Chatham theater will show films again
Committed community keeps Crandell afloat beyond the pandemic
After being closed for 15 months, the Crandell Theatre in Chatham, a single-screen movie house nearly a century old, is reopening this week with a series of four feature films screening Thursday through Sunday.
The theater has survived its imposed hiatus through grants and contributions. According to Annie Brody, the executive director, it was contributions and support from the locals that helped it stay afloat.
“We have a very loyal and committed community, with the Crandell
being a small-town theater on Main Street,” said Brody. “And its importance to the community is not only in terms of its cultural offerings, but in terms of its presence at night, with people coming and going, and also serving the local economy.”
The Crandell received two grants over the course of the pandemic, Brody said. One was from the New York State Council on the Arts’ general operating support and the second was from the federally funded Payroll Protection Program, which includes forgivable loans as a part of COVID-19 relief.
But like many other arts organizations, the Crandell administration also took this time to reevaluate its procedures and renovate the theater. In February of this year, the group raised $3 million as part of a capital campaign. The theater raised $2 million toward renovation after an initial pledge of $1 million for the endowment. The renovations included an upgraded audio system, expansion of the lobby and concession area, additional modernized restrooms, replacement of seats, and creation of functional staff workspace and storage.
The theater will open Thursday with screenings at 6 p.m. on Thursday of “The Truffle Hunters,” prior to which there will be a set by the Crandell Sidewalk Trio who will play movie and jazz standards. This will be followed by a performance of musical numbers by the Columbia County Youth Theater Performance Company, after which the screening will begin.
Though health restrictions for theaters in New York have been waived, the Crandell has its own set of safety protocols. Both staff and viewers will wear masks while moving through the theater but may take them off once they have taken their seats. Tickets will be issued to ensure socially distanced seating.
The theater itself has been cleaned and upgraded with contactless ticketing and new air filtration systems. Concessions, however, are still not available, although Brody expects that service will begin later this summer.
On Sunday, viewers will have
the opportunity to meet and interact with Noah Lang, the producer of that day’s film, “The Climb,” who also has family ties to Columbia County. He will be in a conversation with Peter Biskind, a board member and executive director of Filmcolumbia, the theater’s annual film festival. Directed by Michael Angelo Covino, “The Climb” was recognized at the Cannes Film
Festival in 2019 and features a cameo appearance by the Crandell Theatre itself.
But while Brody is excited for the reopening and for people to experience the
new and upgraded theater, what she really looks forward to is having the community back.
“Crandell is a place where you go and you see your
neighbors, your friends, the people that you bank with, the people that you shop from. It’s an all-encompassing experience for the community,” she said. “And there’s something about reconfirming that we’re back, the whole community’s back. We made it through.”
Tickets may be purchased on the Crandell website, crandelltheatre.org, and at the box office. They are priced at $9 for nonmembers, $8 for members, and $7 for children 12 and under.