Rivoli Theater (South Fallsburg)
The Rivoli Theater is a theater building in South Fallsburg in New York , United States . It stands at the intersection of New York State Route 42 and Laurel Avenue and was built in 1923. The building was renovated in the late 1930s and is still almost intact.
The theater was used for entertainment both as a cinema and theatrical performances and had its prime in the heyday of the Catskill Mountains as a holiday destination mainly for Jewish recreation seekers. Nowadays the theater is used in the summer months by a local theater group that plays here. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 .
building
The theater consists of two different sections. The front part with the foyer and lobby comprises six by three bays . the rear part contains the auditorium and comprises seven bays. It is built of concrete and tan brick blinded , decorated with red runners ranks. The roof in the front part of the building is hidden behind a parapet , the rear part is a gable roof . Both roof areas are covered with roofing felt.
The canopy at the front forms a three-sided illuminated advertisement that is fixed by chains; vertical neon writing complements it on the front. The lobby and foyer are still in their original size, but have been refurbished with different materials. The auditorium remained in its original Art Deco style . The straight ceiling and the arched walls are clad with asbestos panels in various patterns. A large chandelier sits in the center of each section of the wall.
The second floor is occupied by offices and apartments. The interior is largely intact.
history
At the turn of the 20th century, Jewish residents began to move into South Fallsburg. Many of them stayed in the region during the summer months and some decided to settle here permanently in order to open or operate their own accommodation. By the early 1920s, a large majority of the hamlet's residents were Jewish, and the South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Synagogue was adding new members to the ward every week.
Israel Kaplan and his son Arch opened Rivoli in 1923 to entertain summer guests. The two are considered the intellectual creators of the theater, but the similarities to Motels Rialto Theater in nearby Monticello suggest that Motel, who designed the later renovation, was also the architect of the Rivolis.
The Rivoli was successful both as a cinema and with stage performances. In 1937 the owners expanded the auditorium to a capacity of 600 visitors and had it redecorated in Art Deco . It survived the heyday of the area as a holiday destination.
The then owner Alice Manzi, a descendant of the Kaplans, closed the theater at the end of 1997 and partially rented it out as a greengrocer's shop. The Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop , a local community theater group was looking for a new venue and bought it at a price of 55,000 US dollars to convert it back into a theater. In the summer months, films and plays are shown, and a local concert organizer also uses the building for events.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Kathleen LaFrank: National Register of Historic Places nomination, Rivoli Theater ( English ) New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation . August 2000. Retrieved May 2009.
- ↑ Tom Kane: Rivoli Theater will be reopened (English) . In: Times-Herald Record , Ottaway Community Newspapers , April 16, 1998. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
- ↑ Chris Conroy: Continuing the pursuit (English) . In: The River Reporter , Stuart Communications, 2000. Retrieved April 28, 2009.
Web links
Coordinates: 41 ° 42 ′ 34 " N , 74 ° 37 ′ 43" W.