[Capdist-announce] PRESSS RELEASE: Ancram Opera House to Become the Ancram Center for the Arts

[Gail Burns]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 8, 2022

CONTACT: pr at ancramoperahouse.org

PRESS PHOTOS: https://tinyurl.com/3m6v6pj4


ANCRAM OPERA HOUSE TO BECOME THE ANCRAM CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Neighboring property in historic hamlet to provide space for community
workshops, audience gatherings, and artist/intern housing

ANCRAM, NY [September 8, 2022] - Ancram Opera House introduces The Ancram
Center for the Arts as they expand their campus to include a community
meeting room, outdoor areas for audience gatherings pre- and post-show, and
housing for artists and interns. A volunteer clean-up day and
ground-breaking ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 24.

New York City and Hillsdale-based Ackert Architecture PC has created a
design to link the newly acquired property at 1326 County Route 7, to be
known as The Annex, with the existing Opera House in ways that are
historically sensitive and which integrate current standards for
accessibility in both buildings, to create the Ancram Center for the Arts.
Both buildings are zoned within Ancram’s Central Business District and are
close to the hamlet’s main intersection.

“This expansion is in direct response to community requests for expanded
programming and opportunities,” AOH co-director Jeffrey Mousseau explained.
“It reflects our already thriving programs, a commitment to sustaining
them, and  an investment in our future as a vital  resource for Ancram and
beyond.”

“This project represents so much exciting progress for Ancram, and we
really feel the community’s support behind us,”  AOH co-director Paul
Ricciardi added.  “We hope everyone will join in and help us create this
really needed community space for all.”

The ground-breaking ceremony,  which is open to the public, kicks off at
2:30 pm, AOH board chair Cathy Redlich, Ancram Town Supervisor Art Bassin,
Assemblymember Didi Barrett, and Mousseau and Ricciardi will all make brief
remarks. Weather permitting this will be an outdoor event.

Volunteers are welcome - no experience necessary - for shifts from noon-2
pm and 2-4 pm. Gloves, dust masks, hard hats (kindly donated by
Herrington’s Lumber), water and snacks provided. To get involved, email
info at ancramoperahouse.org.

This restoration project is supported in part by a grant from New York
State Homes and Community Renewal’s New York Main Street program.



The 1,300 square foot, two story post-and-beam structure is believed to
have been constructed by descendants of the Livingston family in 1780. It
has been vacant for some time, but is structurally sound.

The Ancram Center for the Arts will be fully accessible. The current
administrative office on the main floor of the Opera House will be
converted into an ADA compliant restroom. Ramps, other walkways, and
approaches will be designed to provide improved accessibility throughout.

Additional housing for artists and interns will allow Mousseau and
Ricciardi to offer opportunities to a larger and more diverse group. “There
is a lack of affordable housing in the area so we will offer housing right
on the campus,” Mousseau explained. “That simple amenity will enable us to
provide opportunities to a broader and more diverse group, not just people
who can afford to commute or to rent temporary housing in Columbia County.”


The HVAC system will be replaced to achieve exceptional levels in
ventilation and air purification. Last, but not least, the project will
address and improve the parking.

Artistically, Mousseau and Ricciardi are committed to community engagement,
providing the historic hamlet of Ancram and the surrounding rural area with
opportunities to connect through the arts and educational programs.

They also want to position the Ancram Center for the Arts at the forefront
in the development of bold new performances for the American theater,
created by artists of diverse backgrounds. A commitment to fostering
diversity and inclusion in the arts is central to their work; and AOH has
welcomed extraordinary artists as Heather Christian, Diana Oh, Stew, and
Taylor Mac as they developed new projects.

Mousseau and Ricciardi took over operations for AOH in 2016, transforming
it into a professional non-profit theater, starting out with few resources
beyond their passion and determination. Over six seasons, including two
pandemic years, they have garnered acclaim from audiences and been the
recipient of a Berkshire Theater Critics’ Award.

 In 2021, Ancram Opera House produced 90 events, including productions,
concerts, and workshops reaching approximately 1,700 individuals through
live and virtual offerings. Half of all events were free, consistent with a
commitment  to making theater accessible to all.

Now, AOH activities extend to eight  months of the year, creating
opportunities for artists to develop and  showcase new work, presenting
concerts and readings, and producing two fully-staged theatrical
productions each year. Riccardi helms an original storytelling program
which is now an established part of the curriculum at the Taconic Hills
School, supporting their literacy development programs for middle-school
students.

2022 SPONSORS

The 2022 season at the Ancram Opera House is made possible by the New York
State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor
and the New York State Legislature.

The Ancram Center for the Arts restoration project is supported in part by
a grant from New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s New York Main
Street program.



LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Ancram Center is located on unceded,  ancestral lands of the
Muh-he-con-ne-ok,  the Peoples of the Waters That Are Never  Still, and
overlooks the Roeliff Jansen Kill,  which was once called the Sonkippog
(cooling water). We pay tribute to and honor the  history of those who
precede us here.

ABOUT THE ANCRAM OPERA HOUSE

Located in southern Columbia County, the Ancram Opera House presents a mix
of contemporary theatre, alternative cabaret, and community programs. The
Opera House was erected in 1927 as  Grange #955, a chapter of the National
Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, a  movement founded shortly after the
Civil  War to advance methods of agriculture  and address the needs of
farmers. In 1972,  the grange was repurposed as a performance  hall
presenting operatic fare.  AOH offers audiences a unique opportunity to
directly engage, up close, with visionary theatre artists at the top of
their field who are rarely seen in our region. For more information visit
www.ancramoperahouse.org.

###

Gail M. Burns (she/her)
Press Representative, Ancram Opera House
pr at ancramoperahouse.org
Gail's phone: 413-458-4246
AOH phone: 518-329-0114
https://www.ancramoperahouse.org
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