Life’s a Niche


Utica’s Stanley and Syracuse’s Landmark theaters find their own ways to compete against Turning Stone


By Deandra Modica T


he operators of the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse and the Stanley Theatre in Utica knew they were in for some


tough competition when the Turning Stone Resort and Casino opened its first perfor- mance venue in 2002.


Sure enough, the Turning Stone now offers


nationally competitive entertainment in a 5,000-seat events center and an 800-seat show- room. Rick Gallagher, the director of enter- tainment and events at the Verona resort, has been able to book such big name acts as Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder in his first 18 months on the job. Upcoming shows include Leann Rimes on Nov. 5 and Kenny Rogers on Dec. 8. In the face of this competition, the Stanley


Theatre has adapted well and found its niche. The Landmark Theatre has struggled but may finally be on its way. Gallagher acknowledges the resort atmosphere at Turning Stone has helped its performance venues succeed in a way that other venues cannot. “Because we are a large resort with hotel


rooms and restaurants and golf courses and spas and other things for people to do, it gives us an ability to support an entertainment pro- gram that may give us an advantage over a stand-alone theater,” Gallagher says. “When you take a stand-alone venue like the Land- mark, it is a little bit harder for them.” The keys to survival for both the Stanley


and the Landmark are renovating their facili- ties to help them compete, and bringing in shows that would not work in the Turning Stone’s venues. To that end, the Stanley underwent a $20


million major renovation in 2008 that has helped the 2,903-seat venue become more marketable. The theater, which is roughly 20 miles east of the Turning Stone, raised about $13 million for the renovation from 600 or so donors, impressive for historically economi- cally depressed Utica. The project doubled the size of the theater’s stage and significantly improved the backstage loading area. A new performers’ lounge and a gallery corridor have also helped the Stanley attract larger produc- tions. John Faust, Stanley theater manager for the


past 30 years, says the staff is always looking ahead and keeping track of the changes they must make to survive. The renovations to the theater now make it a home for both local theatrical productions and touring Broadway shows. The Stanley, 259 Genesee St., presents 90 to 100 theatrical events a year on their newly expanded stage. The next renovation on their list is new seats for the auditorium. Faust is well aware of the competition


the Turning Stone has brought to the area. The Stanley used to be the go-to venue for country acts before the casino’s Event Center


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Gold standard: Currently undergoing a renovation project, the Landmark Theatre, like its Utica counterpart the Stanley Theatre, is also figuring out ways to compete with the venues at Turning Stone.


was built. Now most of the major country performers go to the casino. In fact, in 2009 the Turning Stone was named “Casino of the Year” by the Academy of Country Music. To be nominated for the award, the casino must have brought or promoted at least five country concerts during the previous year. As a result, the Stanley will most likely


never be able to bring in the same quality or number of country acts as in the past. Willie Nelson played there a couple of years ago but Faust believes they won’t be able to book any other country acts in the future. Rather, they seek to bring in acts that will


excite and educate their audience, such as the modern dance company Pilobolus, fitting the Stanley’s mantra of being “friendly, daring and fun.” “Part of our goal is to bring events that have strong artistic quality and raise the bar for what you expect to see,” Faust says. “We don’t want to be known just for the popular stuff, but also for artistic content. We have to brand ourselves. We are a center for art.” Bringing in shows like Pilobolus, Cirque


Dreams and Riverdance has helped the Stanley maintain its role as an important arts center. “We’ve had to find our own little niches,” Faust says. “For instance, Sesame Street Live will never play the casino for obvi- ous reasons, and most Broadway shows won’t play the casino. Religious events won’t take place there but we can have them here. Clas- sical music and comedians do very well here. We’re finding that those are the kinds of niche things we can do that the casino cannot.” Faust says the Stanley was hit pretty hard


last year by the Great Recession and lost a significant amount of money, especially in ticket sales. As a result, they are being more careful about the shows they present this year, with a focus on the commercial, forging part- nerships and acquiring sponsors from busi- nesses and local community members.


“This is a very generous, giving com-


munity,” Faust notes. “People like to support us because we are the gem of the Mohawk Valley.”


IMPROVING A LANDMARK The Landmark is about to undertake a


renovation project of its own set to begin in September. Executive director Denise Fresina DiRienzo says the ornate former movie palace at 362 S. Salina St. will be closed for the next year while workers expand the stage and build a two-story stage house to provide dressing room areas. She knows that making improve- ments to the theater is crucial. Interestingly, the Landmark’s board of trustees has looked to the Stanley for advice on the project. “Basically all of the historic theaters in


the United States are doing this,” DiRienzo says. “We were all built as moviehouses, but today’s technology has changed everything. Our theater is 82 years old and needs a new stage. We need to expand it to meet the demands of today’s tours. Our stage, being a moviehouse stage, is not meeting those demands.” The Landmark’s board has been trying


to make the theater the leading performing arts venue in Central New York for the past decade. New seats were installed in 2001 and the lobbies were renovated in 2003. Now it’s the stage’s turn. Future plans are to upgrade both the auditorium and the restrooms. The stage renovation is projected to cost


$16.3 million. The 2,948-seat theater received a Historic Preservation grant from New York state and federal money secured with the help of former Rep. James Walsh. A few private donors also pitched in. Plans to modernize the Landmark’s stage


have been discussed for more than a decade, but the project was slow to get started. The theater is a nationally registered landmark,


so proposals to change it require extensive review. Construction should have started a few months ago but was delayed while the state wrestled to pass a budget, which included $6.5 million for the Landmark. Once the stage renovations are complete,


DiRienzo plans to make the Landmark a destination for touring Broadway musicals, similar to the Stanley. In the past the Land- mark booked Chicago and Jesus Christ Super- star. In addition, she wants to book comedy shows, gospel plays, music performances and children’s shows. Paula Deckman, the president of the Land-


mark’s board of trustees, believes the touring Broadway shows that now play at the Mulroy Civic Center will find a new home at the Landmark. The Syracuse Symphony Orches- tra and Syracuse Opera are constantly using the Crouse-Hinds Theater, squeezing out other productions. The renovated Landmark, she believes, will be able to provide the time and space Broadway shows prefer. “The Civic Center has other in-house


productions and Broadway shows that need booking times for rehearsals,” Deckman says. “We will have the time and space for every- one, a theater that has acoustics that work and is artistic in design.” DiRienzo says she has not started planning a 2011-2012 season yet, but both she and Deckman are striking a confident pose. The Stanley has already made major


changes and continues bringing quality enter- tainment to the area. It appears the Landmark is at long last headed in the same direction. Within a year, the arts community in Syracuse may finally have the Landmark Theatre they have always wanted, and needed.


o Deandra Modica graduated from Niagara


University with a major in English and a minor in Writing. She is interested in music and has written for the Buffalo News website.


Syracuse New Times September 8 - 15, 2010 23


MICHAEL DAVIS PHOTO


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