Summer and Fall Photo Workshops 2023

May 25, 2023May 25, 2023 / Matt / Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be hosting a photography workshop at the Fox West Theatre in Trinidad, Colorado, on October 21, 2023. Here’s a bit about the theater –

The Fox Theatre in Trinidad, Colorado, made its grand debut on March 16, 1908, showcasing the stage play “The Bondman.” Over the years, it served as a versatile venue for a variety of performances, including stage shows, vaudeville acts, opera, and silent films. It closed in 2013, making it one of the longest running single screen theaters in the country.

I spent around 8 hours photographing the place, and it wasn’t enough. There’s just too much to see.

For more info and to sign up visit:

https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/foxwestworkshop1021

View from the upper balcony of the Sorg Opera House.

Another new addition is the Sorg Opera House in Middletown, Ohio on September 30, 2023. This workshop was originally going to happen before the pandemic, and I’m happy it’s finally taking place.

It originally opened in the 1890s. The Sorg began showing early forms of motion pictures in 1901 and switched to films full time in the late 1920s. It is currently owned by the SORG (Sorg Opera Revitalization Group), who have performed much needed renovations on parts of the theater.

For more on the theater check out my post from 2018: https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2018/10/25/sorg-opera-house-middletown-ohio/

To sign up for the workshop visit:

https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/sorgoperahouseworkshop

Finally, by popular demand – there will be another workshop at the Paramount Theatre in Springfield, MA on July 29, 2023. It’s one of my favorite workshop locations, and I’m glad it’s back in the rotation.

To sign up visit: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/paramountworkshop72023

For the rest of the 2023 workshop schedule check out:

https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops

Midwest Photo Workshops

March 23, 2023 / Matt / Leave a comment

View from the middle balcony of the Emery Theatre.

I’ve got two new photo workshop locations for 2023. The first is the Emery Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 24, 2023, and the second is the Imperial Theatre in Cincinnati on June 25, 2023. I’ve got a few more new locations in the works, but I don’t expect those to happen before the fall.

Here’s the current workshop line up:

Franklin Park Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

April 16, 2023

The Theatre: The Franklin Park Theatre opened on December 8, 1914 in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It was designed by Boston architectural firm Funk and Wilcox, who also designed the nearby Strand Theatre. It was turned into a church in 1963.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2014/10/08/franklin-park-theatre/

Cost: $110

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/franklinparktheatreworkshop

Paramount Theatre

Location: Springfield, MA

Date/Time: April 29, 2023

The Theatre: The Paramount Theater (also known as the Julia Sanderson Theater and The Hippodrome) opened in 1926. Built at a cost of $1 million (13 million when adjusted for inflation), it was the most ornate theater in western Massachusetts. The Paramount closed after being used as a nightclub for a few years. It is currently scheduled to undergo a renovation and reopen as a performing arts center.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2017/10/27/paramount-theatre-springfield-ma/

Cost: $110.00

Tickets: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/paramountworkshopapril2023

Emery Theatre

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Date/Time: June 24, 2023

The Theatre: Built as part of the Ohio Mechanics Institute, the Emery Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio opened on January 6, 1912 as the Emery Auditorium. It was one of four “acoustically perfect” concert halls whose design was inspired by the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, IL. The other three were the Orchestra Hall, also in Chicago, Carnegie Hall in New York, and the Orchestra Hall in Detroit, MI. It was recently sold for $8.55 million to local developers who intend to restore the building. The restoration costs are estimated at around $30 million and will take about three years to complete.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2021/05/24/emery-theatre-cincinnati-ohio/

Cost: $125.00

Tickets: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/emery-theatre-623

Imperal Theatre

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Date/Time: June 25, 2023

The Theatre: The Imperial is a 700 seat theater that opened in 1913. it closed in the 70s and was used as a mattress store for until the late 2000s. The current owner is looking to restore and reopen it.

Cost: $70

Tickets: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/imperialtheatre625

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

August 26, 2023

The Theatre: The Strand Theatre opened on November 11, 1918, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It was designed by Boston architectural firm Funk and Wilcox, who also designed the nearby Franklin Park Theatre. It is currently used for live events, and has air conditioning, which makes it a perfect theater for workshop in August.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2022/04/08/strand-theatre-boston-ma/

Cost: $75.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/strand-theatre-workshop-boston-ma

Photo Workshops 2023

January 11, 2023March 6, 2023 / Matt / 1 Comment

Franklin Park Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

April 16, 2023

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2014/10/08/franklin-park-theatre/

Cost: $110

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/franklinparktheatreworkshop

The Franklin Park is one of my favorite workshop locations. A theater from the balcony, and a church from the orchestra level. Plus, it’s got some crazy fire damage, and a piano covered in mushrooms.

Auditorium of the “Grant” Theatre.

Grant Theatre

Location: South of Boston, MA

Date/Time:

April 29, 2023

The Theatre: The Grant opened in the early 1900s as a vaudeville theater, and was eventually divided into 2 separate theaters. It’s been closed for several years with no plans to reopen it.

Cost: $65.00

Tickets: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/granttheatre2023

***At the request of the owner, the real name and location of this theater will be disclosed only to workshop attendees. ***

Strand Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

August 26, 2023

The Theatre: The Strand Theatre opened on November 11, 1918, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It was designed by Boston architectural firm Funk and Wilcox, who also designed the nearby Franklin Park Theatre. It is currently used for live events.

Cost: $70.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/strand-theatre-workshop-boston-ma

The Strand is an active theater with decay. It’s got air conditioning, so it’s perfect for a late summer workshop.

I’m currently working on a package workshop for some mid western theaters. It will probably take place in June, and I’ll post about it when the dates are set. Hope everyone is having a great 2023!

Summer and Fall Workshops 2022

June 22, 2022June 22, 2022 / Matt / 2 Comments

Strand Theatre Auditorium

Here are the dates and locations for the next four After the Final Curtain photo workshops. I’m very excited about the Strand Theatre, which is an active theater, so it’ll be nice and cool inside.

A long exposure of the Everett Square Theatre auditorium.

The projection booth at the Everett Square Theatre.

Everett Square Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

July 16, 2022

The Theatre: The Everett Square Theatre opened in 1915 in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It was designed by Boston architect Harry M. Ramsay for the Littlefield Trust, the original owner of the theater. For more information, visit: https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2014/08/05/everett-square-theatre/

Cost: $50.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/everett-square-theatre-workshop

The Everett was an early movie house and is perfect if you’ve never been on a workshop before. I keep the groups small here, and we tend to experiment with lighting as seen in the first photo of the theater posted above.

Strand Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

August 21, 2022

Cost: $70.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/strand-theatre-workshop-boston-ma

The Strand is an active theater with decay. This workshop was originally planned for January 2022, but was delayed because of Vincent van Gogh (seriously.) The afternoon session is already almost sold out.

Auditorium of the “Grant” Theatre.

Grant Theatre

Location: South of Boston, MA

Date/Time:

September 17, 2022

The Theatre: The Grant opened in the early 1900s as a vaudeville theater, and was eventually divided into 2 separate theaters. It’s been closed for several years with no plans to reopen it.

Cost: $75.00

Tickets: https://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/granttheatre2022

***At the request of the owner the real name and location of this theater will be disclosed only to workshop attendees***

Franklin Park Theatre

Location: Boston, MA

Date/Time:

October 15, 2022

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/2014/10/08/franklin-park-theatre/

Cost: $110

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/franklinparktheatreworkshop

The Franklin Park is one of my favorite workshop locations. Where else can you get a theater and a church all in one? (That’s a rhetorical question. Please don’t answer.)

And that’s it for 2022 workshops. Maybe. I’m always working on new locations and I’ve got a new one that may happen in late fall. Followers of my Patreon will know about it before anyone else. If there are some locations I’ve done in the past that you’d like another workshop at – let me know.

2021 Workshops Part 1

February 22, 2021 / Matt / 4 Comments

Auditorium, Victory Theatre Holyoke, MA.

Here’s the workshop lineup for the first half of 2021. All of the workshops are limited in size and masks are required due to the ongoing pandemic.

Orchestra Level, Orpheum Theatre – New Bedford, MA.

First up is a return to the Orpheum Theatre in New Bedford, MA on May 1, 2021. This is one of my favorite workshops as there is so much to shoot. A theater, a ballroom, and a shooting range. To sign up visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/orpheum-theatre-workshop

Auditorium, Everett Square Theatre – Boston, MA.

Up next is the Everett Square Theatre in Hyde Park, MA on May 15, 2021. This is a great one for people who haven’t photographed anything abandoned before. It’s a smaller theater, but still has a lot of great details. To sign up visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/everett-square-theatre-workshop

Auditorium, Victory Theatre Holyoke, MA

Next is one I haven’t done for a few years – The Victory Theatre in Holyoke, MA on June 12, 2021. The Victory was one of the first theaters I photographed, and the first one I held a workshop at back in 2014. To sign up visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/victory-theatre-workshop

Auditorium, Colonial Theatre – Augusta, Maine.July 24, 2021, is a return to the Colonial Theatre in Augusta, Maine. When I first photographed this theater there was a giant hole in the middle of the auditorium, luckily that has been fixed and it’s much easier to move around the place. To sign up visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/colonial-theatre

Auditorium, Goodwill Theatre – Johnson City, NY

I had a workshop planned for the Goodwill Theatre in Johnson City, NY in April 2020 but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m still working with the owners on finalizing a date but it should be sometime in the Spring of 2021. I will put out an update the second the date is locked.

There are other locations in the works (outside of the New England area) but that announcement will have to wait for another day.

Photo Workshops 2019

January 21, 2019January 20, 2019 / Matt / Leave a comment

Orpheum Theatre – New Bedford, MA

Here are the first three locations for the 2019 photo workshop season:

First up is a return to the Orpheum Theatre in New Bedford, MA on February 23, 2019. The Orpheum was the first theater profiled on After the Final Curtain, and the past workshops have been great. Attendees will be able to photograph the auditorium, ballroom and shooting range. You can find out more information and sign up here.

Everett Square Theatre – Boston, MA.

Next is the Everett Square Theatre in Boston, MA on March 30, 2019. The Everett is a smaller theater, and a great place for someone who is just starting to photograph abandoned spaces. Due to the theaters size attendance is limited to 7 people per session. For more information and to sign up visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/everett-square-theatre-workshop

Auditorium, Colonial Theatre Augusta, Maine

Finally, the Colonial Theatre in Augusta, Maine on April 27, 2019. It opened in 1913, and closed in the 1960s. There’s a group looking to restore the theater, and they’ve done quite a bit of work (including fixing a giant hole in the auditorium floor.) This will be the first workshop at the Colonial, and I’m excited for all of you to see it in person. For more information visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/colonial-theatre

I’m still waiting on confirmation for three more new workshop locations for early 2019. I don’t want to say much about them until I get the go ahead, but two of them are active theaters. Hopefully, I’ll be able to announce them very soon.

2019

January 14, 2019 / Matt / 5 Comments

2019 is going to be a big year for After the Final Curtain. First, in December 2019 it will be 10 years since I first photographed the Loew’s Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY and kicked off the project that turned into After the Final Curtain. Second, I’ve been hard at work on the follow up to 2016’s After the Final Curtain: The Fall of the American Movie Theater, which should be out later this year. I’m going to set up a book tour around the release of the book, so if there are any places you’d like me to stop at be sure to let me know!

Third, I’ll be announcing the first photography workshops of 2019 in the next few days. I’m just waiting on confirmation from two of the new locations.

Thanks for following my work and I hope you all are having a happy 2019.

Upcoming Events

May 2, 2018May 17, 2018 / Matt / 2 Comments

Auditorium, Bennett School – Millbrook, NY 2004.

I’m happy to announce that I’ll be at the 10th annual Millbrook Literary Festival in Millbrook, New York on May 19th, 2018. I’ll be signing copies of my books in the main tent from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. I grew up a few towns over from Millbrook, and might have snuck into the abandoned Bennett School a time or two.

Variety Theatre Cleveland, Ohio.

The next photography workshop is at one of my favorite theaters – the Variety Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m co-hosting it with Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America on June 16th. For more info visit: http://www.dismantlingthedream.com/product-page/variety-theatre-photography-workshop

View of the side of the balcony of the Colonial Theatre in Augusta, Maine.

Finally, I’ll be at the 14th annual Books in Boothbay in Boothbay, Maine on July 14. I’ll be signing copies of my books from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM.

Fall Photo Workshops

September 13, 2017September 11, 2017 / Matt / Leave a comment

I’ve added two more photo workshops to the fall season. The Grand Theatre in Steubenville, Ohio and the Paramount Theatre in Springfield, MA. Both theaters are full of amazing details to photograph, and I’ll be on hand to help you out with any questions you might have. All levels of photographer, from beginner to expert, are welcome.

Balcony, Grand Theatre Steubenville, Ohio

Grand Theatre Workshop

Location: Steubenville, Ohio

Date/Time:
October 15, 2017 (Session 1) 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM and (Session 2) 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Cost: $50.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/grand-theatre-steubenville-ohio-workshop

Paramount Theatre – Springfield, MA.

Paramount Theatre

Location: Springfield, MA

Date/Time: November 4, 2017 (Session 1) 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM, (Session 2) 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Cost: $100.00

Tickets: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/paramount-theatre-workshop

Past workshops I co-hosted raised thousands to help the theaters with maintenance, and other expenses. However, these are solo workshops, which means that more money will be going to the owners to help the theaters. While the money from these workshops will never be enough to save a theater, but every little bit helps.

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at: Matt@mlambrosphotography.com

Photo Workshops 2017

August 16, 2017September 11, 2017 / Matt / 1 Comment

Everett Square Theatre – Boston, MA.

I’ll be hosting a photography workshop at the Everett Square Theatre in Boston, MA on September 30, 2017. This will be a little different from the past workshops because the theater is a bit smaller than some I’ve held workshops in. Because of that I’m limiting the amount of people per session to six. Each session will be 2.5 hours long.

The first session will be from 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM and the second session will be from 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Each session will cost $35 to attend, and a portion of that goes directly to the owner to help maintain the building. You can both attend both sessions if you’d like more time in the theater. I look forward to seeing some of you (and the pictures you’ll take) at the theater!

To sign up for the workshop visit: http://www.mlambrosphotography.com/workshops/

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at: Matt@mlambrosphotography.com