The Art of the Showroom: Theaters and Nightlife in the Catskills

Once the premier vacation destination in the country, the Catskill Mountains were home to over 500 hotels and resorts, alongside thousands of bungalows, just a 90-mile journey from Manhattan. Renowned as the birthplace of American comedy, the region provided a stage for icons like Mel Brooks and Barbra Streisand, who honed their craft in venues ranging from humble wooden 'casinos' to lavish, midcentury Modern theaters. Influenced by the vibrancy of Los Angeles, Miami, and Palm Springs, renowned architects like Morris Lapidus were commissioned to design some of the Catskills’ most magnificent showrooms.

Inspired by the Catskills' vibrant showrooms during the height of the resort era and their subsequent fading into memory, Isaac Jeffreys seeks to revive the splendor of the past. Through carefully staged and precisely lit night scenes, he breathes life into the midcentury remnants, echoing an era of elegance and artifice. This talk will bring ticket holders through a unique moment in time, with previously unseen images from the famed era of celebrities, under-recognized architecture, and interior design–as well as contemporary photos–followed by a short Q&A.

You can find more information on Isaac's work at www.isaacjeffreys.com, or on his Instagram www.instagram.com/isaacjeffreys. In addition, he serves as the Visual Coordinator for The Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project, which is creating a comprehensive marker system that traverses the Catskill region along with an array of public programming and educational materials.

$15

Things To KnowAges 13 and older
Wheelchair accessible
Parking and handicap parking available
Restrooms are available
No smoking or e-cigarettes

Important InformationModernism Week Theater is located at the south end of the hotel’s central atrium.
Ample free public parking is available. Enter underground parking at Hyatt on Palm Canyon Drive or in the multi-level public garage across from the Palm Springs Art Museum.
The organizer of this event is Modernism Week CAMP Theater Activity.

Check-in LocationModernism Week Theater At CAMP
Hyatt Palm Springs
285 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262View Map

Photo Credits: Steingart Associates, Isaac Jeffreys {"locationAddressVisibility":"visible"}