(Chatham, NY, August 29, 2024) — After an extensive search process, Brian Edward Leach has been named Executive Director of the Crandell Theatre in Chatham, New York. On Thursday, September 12, from 5 – 7 pm, Leach will be welcomed by the community at the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Business After Hours reception hosted by the Crandell. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees will enjoy light refreshments and learn more about the Crandell’s upcoming renovation. Reservations are recommended and can be made by visiting https://crandelltheatre.org/film/crandell-open-house-reception/ or calling 518-392-3445. Leach has extensive background in arts administration, programming, fundraising, and marketing for arts organizations. He was previously Managing Director of the Colonial Theatre in Westerly, Rhode Island, and Marketing Director of PICT Classic Theatre and Pittsburgh Festival Opera. Earlier, he served as Curator of the art…
Crandell Theatre to Screen Iconic Films in Hollywood Summer Nights Series
(Chatham, NY, June 25, 2024) — The historic single-screen Crandell Theatre on Main Street in Chatham will screen a series of iconic films that originally dazzled at the box office and went on to become treasured, perennial classics. Beginning on Friday, July 5, at 7 pm with Jaws — the summer blockbuster that started them all — Hollywood Summer Nights will run throughout July and August. The series will also include such fan favorites as Saturday Night Fever, The Big Lebowski, Dirty Dancing, Pulp Fiction, Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope (the updated Special Edition), The Godfather, Jurassic Park and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. These films will screen in addition to our regular weekend programming of new releases. Another recent blockbuster, Minions, will screen at 10 am on July 13 for FREE during the annual Chatham…
Uncropped, One of the Year’s Best Docs, Screening and Filmmaker Q&A
Q&A with Director D.W. Young and Composer David Ullmann to follow the screening (Chatham, NY, May 15, 2024)—On Friday, June 7, the historic Crandell Theatre will screen the acclaimed new documentary Uncropped, about the work of legendary Village Voice photographer and photojournalist James Hamilton. Praised by critics as a rich and absorbing must-see and one of the best documentaries of the year, the film is a visual feast of Hamilton’s indelible images and the eras they represent. Following Friday night’s show, Director D.W. Young and locally-based composer David Ullmann will take the stage for a Crandell Live! Q&A, moderated by Filmmaker and Crandell Board Member Mirissa Neff. James Hamilton is one of the great chroniclers of the cultural history of America. For over four decades working as a staff photographer at publications such as Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Observer…
Three New Directors Elected to the Crandell Theatre Board
The Crandell Theatre Board of Directors approved three new members to the Crandell board at its January annual meeting: John T. Lillis, a retired tax attorney; Mirissa Neff, a documentary filmmaker; and Carol Sadlon, the former owner of Cinerom cinemas and Millerton’s The Moviehouse. According to Crandell Board President Lydia Kukoff, “This is such an exciting moment for the Crandell. As we get closer to the full renovation of our beloved theater, we are delighted to welcome John, Mirissa, and Carol to our extraordinary board. They bring with them a wealth of talent and expertise that will further enrich our thinking and planning for the future.” John T. Lillis John T. Lillis retired as partner of White & Case LLP, a New York City law firm, in 2019. During his 39-year tenure at the firm, he focused on the tax…
A Message from the Executive Director
Dear Crandell Community, I am writing to let you know that I have made the difficult decision to step down as Executive Director of the Crandell Theatre to pursue personal interests (i.e., retirement!). March 29th will be my last official day. A search by the Crandell’s board for the next person to assume the position is already underway. As the Crandell enters these final months of fundraising to complete the renovation and restoration of our beloved, nearly 100-year-old historic theater, it is the ideal time for a new era of leadership to steer us into our next iteration of the independent, community-based nonprofit cinema you know and love. It’s an understatement to say that it has been a true honor to have played a role in growing the Crandell’s nonprofit organization over the last twelve years. When I started, ticket…
“High Noon’s Hidden Backstory” to Shed Light on Blacklisted Screenwriter Carl Foreman
Benefit screening on December 9 at 7 pm and post-show Q+A with Dr. Amanda Foreman in conversation with Peter Biskind (Chatham, NY—November 21, 2023) — The historic Crandell Theatre on Chatham’s Main Street is pleased to present “High Noon’s Hidden Backstory,” about blacklisted screenwriter Carl Foreman, on December 9 at 7 pm. The documentary short High Noon on the Waterfront (2022) and a special screening of the 1952 film High Noon, starring Gary Cooper, will be introduced by acclaimed historian and Kinderhook resident Dr. Amanda Foreman, FRSA. Following the screenings, Dr. Foreman will discuss her father’s time during the McCarthy era with author Peter Biskind, a Crandell board member. Tickets are $20 and will benefit the theater’s upcoming restoration and renovation. High Noon, written by Carl Foreman, is an untraditional Western starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly and Katy Jurado. The…
Leonard Bernstein’s Life and Legacy Celebrated in Maestro
Benefit screening on December 16 at 7 pm and post-show Q+A with Nina Bernstein Simmons in conversation with Christopher Rothko Nina Bernstein Simmons and Christopher Rothko Purchase Tickets (Chatham, NY—December 4, 2023) — This December, the historic Crandell Theatre on Chatham’s Main Street is pleased to present Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s brilliant biopic of legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. Following a special screening of the film on Saturday, December 16, at 7 pm, Bernstein’s youngest daughter, Nina Bernstein Simmons, will take to the stage for a discussion of her father’s legacy and her family’s involvement in the genesis of the movie. Christopher Rothko, son of abstract painter Mark Rothko and a classical music critic, will join Bernstein Simmons to discuss the intersecting creative influences and achievements of two of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Directed by and…
National Cinema Day
This Sunday: 8/27/23
If you haven’t seen Oppenheimer yet and crave a bargain, come to the Crandell on Sunday at a ticket price not seen since the late 1980s. That’s right, a mere $4 gets you in to see a mighty big film on our historic single screen. National Cinema Day was a huge success when it debuted last year and the Crandell is thrilled to participate again this summer! 12:30 PM and 4 PM SHOWS ONLY $4
Succession Star Brian Cox in Conversation at the Crandell
July 6
(Chatham, NY, June 20, 2023)—The Crandell Theatre is thrilled to announce that celebrated Succession star Brian Cox will join FilmColumbia’s Peter Biskind live on stage for a special Q+A on Thursday, July 6, at 7 pm to benefit the renovation and restoration of Chatham’s historic theater. Cox and Biskind will discuss Cox’s Succession character, media titan Logan Roy, and the staggering success of the acclaimed HBO series. Tickets are $25 per person. All proceeds from the event will benefit the restoration fund. When Succession debuted in 2018 it became a cultural phenomenon across four riveting seasons. Created by Jesse Armstrong, the series also stars Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Matthew Macfadyen and Kieran Culkin. Cox’s portrayal of Roy, the family patriarch, earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe Award and a legion of new fans. Nearly 3 million tuned…
The Crandell to Launch May Membership Drive
May 6
KICK-OFF MEMBER DAY: May 6, 10 am – 4 pm The Crandell Theatre invites area residents and families to participate in a day of free film-themed activities on Saturday, May 6, from 10 am to 4 pm at the historic theater in Chatham, New York. The program includes family short films, tours of the theater, photo opportunities with film celebrity cutouts, and marquee cookies created for the occasion by Pooky Amsterdam of PookyStudio. Admission to the regularly scheduled 1 pm screening of The Eagle Huntress, an award-winning documentary about the first female eagle hunter in twelve generations of a nomadic Mongolian family, is free for new and current members. Those who join the Crandell or renew their memberships on May 6 or anytime during May receive free admission to all films during the month. According to Annie Brody, Crandell…