Beyond the perspective of traditional theater, one might fix their gaze upon the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater.
As the story goes, Peekskill opened its doors in 1930 to serve as a 1,100 seat subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. George and Charles Rapp designed quite the structural feat given the resources and materials available within that era.
Completely decked out to the nines, this Art Deco style theater hosted so many wondrous artistic elements. For nearly a generation, the Wurtlizer organ ascended from the pit of the stage to provide simply spectacular symphonies.
Some of the greats like Banks Kennedy provided plenty of tuneage to those in attendance of the 1,500 person capacity limit. More times than not, standing room only seemed to be the status quo.
Paid in Full had been “picturized” by Paramount in 1919. The producers, with their unerring instinct for a good play, were being judicious in their re-entering the game. Change was in the air. Motion pictures were making headway all across the country with most small towns now having converted their stages into motion picture theatres.
Other interesting facets of the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater were the industrial sized accouterments that helped the Peekskill facilities run smoothly. To stand the true test of time, any building must be designed with innovation and longevity in mind.
One of those incredibly interesting features was the industrial sized A/C plant on the premises.
As time went on, the rise of shopping malls and cable television led to the theater’s demise.
Gone but not forgotten, the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater saw a resurgence via revitalization in 2013. Relaunched as a multidisciplinary center, the space became essential for cultural and educational experiences such as theater, dance, music, storytelling and poetry readings.
Local playwrights continue to emerge upon the flourishing arts scene in this nonprofit multidisciplinary center for the arts. Thanks in part to a grant from ArtsAlive [ArtsWestchester], many rambunctious actors and actresses have continued to thrive.
“The arts, it has been said, cannot change the world, but they may change human beings who might change the world.” [CH] Maxine Greene, an American author, teacher, philosopher
Notably, the theater’s re-emergence led to the inception of a “Dramatist Guild” by the name of DG Footlights. All in the name of developing your craft, these witty dramatists contribute to a vibrant, valued and phenomenal art scene.
This soundscape, including the previously mentioned rendition of “Ol’ Man River,” accompanied by the fear and anger portrayed by Aluko in his performance, illuminated the Peekskill Riots as an eruption of emotion charged by vehemently differing philosophies and feelings and further hindered by institutional (in)action.
Of late, Paramount Hudson Valley Theater was pinned upon the list of Westchester County Landmarks, as well as the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
Make sure to check out So Good! Neil Diamond on 04/06 and An Evening with David Sedaris on 04/18.
The post Historical Peek at a Theatrical Gem: Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill appeared first on NYS Music.
