The Orpheum Theatre has been a cherished cultural hub of the Hudson Valley for more than a century, with a legacy that encompasses nearly the entire history of the silver screen. Since 2021, Upstate Films, a local not-for-profit organization founded in 1972, has led a renovation of the theater. Central to this revival is the recent opening of ‘The Mark’—the theater’s new flagship Dolby Atmos-certified screening room designed by Highland, NY-based acoustic consulting and media systems designers WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group).
Reimagining a Hudson Valley
Originally built in 1908 as a roller rink and vaudeville theater before being converted for film screenings in 1918, the Orpheum was run by the Thornton family who lived in the neighborhood for 103 years, before being put on sale in 2019. Upstate Films rescued the theater in 2021, purchasing it and embarking upon a multi-year restoration process that includes The Mark. To date, the organization has invested more than $800,000 in improvements, environmental and safety interventions and upgrades. “When we arrived at the concept for The Mark—named for the late Mark Braunstein, a vocal champion of the Hudson Valley arts community—we saw the opportunity to bring a world-class screening room designed for the next generation of immersive cinematic experiences to the region,” said Upstate Films co-executive director Jason Silverman.
“[WSDG Founding Partner] John Storyk had a long history with Mark Braunstein, so it made perfect sense to partner with him and WSDG to design a new screening room named in honor of our departed friend.”
“Mark was a dear friend and colleague for decades,” shared Storyk. “He truly believed in the power of projects like these to lift up communities and bring art lovers together. We were honored to be included.”
The WSDG Design Team, consisting of Storyk, COO Joshua Morris, and project managers Adam Paiva and Alan Machado, approached the project with the vision of designing a modern, multi-use space that also paid a healthy respect to the Orpheum’s history and vintage aesthetic. “In historic buildings such as these, safeguarding their look and feel is a consideration that we take very seriously,” explained Morris. “We look to incorporate what we can into our designs and preserve what is already loved about these spaces.
“What was special about the Mark is that within that, we largely had a blank canvas wherein we could design this high-end immersive screening room and reimagine what it should look like for another century of audiences.”
Vintage Character, Modern Sound
The initial challenge in the design of the Mark was creating a space that could serve equally well for film screenings as it could for live events programming—two event types that have markedly different acoustic needs. After conducting careful acoustic measurement of the existing space, the WSDG team developed a balanced approach that would serve both. “Cinemas require a very controlled acoustic environment whereas with a live events space you want a bit more character and life in the room,” explained Paiva. “Given the desire to use the space for both, we designed the acoustic treatments for the room to provide that level of control while not totally sacrificing the natural character of the room.”
The team utilized the Mark’s existing vintage tin ceiling as a crucial low frequency absorber for the space. New (absorptive) seating and a variety of slotted, perforated wooden treatments, placed artfully on the side walls manage the space’s reflections for the desired acoustic effect. “Typically, in these spaces you see a lot of fabric absorption which was not what anyone wanted—we were looking for something to elevate the visual experience of the room,” said Morris. “It was a ‘risky’ design choice, perhaps, but it paid off both acoustically and aesthetically. Ultimately it adds a nice sparkle to the live sound without getting in the way of the cinema sound.”
The Mark’s Atmos-ready cinematic sound system is a full QSC Q-SYS system and was designed by fellow Saugerties resident and Dolby technician Dave Berti, who coordinated directly with WSDG on speaker specifications and placement. A separate live sound rig that supports the venue’s live events programming was also designed by the team and donated by Blaze Audio.
"The main challenge in the design phase was to match the original art deco style with the new acoustic treatments, incorporating all the infrastructure and modern equipment required for a new immersive sound system," Machado said. "The new acoustic treatments were crafted to integrate the theater's classical look, improving the listening experience for both movie and live exhibitions. Incorporating all the required speakers seemed to be an impossible task, but in the end all pieces came together and we were all very proud of the final result. It was a pleasure being part of such an interesting project, where art and history come together to give new life to a historical theater and honor a remarkable person, Mark Braunstein.”
Full Circle: Defining the Sound of Studios to Screening Rooms
Since officially opening its doors, Upstate Films has hosted a series of events that showcase the full powers of the new screening room. The latest is an upcoming screening taking place on Thursday, October 24, 2024, of ‘Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision’, a documentary about the creation of Hendrix’s personal studio that launched a new era of artist-owned recording spaces. The screening will be accompanied by a Q+A session with Storyk—the studio’s designer in 1969—alongside Hendrix engineer and longtime friend Eddie Kramer.
“The Mark has quickly become a destination for the region,” Silverman of Upstate Film said. “It’s rare, and wonderful, for a rural area to have a world-class venue like this, and our community has already shown their gratitude. We’ve had a comedy festival, live music with silent films, concerts, a series featuring classic musicals and all kinds of wonderful new films. It all works beautifully in the space."
“We’re thrilled to bring this event to the Mark,” added Storyk. “Being able to share the story of my first project while sitting in one of our most recent ones is a wonderful full-circle experience. It’s the perfect conclusion to a truly special project for WSDG that we have been privileged to have been involved in.”
