Proctor's Theatre (Schenectady, New York) facts for kids
North elevation and marquee, 2009
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| Address | 432 State Street Schenectady, New York United States |
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| Owner | Arts Center and Theatre of Schenectady |
| Designation | NRHP #79003237 |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 3,250 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Reopened | 1980 |
| Architect | Thomas W. Lamb |
| Website | |
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Proctor's Theatre
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 432 State Street, Schenectady, New York |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | Lamb, Thomas |
| MPS | Movie Palaces of the Tri-Cities TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003237 |
| Added to NRHP | October 4, 1979 |
Proctor's Theatre (now called Proctors) is a famous theater in Schenectady, New York, United States. It used to be a place for vaudeville shows, which were like variety shows with different acts. Many well-known artists have performed here, including Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, and George Burns.
The theater has one of the largest movie screens in the Northeast. It first opened its doors on December 27, 1926. The building was designed by a famous architect named Thomas Lamb. In 1979, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. After a period of not being used much, it was renovated. A big renovation finished in 2007, adding two more performance spaces to the building.
Contents
About the Building
Proctors is located on State Street in a busy shopping area. The outside of the building and its inside hallway, called an arcade, are special enough to be on the National Register of Historic Places.
Outside the Theater
The building has three stories. The front of the building is covered in a material called stucco. It has tall, decorative columns that look like ancient Greek Doric columns. You can also see decorations like garlands (like wreaths) and round designs called paterae. A very large sign, called a marquee, hangs over the sidewalk in front.
Inside the Theater
When you enter, there's an arcade that leads to the main theater. This arcade originally had space for 14 small shops. A marble staircase leads up to offices, and the ticket booth area is decorated with walnut wood.
The main entrance hall, or foyer, has a red carpet. Two more marble staircases lead up to the balcony level, where you can sit higher up. A beautiful mural (a large painting on a wall) in sepia colors decorates one wall. These staircases lead to a balcony area with an old-fashioned sofa. This area is decorated with fancy Corinthian columns, iron railings, and lots of shiny gold leaf details.
The Main Stage Area
More Corinthian columns stand next to the proscenium arch, which frames the stage. The domed ceiling and entrance arches are covered in gold leaf, which looks great against the black and silver wall coverings. The special seating areas on the sides, called loges, have iron grilles and heavy velvet curtains. The main light comes from a large black and gold chandelier with 192 lamps, surrounded by six smaller lights.
History of Proctors
Schenectady grew very quickly in the late 1800s and early 1900s because of the General Electric company. The city's streetcar system made it easy for people to get to downtown. A man named Frederick Freeman Proctor, who put on vaudeville shows, built his first theater in Schenectady in 1912. Later in his life, he decided to build an even bigger and better one.
Opening and Early Years
The new Proctors Theatre cost $1.5 million to build, which was a huge amount of money in 1926. It opened on December 27, 1926, with a silent movie called Stranded in Paris. The audience was so amazed by the fancy theater that no one even complained when the Wurlitzer theatre organ wasn't working perfectly.
Two years later, in 1928, Proctor had sound equipment installed for the new "talkie" movies. Shortly before he passed away in 1929, Proctor sold his chain of theaters to RKO Pictures. On May 22, 1930, the theater hosted an early public demonstration of television by Ernst Alexanderson. He showed a large image on a six-by-six-foot screen.
Saving the Theater
During the 1960s and 1970s, the theater started to fall apart as people moved out of Schenectady. There was a plan to tear down the theater to make a parking lot. But a group of people who cared about the theater came together and formed the Arts Districts of Schenectady to save it.
In 1984, the Golub Family donated a 1931 Wurlitzer theatre organ named "Goldie" to the theater. This replaced the original organ that had been lost. That same year, Proctors hired Allen Mills as its first organist.
Modern Renovations and Expansion
In the fall of 2007, Proctors completed a large expansion project that cost $24.5 million. This renovation added two more theaters, so now there are three different places for performances:
- Main Theatre: This is the historic main stage, which can seat about 2,700 people.
- GE Black Box Theatre: This theater can seat 450 people. Its seats can be moved, allowing the space to be changed for different kinds of shows.
- 440 Upstairs: This smaller, 100-seat theater was designed for smaller performances, like jazz shows or new plays. (This venue was later sold and the building was taken down in 2011.)
After the expansion was finished in September 2007, Proctor's Theatre officially changed its name to "Proctors" to show that it now had three theaters. On July 18, 2009, the theater won the Outstanding Historic Theatre Award from the League of Historic American Theatres.
Timeline of Recent Improvements
2004:
- The old roof was replaced.
- A special wall was built in the main theater to make the sound better.
- Work began on the foundation for the new stage area.
2005:
- A new sound system was installed.
- The candy counter was updated.
- The stage area was made three times bigger, adding loading docks and dressing rooms.
2006:
- Construction started for the GE Theatre, which has a large flat floor and retractable seats. It also has a huge screen for movies.
- New carpet was put in the main theater.
- New furniture was added to the men's lounge.
- The Golub Arcade was restored, including new gift shops and plaster work.
2007:
- More construction was done on the former Carl company building.
2018:
- Proctors Theater replaced all the seats in its main stage area. The new seats are bigger and more comfortable. The theater can now seat 2,594 people in its fixed seats, and up to 2,700 with additional pit orchestra and handicapped seating.
First Floor Improvements:
- The GE Theatre was completed.
- A new box office was built.
- The lobby was made larger for easier movement of people.
- More restrooms were added for visitors.
- A three-story open space was created outside the GE Theatre.
- New shops opened, including a jewelry store and a coffee shop.
Second Floor Improvements:
- New gallery and meeting spaces were added.
- New offices and a board room for the theater's staff were created.
See also
