It's All Happening at the Halloran Centre

In 2012, the Orpheum Theatre Group purchased a vacant parking lot adjacent to the Orpheum and broke ground on the project in March 2014. The result was the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts & Education, a $14.5 million, 39,000-square-foot facility that opened on September 15, 2015 and named after longtime Orpheum president Pat Halloran who retired at the end of 2015 after 35 years. It launched with a live music and film series while also positioning itself as a rentable venue for local events and expanding the cultural footprint of the Orpheum campus in downtown Memphis.

The first season of On Stage at the Halloran Centre kicked off in September 2016 with ten performances from nationally and internationally known artists. The series continued to be successful through the years under former Vice President of Halloran Centre Operations, Ron Jewell. Performances would include artists like Booker T. Jones, William Bell, The Bar Kays, Mary Wilson, Vaneese and Carla Thomas, and many more.

The Halloran Centre launched the first annual Mending Hearts Camp, a summer day camp for young people ages 7–14 who have lost one or both parents. Created by President & CEO Brett Batterson, the camp uses music, theatre, and dance as healing tools. With counseling and creative expression, campers find connection, confidence, and community through the performing arts.

The Orpheum Theatre Group debuted its partnership with SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young with Camp SAY: Across the USA – Memphis, held at the Halloran Centre. This free two-day program for youth ages 8–18 provides games, arts-based workshops, and supportive activities aimed at building confidence, communication skills, and community through creative expression and has seen return campers year after year.

In May of 2019, On Stage at the Halloran Centre expanded to include the Memphis Songwriters Series hosted by Mark Edgar Stuart and The Orchestra Unplugged with Robert Moody and the Memphis Symphony, both still going strong today.

Amid the challenges of the pandemic, the Halloran Centre and Orpheum Theatre Group reimagined community engagement through virtual programs. “Creative Challenge: Digital Edition” challenged individuals to exercise their creativity while building community through social media. Meanwhile, “In Their Shoes” showcased alumni stories, offering insights into careers in the arts and keeping creativity alive at home.

Entertainment also continued through creative ways of bringing the performing arts to the public safely. The Memphis Songwriters Series: Virtual Voices launched to support local musicians by providing them with a digital stage. Socially distanced Candlelight Concerts provided live music opportunities in the parking lot of the Halloran Centre where hundreds of candles created an ethereal atmosphere unlike anything the Halloran Centre had ever seen.

In April 2022, the Halloran Centre hosted its first Storyfest, an intergenerational storytelling festival that invites community members of all ages to share personal narratives on stage. It also expanded On Stage at the Halloran Centre to include magic and illusions.

On July 12, the Halloran Centre unveiled the Plaza of Stars featuring 30 commemorative stars honoring notable artists who had graced its stage, cementing the Halloran Centre's role as a regional cultural landmark. Included among the stars was Ron Jewell, who not only retired after years of service to the venue as Vice President, but who was also honored for performing his original one-man play on the Halloran Centre stage.

The Halloran Centre deepened its community engagement and programming with the launch of the Neighborhood Play Program and expanded and rebranded On Stage at the Halloran Centre to Halloran Centre Presents, curated for the first time by Jennifer McGrath, Vice President of Education, Community Engagement, & Halloran Centre Programming. It added a new partnership with Princeton James Productions making the Halloran Centre the exclusive Memphis home of the Soulful Murder Mystery experience.

That same year, the Halloran Centre's board room was named the George Alvord Board Room in honor of longtime board member and past chair who dedicated four decades of his time, talent, and treasures to the mission of the Orpheum Theatre Group.

Today, the Halloran Centre continues to thrive as a hub for arts, education, and community. Signature programs like Mending Hearts Camp, Camp SAY: Across the USA - Memphis, and From Where I Stand empower creative minds and foster confidence and connection. With live performances, workshops, and community engagement initiatives, the Orpheum Theatre Group remains deeply committed to inspiring, educating, and serving Memphis and surrounding communities through the transformative power of the arts.