Mr. Wilson,
Pleased to meet you. Interesting, Levy and then Levine. Yes, my time was after the late 40s – in the 50’s. You know a lot about those Newburgh theatres and the people who ran them. Thank you for sharing that information because I fear much has been lost. I was an actor and also a stage manager for a few touring shows and have been in beautiful restored theatres like the El Portal and the Mayan in Los Angeles, the Victoria in Dayton OH and the Meyer in Green Bay WI. I always wished I could go backstage at the Ritz, but I’m sure it’s gutted and anything of historic value is long gone.
Gorgeous interior! All redone and restored back from a triplex. I heard this has the widest proscenium arch in WI. Cost a bundle to redo. Now has live theatre.
I saw the article in the Parade section and that brought me to this site.
I remember when I was a child an old man would come to Liberty Street School on Thursdays, I think, and hand out flyers advertising a Saturday morning cartoon fest at the Ritz. (this was around 1958) Cost was 25 cents, then went up to 35 cents. The Cartoons were sometimes preceded by a stage show. I remember seeing Zippy the roller skating Chimp and also a puppet troupe called the Billygoons. Then we would go up the street to Texas Wieners for lunch.
I even have an old postcard somewhere of Cohen’s Opera House.
Some notes on previous posts:
I remember you came in on the Mezzanine floor off Broadway. The Orchestra was downstairs, and there was a balcony upstairs which we were never allowed to use. They told us it was condemned, but I think they just didn’t want us kids falling out of the balcony. It was a beautiful theatre. Shame it became such a mess. I’ve played in many restored palaces around the country and was often reminded of my childhood days at the Ritz.
I also remember a kid named Steve Levine who also lived up on the Heights, and I believe his father was manager of the Ritz, so it may have been Levine, and not Levy.
The Broadway — I seem to remember when it burned the Beatles’ HELP was playing, but I could be wrong on this. I think the Newburgh News had a front page photo of the marquee in flames with the big letters HELP. But don’t quote me on that.
Mr. Wilson,
Pleased to meet you. Interesting, Levy and then Levine. Yes, my time was after the late 40s – in the 50’s. You know a lot about those Newburgh theatres and the people who ran them. Thank you for sharing that information because I fear much has been lost. I was an actor and also a stage manager for a few touring shows and have been in beautiful restored theatres like the El Portal and the Mayan in Los Angeles, the Victoria in Dayton OH and the Meyer in Green Bay WI. I always wished I could go backstage at the Ritz, but I’m sure it’s gutted and anything of historic value is long gone.
Gorgeous interior! All redone and restored back from a triplex. I heard this has the widest proscenium arch in WI. Cost a bundle to redo. Now has live theatre.
I saw the article in the Parade section and that brought me to this site.
I remember when I was a child an old man would come to Liberty Street School on Thursdays, I think, and hand out flyers advertising a Saturday morning cartoon fest at the Ritz. (this was around 1958) Cost was 25 cents, then went up to 35 cents. The Cartoons were sometimes preceded by a stage show. I remember seeing Zippy the roller skating Chimp and also a puppet troupe called the Billygoons. Then we would go up the street to Texas Wieners for lunch.
I even have an old postcard somewhere of Cohen’s Opera House.
Some notes on previous posts:
I remember you came in on the Mezzanine floor off Broadway. The Orchestra was downstairs, and there was a balcony upstairs which we were never allowed to use. They told us it was condemned, but I think they just didn’t want us kids falling out of the balcony. It was a beautiful theatre. Shame it became such a mess. I’ve played in many restored palaces around the country and was often reminded of my childhood days at the Ritz.
I also remember a kid named Steve Levine who also lived up on the Heights, and I believe his father was manager of the Ritz, so it may have been Levine, and not Levy.
The Broadway — I seem to remember when it burned the Beatles’ HELP was playing, but I could be wrong on this. I think the Newburgh News had a front page photo of the marquee in flames with the big letters HELP. But don’t quote me on that.