Brooklyn Paramount
385 Flatbush Avenue Extension,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
385 Flatbush Avenue Extension,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
49 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 302 comments
This is a rock ‘n’ roll show hosted by Cousin Bruce Morrow, with about a dozen acts on the bill. I hope it’s not a one-time thing like that jazz conference back in 2004.
I am not sure it is a sign of any current attitudes. They have done this jazz showcase before:
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http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=3976
This is good news as it shows that the powers to be at the college are thinking about turning this space back into a theatre and never again a GYMNASIUM!
Oh. My. God.
Brooklyn Paramount Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion Concert scheduled for Sunday, April 1, 2007. Two shows: 2:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets $40. to $100.
I can hardly believe it.
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I think they just built a new performing arts facility unfortunately. I would certainly rather have the theatre serve as as a student center, along the same lines as the gym, than have it demolished.
The word “reluctant” is an interesting choice as the university Provost should realize the importance of this former theatre that could be used by the university for performances. I plan to write Gale Stevens Haynes and do hope that other CT members will choose to do so also.
To all, the going at the university is getting tough and I cant suuggest stongly enough that letters be written in mass to the universlty provost Provost Gale Stevens Haynes, who is reluctant to use the space at the Paramount for anything but a student center. This would be a terrible blow to the theater,equally as bad as the gym. While the university definitly needs and has a legitimate need for a new studnet center, it is clear that both could well be incorporated into the exisiting building, not one or the other. So write, write, write !!!! let her know how we feel, and the support for the restoration and student center. All letters will help greatly to continue to butt her resistance
ERD: A student center would be nice, but returning it to a theatre again would be even nicer as so much of it is still there except for the seats, of course.
As one of my favorite theatres in the past, it is wonderful to hear that the theatre may be restored! Hoping L.I.U. will follow through.
I am sure a student center could be incorporated into the design.
Big news !!!! The universiy quitely has meet on 2 occasions with Hugh Hardey, the world reknowned theatrical architect who restored the Radio City Music Hall. The university is considering the restoration of the theater in conjunction with the installation as part of and intergral to the project a world class student center which it desparetly needs. Hugh Hardey is confident this can be done while not hurting the integrity of the theater itself. The univerrsity will soon be seeking out initial seed money to fund the architect for schematic drawings, so they may then have the tools by which to seek out the larger donations for a project of this magnitude. Understand this project can and will not move forward without the student center incorporated into it. But know it will move forward.
In the not to distant future,there should be more news along with university info for donations. Keep the faith !!!!!
Big news !!!! The universiy quitely has meet on 2 occasions with Hugh Hardey, the world reknowned theatrical architect who restored the Radio City Music Hall. The university is considering the restoration of the theater in conjunction with the installation as part of and intergral to the project a world class student center which it desparetly needs. Hugh Hardey is confident this can be done while not hurting the integrity of the theater itself. The univerrsity will soon be seeking out initial seed money to fund the architect for schematic drawings, so they may then have the tools by which to seek out the larger donations for a project of this magnitude. Understand this project can and will not move forward without the student center incorporated into it. But know it will move forward.
In the not to distant future,there should be more news along with university info for donations. Keep the faith !!!!!
Well, I’m glad you found them as I tried to locate these photos on the web and had no luck…guess I didn’t know where to look! If you find others that show this theatre within the gym, please post them.
You’re welcome, Patsy; however they are not my photos, I was speeding around the web and found them.
The second photo shows a group of people standing on the gym floor. I wonder if they are there for a basketball game or to see the “theatre”? If I had ever gone to a game in that GYM, I would have had to tape my mouth shut for I would have been very vocal about what L.I.U did and not be so much concerned about the outcome of any game going on!
dave-bronx: Thank you thank you thank you as I just knew that some CT member would have photos to share with us! The first one almost took my breathe away when I could finally see the theatre part high above the gym part. I hope and pray that returning this space back to the beautiful theatre it once was….is DO-ABLE! Thank you again for the photos!!!
Some recent photos of the Bkln Paramount:
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I hope it will too Patsy. But it will be a long road back if it does. Not an impossible road, but certainly a long one.
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This is a wonderful link to Rosa Rio who used to play the organ at the Brooklyn Paramount and the link says that she lives in FL and plays the organ at the Tampa Theatre now. Also, this Sunday Jan. 7th is the 80th anniversary open house for the Tampa Theatre. If anyone is near Tampa, they should most definitely GO! I went to the 75th anniversary at the Fox in Atlanta and it was a very memorable day!
After reading the many posts about this theatre turned gym I would like to think that this gym will now be returned to the grand theatre that it once was. Can anyone give us some updated information about this ‘hopeful’ idea?
SNWEB: Would love to revisit the photos posted on Nov. 28, ‘05.
MichaelAnthony: Your post of Nov. 29, 04 was most interesting to read and I hope you can tell us more about your visit!
A friend of mine who lives on Long Island brought this theatre to my attention, again and I’ve been trying to find interior photos that I recall seeing of the gym which also showed the proscenium overhead, but I can’t find them now. If anyone can help, I’d appreciate it.
I haven spoken with the Provost of the Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus about that, and I believe other people have at least thrown the idea of some kind of theatre restoration for the old Paramount out on the the table. It seems that there really is no interest on the university’s side to restore the facility back into an actual theatre. Now, I have to toss this out to the list. The Paramount Theatre was converted into a gymnasium/athletic center and re-named “Schwartz Athletic Center.”
There is now a brand new athletic center complete with gymnasium and swimming pool around the corner from the building that the Parmount is in that was built for that campus. Also, another theatre, the Krumble Theatre for the Performing Arts was built. Kind of ironic…
Michael Xavier Lundy, House Organist
St. Geroge Theatre, Staten Island, New York
Pretty cool. Glad to know that someone is looking after the organ while the future of the building is debated.
I can’t play but would consider it a thrill to hit one key and hear a note echo through the auditorium. I wonder if the alterations to the auditorium over the years (like the classrooms in the balcony) have diminished the sound of the organ at all. Seems like they should fundamentally alter the acoustics.
Thanks for posting the information, Michael. I shall endeavor to be there! I don’t know if I’ve heard a theater organ played in person since Radio City Music Hall stopped its original program of films and stage shows in the late ‘70’s!
Hello:
I wanted to let everyone know that the Brooklyn Paramount Organ has been repaired and will be played on Saturday, October 28th. There will be a mini-concert by myself, a brief meeting of the New York Theatre Organ Society (NYTOS) and then Open Console.
I know many of you are aware that this organ suffered major damages as a result of the roof collapsing in on two of the chambers, but I am glad to see that the repairs have been made and that the organ is sounding once again. Please check the NYTOS website (www.nytos.org) for more information regarding the activity on October 28th.
-Michael
Michael Xavier Lundy, House Organist
St. George Theatre – Staten Island, NY