ABOUT US

Dear Friends,

In 2008 the Catskill Mountain Foundation entered into its second decade with an ambitious goal: to transform our community into a pre-eminent culture and arts destination that will attract visitors from across the United States and the world, year after year.

Highlights of our 2009 Performance Schedule

2009 will include a host of exciting live performances at the CMF. Besides the expanded schedule of Family Performances our audiences will be treated to concerts by the Catskill Mountain Chamber Orchestra, Early Music New York, Shumei Taiko Drummers, The Fred Thomas Band and Amy Fradon and Leslie Ritter, theatrical gems from Theater 1010 and award-winning actor/director/playwright Frank Ferrante.

Facilities

In May, the Doctorow Center for the Arts saw the instillation of a brand new floor and beautiful theater seats in the Evelyn Weisberg Music Hall. The art center includes the Pleshakov Piano Museum, expanded to include a number of historical pianos new to the collection, the Evelyn Weisberg Music Hall, and two movie theaters that show the best of Hollywood, independent and foreign films, film festivals and other film programs. The highlight of our 2009 season includes a performance by the National Dance Institute.

We are also hard at work on the renovation of the Orpheum Theater in Tannersville. This new facility will provide us with a professional performing arts space to present dance, theater and other performances that require a large stage, wing space, professional theatrical lighting, and dressing rooms. We know that this will have a dramatic impact on the level of performances we can present. We have planned our 2009 Annual Benefit to be held at the Orpheum Theater in Tannersville as a sneak preview of this wonderful space. If you have driven through Tannersville recently, you can see that we are tripling the size of the building from its original 4,000 square feet to 12,500 square feet which includes the addition of the stage house, artists dressing rooms and lobby, all of which are attached to the original movie theater. Please visit our website at www. catskillmtn.org for updates on the Orpheum Theater during the coming year.

Sugar Maples Center for Arts and Education

In addition to our performing arts season in 2009, Sugar Maples Center for Arts and Education will offer an expanded schedule of workshops for adults and children during the spring, summer and fall. Last year our enrollment at Sugar Maples increased by almost 50%, and our youth program grew rapidly, with many local children benefiting from our scholarship program. For more information on our Sugar Maples programs please view complete course catalog.

Literary Arts

In the Literary Arts, poet and publisher Carolyn Bennett has created a Readers and Writers Series including a wide range of writers from the region and beyond. Past year's series included a number of poets from the area plus nationally recognized writer Francine Prose and celebrated actress and author Debra Winger. Please consult our website as writers and dates are regularly added to this program.

We invite you to visit our Kaaterskill Fine Arts Gallery, Village Square Bookstore, Fresh Harvest Market and Cafe, and Business Resource Center at Hunter Village Square in Hunter. We are delighted with the expanded array of items available at HVS, and we think you will be too.

Tickets to Performances

As always, you can purchase tickets for our performances at our gallery in Hunter Village Square, on our website or you can reserve tickets over the phone by calling our dedicated ticket reservation number, 518 263 2063. We look forward to seeing you at our events in the coming year.

Sincerely,
Peter Finn, Chairman
Sarah Finn, President