Return a classic movie theater to its glory days!

Please support your local theater! Upstate Films is restoring the Orpheum Theatre's marquee and facade and it'll take a village to make it happen.

The Orpheum, in Saugerties, New York, has a storied history, dating back to 1908, when it served as a roller rink, a community center and vaudeville house. In 1938, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the owners, Saugerties' Thornton family, gave the noted designer Warren McArthur a challenge: transform the theater into a movie palace. His resulting design was a landmark in the region, incorporating elements he had studied while running his L.A. design firm.

The Orpheum’s distinctive glass, tile, and stucco facade and its historic marquee were marvels in their time. But over time, the tiles began falling from the wall, and the stucco began to crumble. They were covered, in what was intended to be a temporary fix, by cheap siding and aluminum in the 1960s. And the marquee has worn badly, with peeling paint, failing neon and faded elements. It is sagging from poor reinforcements.

The Restore the Orpheum Project needs your help. As we approach our renovation date, we’ve raised approximately 56% of the necessary funds. By participating in our Restore the Orpheum Campaign, you’ll help elevate cinema, arts and culture in the Hudson Valley, inject energy and pride into our community and help boost our local economy.

This campaign is funded by the New York State Council for the Arts, Empire State Development, support from Assemblymember Kevin Cahill. Additional support is needed to complete the project.

Levels and benefits

• $25,000+: Prominent naming on plaque on the front and center of the building, plus one theater rental for private event, 10 years on-screen recognition, lifetime pass for two to Upstate Films.
• $15,000: Naming on plaque centered on the front and center of the building, one theater rental for private event, 10 years on-screen recognition, two annual passes for four years to Upstate Films.
• $7,500: Naming rights of one of four poster boxes, plus one private screening, one year of on-screen recognition plus one annual pass.
• $5,000: Naming rights to one of three large panels on the underside of the marquee, plus one private screening, one year of on-screen recognition and one annual pass
• $2,500: Naming rights to medium panel on the underside of the marquee, plus one year of on-screen recognition and one annual pass
• $1,000 :Naming rights to one smaller panel on the underside of the marquee, plus one year of on-screen recognition
• $500: Listing on underside of marquee, on-screen recognition plus one annual pass
• $250: On-screen recognition, plus "I restored the Orpheum t-shirt," plus two High Five passes (10 tickets)
• $100: "I restored the Orpheum" t-shirt

Please contact Jason at jason@upstatefilms.org for more information.