Oriental Theater
A historic Denver theater that evolved from a 1927 cinema into a live music and events venue.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Oriental Theater is a historic entertainment venue in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood in Colorado, United States. The building opened in 1927 as a movie theater, serving as a neighborhood cinema during an era when purpose-built theaters were important social and commercial institutions. Its original identity was therefore centered on film exhibition rather than concerts or nightlife. The theater experienced a major transition in the mid-twentieth century. In 1960, its owners attempted to improve the customer experience by installing new seats and carpeting. The upgrades did not restore demand, and the theater subsequently closed. The building then remained inactive for approximately 45 years, making its later revival an unusually significant part of its history. In 2005, Scott Labarbera purchased the dormant property and converted it into a live music venue. This change repositioned the Oriental Theater from a traditional cinema into a flexible performance space capable of hosting concerts and other public or private functions. In 2009, Labarbera sold the venue to Jim Norris and 3 Kings Tavern Entertainment. Two years later, Labarbera, Andy Bercaw, and Lara Moore reacquired the theater. The subsequent reopening was short-lived because a structural problem became apparent during an event: part of the building was at risk of falling toward concert attendees. The venue was closed for renovation and repairs. With assistance from investors and after the necessary work was completed, the Oriental Theater reopened in 2012. Its current role is primarily as a live music and events venue, presenting local and national acts and hosting some of Denver’s larger events. The venue is also described as accommodating both minors and adults over 21 in a shared environment, rather than requiring all programming or patrons to be separated strictly by age. This operating model supports a broad range of concerts and community events. The Oriental Theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, linking its contemporary entertainment function with Denver’s architectural and cultural heritage. Its business identity is consequently based less on a packaged consumer product than on the preservation and activation of a historic building as a concert, event, and cultural venue.
History
The Oriental Theater was built in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood and opened in 1927 as a movie theater. Its early role was that of a neighborhood cinema, presenting films to local audiences and functioning as a community entertainment venue. The building later underwent an attempted modernization in 1960, when new seats and carpeting were installed to attract customers. The improvements failed to generate sufficient public response, and the theater closed. The property remained inactive for about 45 years. Its next major chapter began in 2005, when Scott Labarbera purchased the building and converted it into a live music venue. The adaptive reuse changed the theater’s commercial model from film exhibition to concerts and events while retaining its identity as a public entertainment space. The venue subsequently hosted live performances and became part of Denver’s music infrastructure. In 2009, Labarbera sold the theater to Jim Norris and 3 Kings Tavern Entertainment. In 2011, Labarbera, Andy Bercaw, and Lara Moore bought the venue back. The second ownership period encountered an immediate building-safety problem. During an event, part of the structure nearly fell toward people attending a concert, leading the operators to close the venue for renovation. The closure was intended to address the building’s physical condition rather than represent a change in its live-music strategy. The Oriental Theater reopened in 2012 after the needed repairs were completed with assistance from investors. It has since operated as a venue for local and national musical acts, public and private functions, and larger Denver events. Its programming model can accommodate minors and patrons over 21 in the same venue, allowing it to serve both all-ages and adult-oriented audiences subject to event arrangements. The building’s continued use also preserves a historic structure: the Oriental Theater is registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Its history therefore combines early cinema, a long period of inactivity, adaptive reuse, ownership changes, structural rehabilitation, and continuing live entertainment.
- 2012
Reopening after renovation
[1]The venue reopens after structural repairs and renovation supported by investors.
- 2011
Reacquisition and safety closure
[1]Scott Labarbera, Andy Bercaw, and Lara Moore reacquire the theater, which is then closed after a structural hazard emerges during an event.
- 2009
Ownership sale
[1]Ownership passes from Scott Labarbera to Jim Norris and 3 Kings Tavern Entertainment.
- 2005
Conversion to live music venue
[1]Scott Labarbera purchases the dormant property and repurposes it for live music.
- 1960
Cinema modernization attempt
[1]The owners install new seats and carpeting in an effort to attract customers, but the theater later closes after the changes fail to revive demand.
- 1927
Theater opens as a cinema
[1]The Oriental Theater opens in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood as a movie theater.
Products and positioning
A historic Denver neighborhood theater repositioned as a flexible live music and events venue, combining heritage architecture with concerts and mixed-age programming.
Concerts · 2005
Live music events
The theater’s principal contemporary offering is live music programming. It presents performances by Denver-area artists as well as national acts, using the historic cinema building as a concert venue and hosting events of varying scale.
Cinema · 1927
Film screenings
Film exhibition was the Oriental Theater’s original business. The venue opened in 1927 as a movie theater, although the available reference material does not establish the extent of current film programming.
Event venue
Private and public events
The building is used for both private and public functions in addition to concerts. Its flexible venue format allows it to support community events and larger Denver-area productions.
Brand decisions
2011
Closure for structural renovationStrategyBackground
Part of the building structure nearly fell toward concert attendees during an event, creating a serious safety concern.
Action taken
The operators closed the venue and undertook needed renovation and structural repairs.
Aftermath
After investor support and completion of the work, the theater reopened in 2012.
2005
Conversion from movie theater to live music venueStrategyBackground
After roughly 45 years of inactivity, the property required a new operating concept to return to public use.
Action taken
Scott Labarbera purchased the theater and converted it from a cinema into a live music venue.
Aftermath
The building re-entered Denver’s entertainment scene as a concert and events space.
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