In its impressive 155th year of presenting shows, Bardavon Presents has welcomed iconic musicians on stage from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, and punk rock legend Patti Smith. The community-focused nonprofit offers affordable, world-class arts education programs such as music, dance, theater, MET Live in HD, and classic films to over 80,000 residents and visitors of Hudson Valley each year. While the events range from film screenings to concerts to author discussions, one thing is for sure: the nonprofit that operates two of the most historic and essential venues to the live music scene in the Hudson Valley since the 19th century – The Bardavon 1869 Opera House and the Ulster Performing Arts Center – is all but guaranteed to deliver a show you will never forget.
As the oldest continuously operating theater in New York State, The Bardavon shines in Downtown Poughkeepsie, the marquee a dazzling sight framing the entrance of the theater that has continuously delivered arts and live entertainment to the Hudson Valley community since its opening in 1869. The existence of what is now the Bardavon dates back to post Civil War, when a merchant who had recently immigrated to Poughkeepsie named James Collingwood dreamed of building a “grand” theater for his community –– more specifically, “a place where fellow citizens could gather together to enjoy splendid entertainment in a magnificent setting.” His dream became a reality when the Collingwood Opera House opened in 1869 with a performance by Mark Twain.
In 1923, the theater was sold and converted to a “combination house” featuring Vaudeville performers, stock and dance companies, and silent movies. It was renovated and reopened as The Bardavon. When movie theaters opened in suburban malls in the 1970s, The Bardavon went out of business, closed its doors in 1975, and was slated for demolition. Individuals who valued the Bardavon’s history, beauty, and role as a cultural anchor for the community formed a non-profit to save the theater. After becoming incorporated in 1976, Bardavon Presents became the new owners and operators of the 944-seat historic theater. By 1979, The Bardavon was back in business as a performing arts center and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of the oldest theaters in the country.
The Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) opened in 1927, although it was initially called the Broadway Theatre and Community Theatre. When the building was set to be demolished in 1977, Bardavon Presents stepped up to save another historic theater, and UPAC was preserved and developed into a cornerstone of Kingston’s community. In 2017, the theater was expanded and upgraded with a historic $5.4 million renovation project. With a capacity of 1,510, UPAC is the largest proscenium theater between Manhattan and Albany. Kingston Mayor Steve Noble noted in an article for the Times Union that “every downtown needs an anchor, and for Midtown Kingston, UPAC has been our anchor.”
In early May, The Bardavon celebrated their 155th anniversary with a gala held annually to help underwrite educational programs and residencies that bring the arts and music to local Hudson Valley schools. Except we are talking about the Bardavon, so Norah Jones casually performed.
To learn more about the changes happening at Bardavon Presents, we talked to the Bardavon Presents Director of Marketing Jadin Manipole.
How did the pandemic, changes in the music industry, and the rapid popularity of Kingston and the Hudson Valley affect Bardavon Presents? What changes have you had to make?
What is special about the Bardavon is our doors have never shut permanently since 1869. The pandemic changed all of that for every business worldwide.
My first night as an intern was in October 2021, City and Colour was playing at UPAC. I helped other volunteers check vaccination cards and IDs before they entered the theater. After that, I could take pictures and enjoy the show with the audience. I was shocked to see the amount of people sitting in one room together.
According to our records, half the house was full. It was my first time personally experiencing that many individuals together since the virus struck the world, as well as many others that night. The evening was both overwhelming yet beautiful because we, as an audience, went from enjoying YouTube videos of performances past and live concerts from people’s living rooms to actually being together again.
While we were in quarantine, Bardavon staff worked tirelessly to keep the lights on – virtually speaking. They hosted a free online series called “Albums Revisited,” kicking it off on YouTube with the 55th anniversary of Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. M&T Bank sponsored the series and this video also raised funds for People’s Place of Kingston, NY and Dutchess Outreach in Poughkeepsie. Bardavon hosted another series called “Ghost Light Minute” where artists, such as NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette, would send in videos of them performing. Bardavon Staff would also share their personal stories about the theater, their “wish list,” and curated playlists. Most notably, the New Paltz Ballet Theatre performed The Nutcracker featuring dancers from the New York City Ballet at the Bardavon and it was streamed on Youtube on Christmas Eve. The video gained hundreds of thousands of viewers that first night and ran until January 1st, 2021. The staff’s dedication to keep the show going aided greatly in our strong return.
August 2021 was the first time Bardavon Presents opened their doors to the public with Brit Floyd at UPAC. Since joining the team in October 2021, I have seen people re-enter society after being gone for so long. As regulations began to develop and lift, we began booking more. That’s also in much credit to musicians and entertainers that began touring again. They wanted to deliver their art to audiences and people wanted live entertainment. This was our biggest motivator to open our doors at Bardavon and UPAC.
Today, the support has grown exponentially. From a marketing perspective, I have seen our reach expand both online and in person. Our audience grew in 2022 and once 2023 rolled around, we were fully operating at a post-pandemic level. Before becoming Marketing Director, I worked full-time in the box office and watched as previous and new Bardavon Members came through the door; It was extra exciting when people began lining up to wait for tickets. Our education programs are thriving and it’s always refreshing to see the younger generations experiencing a live performance. The arts are incredibly underfunded, so we work hard to raise money through our Field Trip Fund to bring the arts to local schools.
With the Hudson Valley becoming a popular destination spot, I also felt it was important to connect Bardavon and UPAC with as many radio stations, local retailers, restaurants, hotels, and other venues alike. We all are connected because both community members and visitors frequent our establishments; it makes sense to collaborate and support one another. Most recently, we ran a promotion with Kingston-based Hotel Kinsley to give away a pair of tickets to sold-out The Decemberists at UPAC and they combined it with a free one-night stay after the performance. The promotion proved to be successful, and there were two more happy individuals at UPAC that evening, experiencing Kingston. When speaking with teams at West Kill Supply, Rewind Kingston, Frank Guido’s, and other businesses in Midtown Kingston, they have mentioned a spike in customers before and after the show. Kingston is alive once again, and we, as a city, have so much to offer our home and those who visit.
Everyday presents a new learning curve. The overall music industry has developed and learned to pivot in a moment’s notice. The Bardavon team works incredibly hard to present high-quality performing arts to Kingston and Poughkeepsie. This moment has been a long time coming, and I can’t wait for what we have in the coming months.
What has changed since you started working with Bardavon?
As previously mentioned, the pandemic presented changes throughout our organization and the industry. The amount of support we have received has been the biggest change thus far. More people are signing up to become Bardavon Members, our email subscribe list has improved by 45% post-pandemic, and our social following has reached new heights. Community engagement has risen significantly as well.
The Ticketmaster debacle sparked new conversations on how we can educate the public about safe ticketing practices. Ticketmaster implements dynamic and surge pricing that allows for a ticket price to increase when concert tickets are in high demand. Third-party ticketing sites have always been around, but within the last year they began to infiltrate the live entertainment industry even more. Our marketing and box office team is continually developing new ideas to educate the public about how these sites price-gauge tickets and their tendency to list non-existent seats, thus stealing from the individual. We encourage our patrons to come to the box office to purchase directly through us. An added perk to buying in person: bring cash or check to save on fees. Ticketmaster is known for their exorbitant fees when tickets are bought online, and buying directly through us will allow each patron to buy a face-value ticket. Bardavon Membership also allows individuals to get early access to tickets and to buy over the phone.
Another major change we underwent was intertwining our box office and marketing department. It makes sense considering how sales and advertising go hand-in-hand. The Box Office Manager Dana Lamberti and I have an incredible staff, and since we are the ones who interact with the public on a day-to-day basis, it made sense to combine our two worlds.
The events we present at the Bardavon and UPAC have reached new heights: not only are we presenting at a higher rate, but we have received an influx of rentals. In 2022, we began co-presenting with Ithaca-based DSP Shows on a regular basis. This relationship we have formed with Dan Smalls is successful as the events have introduced our venues to a younger generation of supporters. Hudson Valley presenter Impact Concerts have worked with us to welcome folk musician Gregory Alan Isakov and the iconic American folk punk band Violent Femmes in 2023, bringing sold out crowds to Midtown Kingston at UPAC. As for our daytime performances, they have reached thousands of children throughout the Hudson Valley since our doors reopened. ThinkDIFFERENTLY of Dutchess County is an incredible aid in bringing sensory-sensitive performances for free. Some of the recent events were The Nutcracker, local storyteller David Gonzalez’s production of Cuentos: Tales From The Latino World, and Halloween favorite Hocus Pocus.
Our GameChangers movie series, curated by Brian Whitney of the Kingston Film Foundation, have allowed us to screen cinematic masterpieces to the Poughkeepsie and Kingston communities. In the past, it cost $6 to attend a movie but with the help of our sponsors, we can welcome the public for free to all screenings. Each film is preceded by a video essay to show how it is using new and adventurous techniques, courageous directorial visions, or telling stories from new points-of-view. In addition, for all Bardavon screenings the New York Theatre Organ Society sponsors the screening and patrons can listen to the wonders of the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ.
Executive Director Chris Silva and the Managing Director of Theatre Production Stephen LaMarca announced their retirement for December 31st, 2024. To those who do not know about our history, Chris and Stephen’s journey with Bardavon Presents has spanned over three decades. Together, alongside the since-retired Director of Finance AnnMarie Faust, they rescued two historic theaters in the Hudson Valley. From twenty two million dollars in capital renovations, to the approximate three million patrons they have reached, and the team they have built, generations have called the Bardavon and UPAC home and will continue to do so. Chris and Stephen will be involved as booking consultants under the new Executive Director and are confident in the future of Bardavon Presents.
What are Bardavon’s focuses going into the future?
Our focus is to continue building the momentum we have going right now. Patrons who came to the Bardavon to see New Paltz Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker as children are now bringing their own. Friends and families have come together to witness some of the greatest live entertainment between the Bardavon and UPAC. We want this to continue: being a home for the arts and live entertainment. We can’t do it without the support of our members, patrons, and the community as a whole.
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Bardavon Presents have exciting things on the horizon, and more to be announced soon. Check out their upcoming schedule at bardavon.org, and follow them on social media to stay connected.
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