Ritz Theatre

Thank you for your comment Tinseltoes. When the Ritz first opened in 1933 it was named the Ritz Theatre. The theater and building has since changed hands and been renamed over the decades (for example it was Cinema I Cinema II for a while). Since purchasing the building in 2002, we are established as a non-profit organization and named the Ritz Theater Newburgh, Inc. (a 501 © (3) organization). We are harkening back to the original name as closely as we can. The current Marquee is in need of restoration, and should be completed by this fall. Please stay tuned for updates!

The Ritz Theater and Newburgh Veterinary Hospital, in association with the Bardavon, are pleased to announce the first concert of the 2012-13 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series. On Saturday, September 29 at 8 PM, Rory Block will perform. Rory Block has become one of the world’s most important preservers of the roots of American blues music and an uncompromisingly mature artist. Her playing and her singing are always otherworldly as she wrestles with ghosts, shadows and legends.

The concert will be held in the Ritz Theater Lobby at 107 Broadway in Newburgh. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by calling the Ritz Theater Box Office at (845) 784-1199. For your convenience we accept all major credit cards. Tickets may also be purchased through TicketWeb at (866) 468-7619, www.ticketweb.com. All tickets are general admission and include a reception with the musicians immediately following the concert. Seating is limited.

2011-12 Tom Humphrey Guitar Series Dates Announced! Musicians to Honor Legendary Guitar Maker as Series Continues for Fourth Year

The Ritz Theater and La Bella Strings, in association with the Bardavon, are pleased to announce the lineup for the fourth season of the Tom Humphrey Guitar Series. Tickets are available beginning September 28 for $25 each, please call the Ritz Theater Box Office at (845) 784-1199. Seating is limited, purchase tickets to all five shows by October 5 and receive reserved seating in the first four rows! For more information please email

Well, theyove reopened while the restoration continues. They have concerts taking place and their website is http://www.ritztheaternewburgh.org/

We are working very hard to restore this historic gem! Please contact us if you would ever like to take a tour of the space, or would like more information. Sincerely, Kristen Cronin (Ritz Theater)

Saw this theatre 2 weeks ago on my bike trip. There’s a hopeful revival of this theatre with plenty of posters in the window detailing the history, especially about the Lucy/Desi precursor to the tv show. Newburgh is definitely a little run-down and could use something to uplift it.

Correction on the above post:
The manager of the Ritz Threater was Fred Cronyn.
Ray Boyea was the manager of the Broadway Theatre, a few doors away.

TO Roger Katz:

please note- Safe Harbors of the Hudson owns the theater and the adjoining property- not Common Ground ( if that correction could be made- thanks)

also anyone who visits this page and is interested in helping to restore the theater, which we think is a vital project for the entire City of Newburgh- please contact Safe Harbors at 845-562-6940

Thanks- Tricia Haggerty Wenz

To Robert R. from 10/17/05: The Mid-Valley Twin was a seperate theater located in the Mid-Valley Mall accross town. It opened in 1967, twined in 1979 and closed in 1986, when United Artists built a multiplex, now known as “Showtime Cinemas”.

Mr. Wilson,
Pleased to meet you. Interesting, Levy and then Levine. Yes, my time was after the late 40s – in the 50’s. You know a lot about those Newburgh theatres and the people who ran them. Thank you for sharing that information because I fear much has been lost. I was an actor and also a stage manager for a few touring shows and have been in beautiful restored theatres like the El Portal and the Mayan in Los Angeles, the Victoria in Dayton OH and the Meyer in Green Bay WI. I always wished I could go backstage at the Ritz, but I’m sure it’s gutted and anything of historic value is long gone.

I saw the article in the Parade section and that brought me to this site.
I remember when I was a child an old man would come to Liberty Street School on Thursdays, I think, and hand out flyers advertising a Saturday morning cartoon fest at the Ritz. (this was around 1958) Cost was 25 cents, then went up to 35 cents. The Cartoons were sometimes preceded by a stage show. I remember seeing Zippy the roller skating Chimp and also a puppet troupe called the Billygoons. Then we would go up the street to Texas Wieners for lunch.
I even have an old postcard somewhere of Cohen’s Opera House.
Some notes on previous posts:
I remember you came in on the Mezzanine floor off Broadway. The Orchestra was downstairs, and there was a balcony upstairs which we were never allowed to use. They told us it was condemned, but I think they just didn’t want us kids falling out of the balcony. It was a beautiful theatre. Shame it became such a mess. I’ve played in many restored palaces around the country and was often reminded of my childhood days at the Ritz.
I also remember a kid named Steve Levine who also lived up on the Heights, and I believe his father was manager of the Ritz, so it may have been Levine, and not Levy.
The Broadway — I seem to remember when it burned the Beatles’ HELP was playing, but I could be wrong on this. I think the Newburgh News had a front page photo of the marquee in flames with the big letters HELP. But don’t quote me on that.

a bit of historical significants: Where We First Loved Lucy. Lucy Ball already was a successful actress when she married Desi Arnaz, a handsome Cuban bandleader. But she confessed she was petrified when, on Dec. 17, 1941, she and Desi debuted a live act-a comic skit, some song and dance at the modest Ritz Theatre in Newburgh, N.Y.“The audience loved it,” proclaimed the local paper. Encouraged, the newlyweds went on to transform their lovebird lunacies into the show I Love Lucy, drawing audiences to the new medium that was TV. How cool is that.