A few weeks back I reached out to one of my favorite local magazines,
@chronogram , to see if they might be interested in learning about the revitalization of the Storm King Theater that’s underway. To my excitement, editor Brian Mahoney responded with an enthusiastic “absolutely!”
Brian stopped by one morning while we were still very much a full blown construction zone before heading off to a major photo shoot Chronogram was hosting at
@the.ellis.newburgh . We walked through the theater and talked history, vision, challenges, possibilities, and my belief that this building still has an important role to play in the future of our community.
What Brian captured from that visit is perfect. He described the theater as “a sleeping giant waiting for somebody to wake it back up.” You might be thinking what’s the big deal? It’s just a theater.
Well, as Chronogram pointed out, “small-town theaters across the Hudson Valley are once again being viewed as anchors of civic and cultural life.” At a time when half of all U.S. counties no longer have a movie theater at all, cinema is disappearing geographically, culturally, and sadly even in our minds. A recent article in The Atlantic even explored how many film students can no longer sit through a movie.
We are not restoring Storm King Theater as a dedicated cinema, but we are committed to restoring the experience of going to the cinema and preserving artistic experiences that are meant to be fully experienced. Saving a theater like this is a rare opportunity to preserve not just a building, but a way of experiencing art and community that is becoming increasingly rare, all within a preserved Art Deco relic that still has so much life left to live.
Any out-of-town visitor to my house especially knows how much I love Chronogram because my guest rooms are always stocked with issues. They consistently highlight some of the most interesting people, places, and ideas in the Hudson Valley. To see the theater’s story featured in its pages is truly an honor. Thank you, Brian. I look forward to welcoming you back soon. Link in bio to read ❤️🎥