Islip Cinemas

START WITH C OF C…

Could the Islip Theater have presented the most hilariously mismatched double feature of all time back in December 1964? See what you think:

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The ‘60s sure were a wacky time.

Hi,

I performed at this theater many times with many different bands (Spoonful-O-Blues many times, also with Kenny Baum and JoshuaLittleSteam and others), and everyone loved the place. The lobby has beautiful old time charm, the upstairs stage (where we played) sits around 300, and all the feedback we received from the audience was that they loved the venue as well. In fact, if anyone is interested, visit http://www.spoonful-o-blues.com/Islip_Pavilion.htm to see us on that stage (from near and far from the stage), and even a few pics from outside. Someone needs to jump in with the knowhow and make this place come alive again….. we would love to play there again (management tolds us we brought in a nice profit everytime we played there, in case anyone does get this charming place going again!) :–)

mrg83

[good for you], wasn’t a cut, if you read the last line
of your post “ i grew up in islip ”….and would hate
theater turned into something else etc.
it was the strong feelings you have for the islip theater and your town…as do i..see posts from feb 10th 2007…

good for you..but i don’t either…i wish clearview would take it over..they only have babylon in this county..has anyone heard whats going on…

If its Cinema Treasures page is correct, James Poro’s East Islip Theatre had already been open for a decade when he is supposed to have begun building the mystery theater in Islip itself. I can’t find any evidence that Poro’s theater on Main Street ever opened.

Here’s a puzzle for Islipers (Islipians? Islipites?) The January 19, 1946, issue of Boxoffice Magazine ran an article about a contretemps in Islip. Prudential Playhouses, a regional theater circuit, had broken ground for a movie theater on Main Street at Smith Avenue (which is the location of the Islip Theater.) A group of citizens protested the location, saying it was too close to churches and a school, and would generate too much traffic.

William Egelman, President of the Chamber of Commerce and spokesman for the theater’s opponents, denied that the opposition was motivated by the fact that James Poro, operator of the East Islip Theatre, was already building an 800 seat theater on Main Street a couple of blocks from the site of the proposed Prudential house, and it was scheduled to open in April.

Prudential said that they’d already gotten to go-ahead from the town authorities, that the town had originally approached them asking them to build in Islip, and that they had heard of no opposition from residents before breaking ground. Their spokesman added that they had been planning to build in Islip for four years, and that there was no ordinance prohibiting the construction of theaters near schools or churches.

So here’s the puzzle: As the Islip Theater is in the location Prudential wanted to build at (so they must have gone ahead with their project), what became of James Poro’s theater on Main Street? Did Islip support two theaters for a while? Did Poro decide to pull out of his theater project before Prudential’s house opened, and convert his building to some other use? Is the building he had under construction in 1946 still there, and can anybody identify its exact location?

The Google Maps satellite view of Islip shows only one building on Main Street about two blocks from this theater that looks large enough to have held an 800 seat theater, on the south side of the street opposite the end of Locust Avenue. Unfortunately, Google has no street view available for this location so I can’t check to see if the facade looks at all theater-like.

looks like our old friend marcalan glassberg has popped up again. it appears he has started a new life for himself as a teacher out in los angeles.

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I wish you luck. And a fence. And a couple of gorilla-like bouncers. I’d agree – if you run it real tight, you just might do it.

They closed the Epicenter of the Northern Hemisphere? Oh noooooo!

But seriously, Ryan, I really like the idea of it being a music venue, like a Webster Hall, perhaps? Bands playing, dancing, sometimes musical acts. That would be cool. But if you’re getting complaints enough to move the Fire Marshall, the Police Dept. AND the Town Attorney to shut down the place, what is it about your plans to get it back open again as a music venue that will not generate yet more complaints? Must be the neighbors doing the complaining, I’d imagine. So much for community support!

Just to let everyone here know, the Islip Theater has been closed down AGAIN. My name is Ryan Forsythe, I did a lot if not all of the booking of bands for the Islip Pavilion and Islip Theater. I am extremely sad to see the theater close again. The theater had become my Job and I loved to go there and help kids out by allowing them to play a show at a local venue. Sure, the place had tons of problems…it smelled horrible, the equipment was a disgrace, and the security issue is another story, but it was a great place and I hate to see it go. I am going to do everything I can to try to get it back up and running as a music venue.

Here is a mass email that I received from Mike Mckasty, the executive director of the theater:
Hello all,
I unfortunately have to inform everyone of the closing of The Islip Theater & Performing Arts Center.
We have made a significant effort on the parts of everyone involved to try and give this project a rebirth from the ashes of The Islip Pavilion, but the road uphill was too steep. We have tried to offer a place for the youth of Islip to congregate, but there were too many troubles associated with complaints. Notwithstanding, the Fire Marshall, the Police Dept. and the Town Attorney’s Office all called the building owner this week and told him to shut down or else be summonsed. The owner has waited the past year with no revenue from The Pavilion and is only now receiving funds from us. But the camel’s back is broken. And outside companies owed money from the Islip Pavilion are now threatening liens against the building for payment.
The troubles here are insurmountable. The current board is working on solutions and/or changes. We are seeking other venues for all our acts. Miracle on 34th Street will be performed at the rehearsal space within the 1st Congregational Church on 1st Ave. and Union Blvd. in Bayshore, once we confirm final permission. The rest of our filled calendar will be situated in another hall, theater, or movie house, once we complete those arrangements. We are hoping to find a similiar place nearby; there are some plans already underway, maybe even purchasing a “home” for us.
These are difficult times we are going through, but the talented crew we have housed here gives me hope that we can overcome this. People still need to escape the daily grind and be entertained.
This Phoenix will fly once again.

Mike McKasty
Executive Director
Islip Theater & Performing Arts Center

All,

I have already removed several comments posted over the past month and may revisit removing others. Unless you have court-sanctioned proof of malice, theft, etc., please DO NOT post innuendo or accusations about particular individuals. If you have a grievance, please take it to a court room.

Thank you,
Cinema Treasures

Cynthia,

One has to wonder exactly why this has had such an impact on you that it would cause you to spend so much time on these posts. Is this personal? You seem to know a LOT of details that the rest of the community is not privy to.