The Roxy theater: a gem in downtown Potsdam
Michele Drake
Issue date: 2/26/10 Section: College Life
If you've ever walked into the village of Potsdam, you've noticed the Roxy Theater. The old fashioned billboard style marquise, framed in glowing yellow lights, tips you off that this is not your average corporate mega-plex. In fact, the Roxy has a unique history all its own. Built in 1950 and originally opened in 1952, the Roxy has operated under 4 owners and is still in business. By most standards, this is reason enough to call it a gem.
When the theatre opened for the first time in 1952, it offered 1,000 seats and a single screen. In 1977, the theatre converted to two screens, and in 2002, made the transition to the five-screen theatre that it remains today.
The Roxy is currently owned by Jeff Szot, who purchased it in 1981, adding it to the corporation JS Cinemas. JS Cinemas also currently owns the 56 Auto Drive-In, Massena Movieplex and the American Theatre in Canton. The Roxy is managed by Dave Rude, a Clarkson Alumni who met Mr. Szot at a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. A mutual interest in the film (probably illuminated by Mr. Rude's Rocky-themed costume) was the starting point of a now 30 year old friendship. Mr. Szot hired him on, and he worked part time at the theatre in the early 1980s. In 1984, he transferred to the Malone theatre where he held a management position for nearly twenty years.
The Roxy has been an asset to the college community for decades. If independent American or foreign films grab your interest, you should check out Cinema 10. Cinema 10 is a non-profit, volunteer group that aims to provide the town of Potsdam with a broad variety of films throughout each academic year. According to Holly Chambers, a Cinema 10 board member as well as SUNY Potsdam's Senior Assistant Librarian, Cinema 10 has been operating out of the Roxy since 1984. Each semester, the board votes for 10 independent American or foreign films that are scheduled to be shown once a week, Mondays at 7:15 p.m.
For those who appreciate music or stage theatre, the Roxy was also recently equipped with a satellite receiver in order to gain access to live broadcasts from The Metropolitan Opera in high definition as well as The National Theatre in the U.K. A recent addition to the Roxy includes a $20,000 sound system equipped with 6 channel sound.
When the theatre opened for the first time in 1952, it offered 1,000 seats and a single screen. In 1977, the theatre converted to two screens, and in 2002, made the transition to the five-screen theatre that it remains today.
The Roxy is currently owned by Jeff Szot, who purchased it in 1981, adding it to the corporation JS Cinemas. JS Cinemas also currently owns the 56 Auto Drive-In, Massena Movieplex and the American Theatre in Canton. The Roxy is managed by Dave Rude, a Clarkson Alumni who met Mr. Szot at a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. A mutual interest in the film (probably illuminated by Mr. Rude's Rocky-themed costume) was the starting point of a now 30 year old friendship. Mr. Szot hired him on, and he worked part time at the theatre in the early 1980s. In 1984, he transferred to the Malone theatre where he held a management position for nearly twenty years.
The Roxy has been an asset to the college community for decades. If independent American or foreign films grab your interest, you should check out Cinema 10. Cinema 10 is a non-profit, volunteer group that aims to provide the town of Potsdam with a broad variety of films throughout each academic year. According to Holly Chambers, a Cinema 10 board member as well as SUNY Potsdam's Senior Assistant Librarian, Cinema 10 has been operating out of the Roxy since 1984. Each semester, the board votes for 10 independent American or foreign films that are scheduled to be shown once a week, Mondays at 7:15 p.m.
For those who appreciate music or stage theatre, the Roxy was also recently equipped with a satellite receiver in order to gain access to live broadcasts from The Metropolitan Opera in high definition as well as The National Theatre in the U.K. A recent addition to the Roxy includes a $20,000 sound system equipped with 6 channel sound.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
charlie & Sharon Parslow
posted 2/26/10 @ 7:04 PM EST
Michelle, We would like to congratulate you on your first article. We thought it was very well researched and would make us want to see it.
Your Long Lake Friends,
Charlie & Sharon
Dave
posted 2/27/10 @ 1:19 PM EST
Not all the auditoriums are small. The largest has 209 seats and the smallest is 50. 3 of the 5 theatres are stadium style, only 2 have sloped floors. (Continued…)
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