Ritz Theater Box Office Ribbon Cutting

left to right: James M. Kulisek (Orange County Legislator), Doug Hovey (CEO, Independent Living), Tricia Haggerty Wenz (Executive Director, Safe Harbors), James Beard (Chair, Ritz Theater Board of Directors), Nicholas Valentine (Mayor, City of Newburgh), William Larkin (NYS Senator), Regina Angelo (Newburgh City Council) and Richard Herbeck (Newburgh City Manager)

On Wednesday night we celebrated the opening of our new Box Office with a ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. Many people came out to support the Ritz Theater, and celebrate with us. A crowd gathered around the entrance to the box office to hear energizing and supportive speeches given by Executive Director of the Ritz, Tricia Haggerty Wenz; Ritz Theater Board of Directors Chair, James Beard; Mayor of the City Newburgh, Nicholas Valentine; and Senator William Larkin. After the ceremonial ribbon was cut, attendees were welcomed into the new box office to tour the space and given the first opportunity to purchase tickets to the 2011-12 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series. A reception immediately followed in the Ritz Lobby with champagne, and appetizers and live music. The Jonny Hirsch Band provided fantastic live entertainment. You can find out more clicking here to see their website. During the reception, tours were also given in the old historic Ritz Theater space. On the tour, people were able to learn about the history of the theater, see firsthand what the old theater looks like now, and to envision what the theater will look like when it is completed and restored.

We would like to thank everyone for coming out to our Box Office Grand Opening Celebration, and thank you to all of our Ritz supporters. We hope to see you at one of our guitar series events! Click here for more information on our 2011-12 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series.

For more photos of the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening please visit our
Flickr page by clicking here.

The Times Herald Record published their coverage in today’s paper: click here to follow the link to the Times Herald Record.

Newburgh theater looks to the future

Ritz fundraising push is on

CITY OF NEWBURGH — Almost 70 years ago Lucille Ball got her start performing on stage at the Ritz Theater on Broadway, alongside her husband, Desi Arnaz.

If the people behind the latest effort to restore the Ritz have their way, in the not-too-distant future, it will be launching the careers of a new generation of performers.

They took another step in that direction Wednesday night with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the theater’s box office.

That was accomplished thanks to a $200,000 grant from Urban Initiatives, a program of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal.

The theater already is hosting events — including an annual guitar concert series and an annual kids’ talent contest — in the lobby, which was previously restored. The lobby seats 125, but the fully-restored theater itself will accommodate 825.

Trisha Haggerty Wenz, executive director of the theater, would like to open by 2014. That’s a tall order, considering the restoration will cost an estimated $12 million. Wenz said that will likely have to come from a combination of private, foundation and maybe even government money.

Wenz concedes it’s a challenging time to be fundraising, but says, “We can’t wait for a non-challenging time.”

Theater board President James Beard concurs, saying, “Newburgh is really ready for a live performing arts venue.”

Backers also see the theater as an economic booster for the community. Mayor Nick Valentine said he’s seen a similar theater in operation in Peekskill, and it also generates business for restaurants and other establishments in the neighborhood. “At 11 o’clock at night, (theatergoers) were out on Main Street, going to get coffee,” Valentine said. “They weren’t hopping in their cars and going home.”

Noting how many patrons the restaurants along the city waterfront draw, Beard said he hoped the theater could lure them up to Broadway to check out the Ritz.

Ritz Box Office Ribbon Cutting on September 28th!

Please join us on Wednesday, September 28, from 6pm-8pm.
We are holding a Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Celebration for the Ritz Theater Box Office! The completed construction of the box office is another step towards renovating the historic Ritz Theater. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours of the new box office along with live music, refreshments and champagne to celebrate! Please RSVP by September 23 by calling 845-784-1199 or email

We will also be announcing the complete line-up for our 2011-12 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series, and tickets will go on sale during this special event. Tickets will be available for purchase starting that evening. Tickets may be purchased at the box office, by calling 845-784-1199.

We look forward to seeing you on the 28th! For images of completed box office space, please click here.