and specialized workshops among other important initiatives. The 39,000 square-foot Halloran Centre will supplement existing classroom space for educational programming serving individuals of all ages, add a second 355-seat theatre, feature a cutting-edge audio-video lab, and offer facility space that can be rented by individuals, corporations, and nonprofits.
Expanded programming will include new classes in the performing arts, technical theatre, leadership, and personal growth and development. The Centre will also host special events and entertainment opportunities such as concerts, corporate seminars, and a documentary film series. Once opened, the Halloran Centre will allow Orpheum Education programs to serve 100,000 individuals per year.
The Orpheum has enjoyed the theatre's most successful era under Halloran's leadership. In 1980, the MDF hired Halloran as General Manager of the Orpheum Theatre, charging him with the task of raising the $5.2 million needed to restore the historic theatre to her original splendor. The Orpheum re-opened to the public in 1984 to rave reviews and began presenting touring Broadway shows and live concerts.
In 1995, Halloran initiated a $9 million building expansion that doubled the size of the stage and backstage areas, allowing productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, and Les Miserables to perform at the Orpheum. The theatre was equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment, elevating the Orpheum to a world-class performing arts facility. In total, the Orpheum has benefitted from over $25 million in improvements raised through campaigns under Halloran's direction. With Halloran at the helm, the Orpheum has presented over 300 Broadway productions with over 2,500 performances for combined audiences totaling over 5 million.
Halloran also played a significant role in the Broadway Theatre industry. He was a founding member and President of the Independent Presenter's Network, a consortium of more than 100 theatres across North America and Japan. He also served on the Board of Directors of The Broadway League, the national trade association of the Broadway industry, who named him "The Outstanding Touring Broadway Executive" in 1999.
Pat Halloran has been the recipient of many additional honors, including three Tony Awards as a producer for Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002), Spamalot (2005), and Memphis (2010). He was also presented with "The Governor's Arts Executive of the Year" by Governor Bill Haslam in 2011, and most recently was won Leadership Memphis' Kate Gooch Leader of the Year Award in 2015.
There are several ways that members of the community can show their support for the Halloran Centre. The Halloran Centre Brick Campaign allows donors to leave a lasting legacy on the beautiful walkway of the new Halloran Centre. Bricks are 100% tax deductible and are available at $2,500 for an 8x8 brick or $1,000 for a 4x8 brick. For more information about how to purchase a brick, make a personal or corporate donation to the Halloran Centre, or reserve tickets to the Halloran Roast, please contact Leanne McQuown at 901.525.7800 or mcquown@orpheum-memphis.com or visit www.orpheum-memphis.com.
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