Officials Celebrate $1.2M in Renovations at Yorktown Stage
An earlier version of this piece stated how Yorktown Stage is the only municipal-owned theater in Westchester County. That is not correct. It’s one of the few. One of the others in Westchester is in The Examiner’s direct coverage area — the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in the Town of New Castle. We regret the error. This article was updated on Feb. 22 to reflect the correction.
One of the few municipal-owned theater in Westchester County is sporting a new look, thanks to a combination of town and state funding. On Feb. 17, Yorktown and state officials cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark recently completed renovations at Yorktown Stage, which has been producing musicals, plays, dance recitals and concerts for the last 25 years at the Albert A. Capellini Community Center on Veterans Rd.
“This theater is a gem which the town has significantly polished,” said Yorktown Supervisor Tom Diana. “The Town Board understands the importance of having a facility like this in our community for our families to enjoy live performances closer to home. We really wanted to make this place as friendly as we could for all people.”
Yorktown acquired the brick building in the heart of the Yorktown Heights business district from the Yorktown School District in 1979. Yorktown Stage, a for-profit company, took over operations of the theater in 1998. The theater also operates a nonprofit organization called Yorktown Stage Kids, whose mission is to promote live theater to children.
“We’re here because the Town Board recognized the importance of having a theater,” said Barry Liebman, Yorktown Stage’s Producing-Director. “We’re here 25 years, a long time. We’re very happy.”
Last May, the Town Board voted to provide $1.1 million for the project. Improvements include 551 new seats and carpeting throughout the facility, new light fixtures and fresh paint in the lobby, and new sofas, which were donated by Freight Liquidators. A new roof was also installed, along with new air conditioning and heating equipment.
“They have always had topnotch performances here at Yorktown Stage,” said Councilman Sergio Esposito. “Now they have a topnotch venue.”
An additional $100,000 state grant for the seating was secured by State Senator Pete Harckham, who was in attendance for the festivities with Assemblyman and former Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater.
“This was a team effort of vision and action,” Slater said. “We had a great team that saw the value of having a theater in Yorktown. It’s a great accomplishment for our community.”
Corrections:
An earlier version of this piece stated how Yorktown Stage is the only municipal-owned theater in Westchester County. That is not correct. It's one of the few. One of the others in Westchester is in The Examiner's direct coverage area -- the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in the Town of New Castle. We regret the error. This article was updated on Feb. 22 to reflect the correction.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
