39. HAUNTED: Phoenix’s Palace of Stories and Secrets

Phoenix, AZ | The Orpheum Theatre has endured every challenge history put in its path, and so have the spirits of those who once filled its halls. From vaudeville spectacles and Hollywood premieres to decades of neglect and a $14.5 million restoration, the Orpheum has been the stage for both Phoenix’s triumphs and its growing pains. Today it dazzles with cutting-edge technology, but its most unforgettable performances may come from the ghosts who never left.

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📚 Our key sources for this episode are listed below. A complete list of sources can be found on our website.
https://www.orpheumphx.com/
https://www.fototphx.org
https://kjzz.org/content/1280136/haunted-phoenix-reawakening-sleeping-spirits-orpheum-theatre
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/ghostly-guests-at-the-orpheum-theater
https://www.historictheatrephotos.com/Theatre/Orpheum-Phoenix.aspx
https://www.phoenixmag.com/2016/02/01/nice-guys-finish-last/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-harry-nace-obit/11210210/
https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/haunted-places-in-arizona-orpheum-casey-moores-lost-dutchman-6554798?utm_source=perplexity
https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-history/2022/01/13/phoenix-history-colorful-career-joseph-elmer-rickards/9136371002/?itm_campaign=confirmation&itm_content=news&itm_medium=onsite&itm_source=onsite
12 News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y39nKgxDCEA&t=104s
https://www.phgmag.com/the-orpheum-theatre-is-a-gilded-mirror-of-phoenix-history/
Arizona PBS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPOyF-M7BbQ
https://www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com/valleygirlblog/grand_openings/the-orpheum-theatre-phoenix-debuts-new-renovations/
https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/02/03/phoenix-orpheum-theatre-upgrades
https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Phoenix-America-Debe-Branning-ebook/dp/B07W735YGJ
https://imagesarizona.com/the-orpheum-a-monument-to-phoenixs-memory-lane/

🎶Music Credits:
Alana Jordan from Pixabay: Dark Cabaret 07, Imaginary Friend, Dark Cabaret Instrumental, Mistakes Were Made

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👏 Special thanks to our talented partners:
Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/)
Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)