They call me “King” 🐀👑

The story of Mrs. Katz… On Sunday, I came across something I’ve been searching hard for... a very damaged barley legible copy of an article from @the_cornwall_local , dated November 8, 1962, featuring a photo of Mrs. Katz and an in-depth interview about her life. It was the article I had been hoping to find for weeks, and seeing it (despite its condition) was an emotional moment. Many of the questions we’ve all been asking about her past were answered in her own words. I’ve since transcribed the full piece and added it to her profile online. I’ve said it before, but you all inspired me to keep digging. The more I learned, the more I started thinking of Mrs. Katz as the main character of the theater’s past. And while Mr. McGorman is fondly remembered, respected and loved by many, the memories shared during Mrs. Katz’s time were different... more complicated, some painful. Truth be told, I’m heartbroken by what I’ve discovered. Mrs. Katz gave everything she had to the Storm King Theater. She worked long hours, alone, and faced daily disrespect and hardship. She was mugged in Newburgh. Her car was stolen. And still, she tried to bring meaningful art to this community. She deserved better. A few weeks ago, I shared a painting I believed was her, created by the artist @alexkatzofficial . I can now confirm... she was his mother, and the famous portrait Ella Marion in a Red Sweater is indeed Mrs. Katz. A copy hangs in the Storm Kingticket booth today. Some of you shared memories of speaking with her about the Holocaust Mrs. Katz escaped Europe in 1920, and later served as a translator during WWII but luckily was not a concentration camp survivor. She was an actress, writer, scholar, government worker, and above all, a woman of great strength and complexity. If you’d like to read her full story including the original article and everything we now know please visit stormkingtheater.com —> drop down > history > Ella Marion Katz Thank you all for your help in solving the mystery of Mrs. Katz. I hope to keep learning more and to honor her memory with the care and dignity she was denied during her time here. She was an incredible woman.

I was worried that maybe the community wasn’t as excited about this project as we are. If you know me, you know this happens when I’m in my creative element. When something consumes me, I can get into little funks where I start questioning everything. I shared my thoughts with a friend and they said the community has been promised this theater would come back for a long time. After many broken promises maybe people were just exhausted of broken promises- I could relate. My dad, Ray Yannone, has been working for 29 years to bring Storm King Theater back after saving it from being condemned and demolished forever. His attempts are all in the news archives and village meeting minutes. Many articles. Many plans. Obstacle after obstacle. For years the village didn’t want it to happen. Times change. Ultimately the village’s sentiment did too. Sometimes you don’t realize why the thing you want so badly doesn’t happen when you want it to. Then one day it becomes clear the timing had to be right. The partnership had to be right. The moment had to be right. For us, that moment was when the NY Forward initiative was introduced and not only the public but the village encouraged us to consider applying for this project. I became dad’s partner. I’m in a place in my life where that was possible. By this time my dad had his battle scars and was very pessimistic. I was positive. When our project was selected it took him a while to believe it was real. A partnership and vision was born. This will always be one of my favorite photos of my dad. It was taken after he purchased the building and completed the restoration. The Times Herald Record did a feature and captured him standing there young, proud and full of excitement and dreams for the building. I wish I had the original. I know some of you are exhausted. I know some of you have been waiting since Prime Cut, the last movie that played on October 1, 1972 at 8pm. Waiting to experience the theater as a theater again. This is not a promise anymore. It is real. It is happening. Storm King Theater is coming back better than ever before. Thank you for being here for the journey. This is for you and for the love of our community.

Thank you, Cornwall! We are getting a theater!!!!

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 ❤️🎥

I kept coming across references to a group called the Cornwall Chicken Thieves Society in articles about the theater’s past. Naturally, I had to learn more. That search led me to their still-active Facebook page, where I had the chance to exchange a few messages with Snapper Earl, who maintains the page and whose father, Walter Earl, was one of the founders of the organization. The Chicken Thieves were a fraternal social group that did a great deal of good for the Cornwall community. While they are no longer active, their impact remains. In the 1950s, when Owen McGorman owned the theater, the Chicken Thieves had become part of its story. During Easter, they hosted large egg hunts, using the theater as a rain location when outdoor plans at places like Town Hall or NYMA didn’t cooperate. These events drew big crowds and featured prizes that kids would never forget, even bicycles. One familiar name connected to the group is Arthur San Filippo, the theater’s usher in the 1960s, who I shared about in a previous post. He was an active member of the Chicken Thieves and even served as chairman at one point. Snapper Earl also shared this incredible photo of the original crew, a group of men who clearly took pride in their community and in one another: pictured 1. Belmont (Bud) Hyer, 2. Ralph Petrillo, 3. Jack Reilly, 4. Jack Lorch, 5. Arthur Howard Sr., 6. Alexander (Red) Howard, 7. Jake Pryne, 8. Win (Ruffy) Ruff, 9. Bud Robinson, 10. Walter Earl, 11. Arthur Howard Jr., 12. Bud Richardson. As Snapper noted, there are three “Buds” in one picture! 😆 Thank you to Snapper Earl for keeping the memory alive and for continuing to share the incredible photographs his father took of Cornwall. They offer a window into a time when community was built through simple acts, showing up, organizing something for others, and creating moments that lasted. On a day like today, it feels especially meaningful to reflect on that spirit. Good Friday and Easter remind us of renewal, of showing up for one another, and of the quiet ways people leave a lasting impact on their community. Thank you Cornwall Chicken Thieves Society. 📸shared by Snapper Earl @snapurl

Last night, we had the honor of co-hosting with @stormking_lounge to invite our local business community through the @cornwallchamberofcommerce monthly meeting to preview Hudson Hall at Storm King Theater. This was the first group to experience the space and to get an exclusive sneak peek of Storm King Theater while it is under construction. It was a special opportunity to share the vision, the business model, and the purpose behind what we are building. To simplify, Storm King Theater is a hybrid nonprofit under the @cfosrny . Private events help fund free public programming through @stormkingevents and a separate fund for the theater exists for large upgrades and repairs. When the theater opens it will be a full-service theater with a fully functioning stage, capable of hosting everything from cinema to live performances, all within an intimate, lounge-style atmosphere that can seat 80-100. More than that, the theater is meant to be a community anchor and a true asset. As one of my favorite theater ads from the 1930s said, the value of a theater to a community is immeasurable. It attracts visitors, shapes first impressions, reflects the character and progress of a place, and becomes a center of energy and connection. Because of its presence, people are drawn in who might otherwise pass by. It is an asset of real and lasting importance. The Cornwall Chamber has been incredibly supportive of this effort, and I am grateful to be part of such a strong and encouraging business community. I know in my heart this is a unifying success we will all share. Thank you to the Cornwall Chamber and to everyone who was able to attend. I look forward to working together and building something where new stories will unfold, memories will be made, and a new home for greater Cornwall to gather and share extraordinary experiences. This next chapter belongs to all of us… We are just getting started!❤️🥳❤️ 🎞️Thank you to everyone who shared photos and video- this is a hodgepodge of a few I saved).

Chamber Monthly Meeting – March 24 Join us for the Greater Cornwall Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, March 24, hosted at Storm King Lounge and inside Hudson Hall. You will be among the first to experience the newly completed space. This special meeting will offer Chamber members an exclusive inside look at the plans for the restoration of the historic @stormkingtheater . Details shared during this presentation will not be shared publicly or on social media. Attendees will also preview Hudson Hall, the newly completed event and gathering space within the theater complex. Members will hear about the vision for the theater, the business model behind the project, and how the space will be utilized to host community experiences, cultural programming, and private events designed to serve our community and attract visitors into Cornwall. The meeting will also introduce @stormkingevents , the newly formed organization evolving from COH Special Events. Storm King Events will continue creating and coordinating community events that strengthen our local economy, celebrate our area, and bring everyone together now with a home base at the theater enabling us to offer events and experiences for the community year-round, both indoors and outdoors. Most importantly, we want to hear from the business community. This meeting is an opportunity to explore ideas, partnerships, and programming that can help drive foot traffic, tourism, and economic activity throughout Cornwall, while also creating opportunities for local businesses to get involved, whether through Storm King Events or by utilizing the theater independently. We hope you will join us for this behind-the-scenes look at a project that aims to become a new cultural and economic anchor for the community, and of course the opportunity to connect and network with fellow Chamber members. 👉Register on website or link in bio

When well known local businessman Owen McGorman purchased the Storm King Theater in 1953, the theater had already been operating for nearly twenty years since opening and McGorman was no stranger to the building. Before purchasing the theater, he operated a successful restaurant in the same building and was already a familiar presence in the space. During his ownership in the 1950s and early 1960s, McGorman expanded the theater’s role beyond movies and welcomed community events, school programs, and regional promotions into the auditorium. One of the most memorable traditions connected to the theater was the annual Easter Egg celebration organized by the Cornwall Chicken Thief Detecting Society. When weather forced the event indoors, the theater was filled with children from across the community. In one year alone more than 1,100 children attended. Because eggs could not be hidden inside the theater, each child received a numbered ticket and drawings were held for prizes. The event gifted attendees over 1,000 Easter baskets and prizes, including bicycles, stuffed animals, and games. The theater also hosted creative promotions that brought regional attention to Cornwall. One example was the “Pajamboree” promotion organized with Schoonmaker’s department store in Newburgh. Fifteen finalists were featured in a popularity contest, with their photos displayed in the theater lobby so visitors could vote. On Election Night the finalists arrived at the theater in a motorcade from Newburgh and appeared on stage during the intermission of The Helen Morgan Story. The winner received a seven day trip to Bermuda for two. Other promotions included the “Are You Lucky?” contest, where readers of The Cornwall Local could win movie tickets through drawings connected to the theater. McGorman owned the theater until 1962, when he sold the building after nearly a decade of stewardship. During his years as owner the Storm King Theater was not only a cinema but an active gathering place for the community. Many members of the McGorman family are still part of the Cornwall community today, linking this chapter of the theater’s history to the present.

I found a ticket. News articles usually tell you what happened. They rarely tell you what it felt like. Real stories are different. They have feeling. They have heart. A good story takes you back and lets you share the experience as you imagine it. The way something smelled. The way it tasted. The tiny details that make an experience an experience. When we uncovered some of the original floor vents in the theater and I saw they were packed with trash from the past, I knew I had to get in there. So many pieces of this theater’s history are missing. I was hoping to find something tangible. A ticket. A program. Proof of the people who once occupied this building. I knew there were soda cans down there. I expected candy wrappers. Cigarettes. Popcorn. Chocolate. The smell and taste of the past. So I dove in. The first attempt, I thought I cleared the vent. I didn’t find a ticket, but I found a space-age walkie talkie toy. I kept thinking about the child who must have dropped it in the 1950s. Probably devastated. I found old candy wrappers too. It was something. But it wasn’t what I was hoping for. Seeing the condition of the paper coming out, I assumed it was hopeless. Then I lowered my phone into the vent to look deeper. It was packed. There was so much more. I flew to Home Depot, bought extension tools for the shop vac, and two days later I went back in. The very first pull of the second day… I couldn’t believe it. A Storm King Theatre movie stub. From when tickets were just 25 cents. In beautiful condition. The effort was worth it. A few more stubs followed, likely from the 70s. Unbranded. Quiet witnesses to nights long gone. We still can’t reach the deepest parts. We’re going to cut the vents out to see what else is hiding down there. Maybe more stubs. Maybe one perfectly intact. Older candy wrappers. Soda cans. More toys. Matchbooks. Lighters… Real things. Tangible history. Things someone held in their hands. Things that were part of a night out. Part of someone’s story. Part of a moment in time that has long passed. I found a ticket. Someone from the past made sure I would. Thank you. 👻🎭

I’ve been working closely with village officials to better understand the relationship Storm King Theater will have with the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson as we move toward reopening. From the beginning, the intent has been clear. The theater is a nonprofit, currently under the Community Foundation @cfosny , focused on expanding the free public events that already exist in our community. Think bandstand concerts and outdoor movies, but with an indoor home for rain dates and winter months. Private and ticketed events will also be part of the model. Those events help offset the cost of free programming and the very real operational expenses of running a theater. The building itself remains under private ownership, with the nonprofit as a tenant. That structure is intentional. If a nonprofit owned the building outright, it would come off the tax rolls. We do not want that. This building should continue contributing to the village both economically and culturally. These conversations brought me back to what stood here before. Built in 1870, Matthiessen Hall was one of the most important civic buildings in Cornwall. The first floor housed everyday essentials. A bank. A drug store. A post office. The upper floors held a billiard room, a library, and a large hall that could seat up to 400 people. It was a true gathering space. Lectures. Performances. Community meetings. Even some of the earliest moving pictures shown in the community beginning around 1900! By the 1930s, the building had outlived its usefulness. In 1934, it was demolished to make way for a modern, state of the art theater. That project was funded by Charles H. Matthiessen, whose family also funded Cornwall’s first public library. Last September I made an exciting discovery when crawling through the basement, I discovered parts of Matthiessen Hall’s original foundation still stands beneath the theater... we literally share the same foundation! Even though the theater is a different building, it carries the same intent. A place to gather. A place that belongs to the community. Sometimes history asks us to continue what was already started without even realizing it… ghosts live in my head 👻

Today is Presidents’ Day and George Washington’s birthday. While it’s certain that our first president, despite his many local ties, never stepped foot in Storm King Theater due to the theater opening in 1935, I can’t help but wonder if Donald Trump ever did. It feels highly plausible. I also wonder whether that experience played even the smallest role in shaping his Hollywood ambitions. Why do I think he may have been here? Trump attended New York Military Academy in Cornwall from 1959 to 1964. During that same period, the theater appears to have had a strong relationship with NYMA, particularly around film and educational screenings. In the 1930s, a movie filmed at NYMA was facilitated by the Storm King Theater manager, showing a long-standing connection between the school and the cinema. In the 1960s, Mrs. Katz, then manager of the theater, wrote a letter thanking an English teacher at NYMA, Mr. Demoriac, for arranging a screening of Henry V for his students. A photograph from 1960 even shows theater staff standing alongside the superintendent of NYMA. At the time, movie theaters were more than entertainment. They were windows to the wider world. For a young cadet, sitting in a darkened theater watching epic visual storytelling or newsreels from beyond the Hudson Valley, that experience could spark imagination and ambition. Someone who spent formative years in this community went on to become President of the United States. That fact alone is fascinating, regardless of politics. I often wonder what his perspective of growing up in Cornwall was like. The man undoubtedly has stories, and this community was part of his early landscape. So on this Presidents’ Day, I wonder… Does a sitting president have a past inside our theater? Happy Presidents’ Day. Pictured: Trump attending driving school • 1938 cadet filming at NYMA • Storm King Theater staff photo, Cornwall Local, February 8, 1960 Seated: Mrs. Michael J. Donahue, Mrs. Jack Rielly Standing: Owen McGorman (owner of Storm King Theater), NYMA Superintendent, Jack Rielly, Walter Peck The film and staff photo are stories for another day.

Cinema Love Stories from inside Storm King Theater ❤️💗Some of the sweetest memories tied to Storm King Theater have nothing to do with what was playing on the screen. This was a place of young love. First crushes. First kisses. Nervous hand holding in the dark. Whispered jokes and quiet giggles… For some, it was a first date. For others, it was a date that eventually led to marriage. It was a simpler time. When kissing games were remebered. When sitting close felt like a big deal. When the theater became a little world of its own. Safe. Magical. Part of very first love stories. This Valentine’s Day, I love thinking about all the young hearts that beat a little faster inside these walls. Storm King Theater wasn’t just a place to watch a movie. It was a place where love stories were written some better than anything you can see on screen. Here are a few that were shared… Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers. 💘