Hudson Valley Group Itineraries

Grand entertainment facility built during the Great Depression; diverse offering of musical performances, children’s events, classic movies on the big screen, & nostalgic acts fill each season.

Free, outdoor summer theatre; 900-seat amphitheater faces the lake house.

Offering dance, film, music, & theatre; capacity to show 3-D, wide-screen films; vibrant arcade; eating; & shopping.

A Short History of Proctors

What began as a vaudeville theatre in the early 20th century is now the Capital Region’s destination for major Broadway shows, cutting-edge film festivals, exciting special events, and everything in between.

Built in 1926 by F. F. Proctor, the “Dean of Vaudeville,” Proctors on State Street in Schenectady was a popular theatre that used a method of continuous performance to draw huge crowds and numerous famous vaudevillians of that era. In 1930, Proctors hosted the first public demonstration of television with the help of General Electric. However, the arrival of this exciting invention and the onset of the Great Depression led to the decline of the theatre, and Proctors was closed for decades.

After changing hands multiple times and almost being torn down in the 1970s, a group of concerned citizens banded together to save Proctors. This group, known as the Arts Center & Theatre of Schenectady (ACT), worked tirelessly to repair the theatre and held a fundraiser to save the property. With federal and city funds, ACT was able to restore Proctors and re-open in 1979 for a trial season. Since then, Proctors has proven its value to the community and gained momentum, and has become the motivating factor for the revitalization of Schenectady’s downtown area.

Over the past decade, Proctors has expanded and made numerous renovations, which have made it possible to accommodate large Broadway productions, giant screen films, local performers, and ever-growing audiences from around the country.

Dedicated to providing the best arts offerings and a showcase for NYS artists in a very unique building.

The construction of The Egg began in 1966 and was completed twelve years later in 1978. The Egg was designed by Wallace Harrison for all the people of New York State and to accommodate many events and performances.

Architecturally, The Egg is without precedent. From a distance it seems as much a sculpture as a building. Though it appears to sit on the main platform, the stem that holds The Egg actually goes down through six stories deep into the Earth. The Egg keeps its shape by wearing a girdle - a heavily reinforced concrete beam that was poured along with the rest of the shell. This beam helps transmit The Egg's weight onto the supporting pedestal and gives the structure an ageless durability that belies its nickname.

The Egg houses two theatres - the Lewis A. Swyer Theatre and the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre. Seating 450, the Swyer Theatre is used for chamber music concerts, cabaret, lectures, multimedia presentations, solo performers and a majority of educational programming. With a seating capacity of 982, the Hart Theatre is used for larger productions including musical theatre, dance and music concerts. Wrapping around fully half The Egg is a lounge area for the Hart theatre. This space is ideal for seminars, receptions, after theatre parties and small cabaret type performances.

The building's curved exterior defines the interior statement as well. There are virtually no straight lines or harsh corners inside The Egg. Instead, walls along the edge curve upward to meet gently concave ceiling light for celestial effect. The backs of performing areas are fanned - inviting one inward - providing an intimacy impossible in a conventional theatre. And throughout, walls of Swiss pearwood veneer add warmth and enhance the acoustics in the theatres.

Visually distinctive, yet ingenious The Egg is a beautiful synthesis of form and function. We invite you to use it for your organization - and hope you visit and enjoy it frequently.

• Comedy Dance Family Film Music Theatre

Multi-purpose facility with adaptable seating of 6,000-17,500; hosts a variety of events: concerts, family shows, sporting events, & trade shows.