Historic performing arts venue and not-for profit corporation continues trend for third consecutive year of increase in bookings, revenue and diverse programming
October 1, 2014 (Albany, NY) – The Palace Theatre today announced a number of new programming elements and initiatives as the celebrated venue launches its 2014-’15 season in downtown Albany.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan joined Palace Theatre Executive Director Holly Brown and Managing Director Owen Smith to unveil the line-up for the upcoming season, which includes a diverse offering of concerts, comedic, dance and classical music performances, as well as an expanded film series and family programming.
The 2014-’15 season marks the third year in a row that the Palace Theatre, a non-profit organization, will see an increase in event bookings. The Palace Theatre is projecting an increase in bookings of nearly 10 percent to 145 events for the upcoming season compared to 132 events held during the 2013-’14 calendar year.
Additionally, the Palace Theatre is projecting a surplus from the recently concluded fiscal year of slightly more than $100,000, nearly double last season’s profit, and five times the amount from two years ago. This will mark the third consecutive surplus for the organization after multiple years of six-figure deficits.
“This is an exciting time for the Palace Theatre, which is a true piece of history and a treasured venue in downtown Albany. We are proud of our recent accomplishments and are confident that our growing profitability is sustainable and will continue to pay dividends in terms of increased programming,” said Brown. “We look forward to welcoming patrons to experience the 2014-’15 season at the Palace Theatre.”
The enhanced profitability is a result of an increase in programming, corporate support, membership growth and more efficient business practices, including strategic shared service agreements with Park Playhouse and the Albany Symphony Orchestra. These collaborative arrangements are designed to reduce costs and allow each organization to provide additional services to patrons while expanding their programming impact on the Capital Region.
The Palace and Park Playhouse will also embark on the first ticketed presentations of Pinkalicious The Musical on November 16 and A Charlie Brown Christmas on December 21. Tickets to these special family shows featuring students of Park Playhouse will be priced at $10 for children and $20 for adults.
Highlights from the 2014-’15 season include:
- Iconic American rock and pop band Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons on October 9
- Rock band Primus on October 24
- Teen pop stars Zendaya and Bridgit Mendler on October 30
- British rock legend Ian Anderson: The Best of Jethro Tull on November 2
- Acclaimed singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne on November 9
- The return of Gov’t Mule on November 11
- Rock band O.A.R. with Andy Grammer on November 26
- A New Year’s Eve celebration with progressive rock band moe. on December 30 and 31
- Guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa on January 19
- The return of the popular The Price is Right Live! interactive show on April 10
- Comedic legend Bill Cosby on April 24
- Family-friendly entertainment Sesame Street Live from May 15 through 17
In addition to Cosby, the 2014-’15 Palace Theatre Comedy Series, with support from Premiere Transportation, will feature:
- Lewis Black on October 16
- Amy Schumer on October 25
- John Oliver on December 13
- Brian Regan on May 8
The Palace will also host a three-performance run of the hit Broadway musical Chicago during the production’s national tour on March 20 and 21. Tickets will be available in November.
A highlight of the 2014-’15 season is the expanded Kinderhook Bank Premier Movie Series, which will be enhanced following the February 2014 installation of a new high-powered digital projector which provides the capabilities for a vast increase in movie offerings and was funded in part by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts.
The movie series will feature 25 films in the upcoming season as compared to 15 the prior year. It will be highlighted by “Family Fun Day” presentations held on school holidays, including The Wizard of Oz on December 29; and 2014 Academy Award-winning film Frozen on February 18, the latter of which would not have been possible to screen at the Palace without the new digital projector. Tickets are $5 per person.
Other highlights of the Kinderhook Bank Premier Movie Series include:
- The Rocky Horror Picture Show on October 20
- A Clockwork Orange on October 27
- A special Halloween double feature of Dracula and Frankenstein on October 29
- The Goonies on November 10
- Mean Streets on November 17
- Scrooged on December 15
- Matinee and evening screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life on December 19
- White Christmas on December 22
- Pee Wee’s Big Adventure on January 12
- The Hustler on February 9
- The Three Stooges Film Festival on February 23
- High Noon on March 9
- A Hard Day’s Night on March 23
- The Big Lebowski on April 20
- American Graffiti on May 4
- From Russia with Love on May 18
The Palace Theatre will host over 14,000 students during its annual Arts in Education series, which provides free school-time theatre programming to Capital Region children. Park Playhouse will serve as presenter and producer of Pinkalicious the Musical on November 17 and Footprints on the Moon on May 11.
The Arts in Education series will also include:
- Theatreworks Presents: Curious George on January 22
- Dogs of War performed by the Theatre Institute at SAGE on February 9
- Bully on March 2
- Monday Music with the Albany Symphony Orchestra on March 9
- Theatreworks Presents: Suessical the Musical on March 25
The Palace Theatre will remain the residency of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, with performances of the following:
- Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique on October 18
- Beethoven’s Pastorale on November 22
- A special family performance of Cowboy Dave and the Symphony Showdown on November 23
- The Magic of Christmas on December 7
- Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony on January 17
- A special family performance of Spacedance! on March 8
- An Evening with Time for Three on April 18
The Palace Theatre will also host the second annual Backstage Ball fundraiser on April 23.
The Palace Theatre provides free parking in conjunction with the Albany Parking Authority at the Quackenbush Garage in downtown Albany for all events at the historic entertainment venue, courtesy of First Niagara. To redeem free parking, Palace patrons are directed to present their event ticket stub at Quackenbush Garage. The garage will be open two hours before every event and will close promptly one hour following the conclusion of the show. Quackenbush Garage is located at 25 Orange Street.
For a full listing of events and more information about the 2014-’15 season at the Palace Theatre, visit www.palacealbany.com.
About Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre has been Albany’s iconic downtown landmark for the last eight decades – bringing the biggest names in entertainment to the Capital Region. This grand cultural and entertainment facility first opened its doors in October 1931. Built during the Depression, the 2,800-seat Palace was the largest theatre in the region noted for a number of opulent movie houses. Today, the Palace remains the sole survivor of this period of entertainment. Its storied stage has seen more than 5,000 stars such as Bob Hope, The Who, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Seinfeld, and great Broadway hits like Jesus Christ Superstar, Hairspray and more. Arguably the most notable concert event took place at the Palace Theatre in April of 1965 when the now legendary Rolling Stones appeared here on their first tour of the United States. The venue is managed by The Palace Performing Arts Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and currently plays host to more than 100 world-class arts and entertainment events each year. The theatre has a significant economic footprint with over $3.5 million in ticket sales and 150,000 patrons annually. The Palace is a primary economic engine for downtown Albany.