A Behind-the-Scenes guided walking tour of Proctors performing arts and entertainment complex is slated for Sunday, April 29th.

The April 29 tour includes:

• an informal, narrated history of Frederick Freeman Proctor and his impact on arts and entertainment in the extended Capital Region
• an overview of the architectural high points of the Proctors complex
• the new stage-house -- now three times larger than the original stage
• an insider’s look at backstage
• the star dressing rooms
• Proctors museum
• Robb Alley and the Underground at Proctors

Getting Started
At 10am, the free, open-to-the-public informational event will start in front of the Mainstage doors in the Golub Family Arcade and proceed to highpoints within the complex: backstage, dressing rooms, the GE Theatre at Proctors. The tour of the historic State Street site will include the recently opened Schenectady Heritage Visitors Center.

About the New Schenectady Heritage Area Visitors Center at Proctors
Proctors is now the site of a new Heritage Area Visitors Center. Local officials consider Proctors as the downtown area’s biggest visitor attraction; Proctors hosted 1,728 events last year attracting more than 600,000 people to downtown Schenectady.

“Placing the Visitors Center at Proctors makes perfect sense. Working together we’ve created a new and exciting environment in Schenectady County with Proctors as our centerpiece. This new Center will show all that we have to offer including thriving businesses, restaurants and theaters that our residents and visitors can enjoy,” said Judy Dagostino, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature.

The project will feature five areas that highlight the legacy of Schenectady area and alert visitors to the role that Schenectady plays in green energy and other emerging technologies. The five exhibit areas include History, Landmarks, Industry, Culture and Visionaries. 

The Visitors Center exhibits will employ state of the art digital print and TV technologies. The area will include enhanced lighting to highlight the area – and a new ceiling over and adjacent to the exhibits will create an intimate space to view and participate in the exhibits. The exhibit space will also include display racks to showcase marketing materials on various historic points and places of interest within Schenectady County and the Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway.

A unique feature of the Visitors Center is that it is designed to be a revolving exhibit, enabling Proctors to introduce new subject matter throughout the year. The exhibit panels are designed to be easily and cost effectively updated.

Responding to Visitor Requests
“With more and more visitors coming to downtown Schenectady during the summer months – and increased interest in the expanded Summer Season of events at Proctors -- it seems only natural to welcome those who have expressed an interest in wanting to know more about this historic place," says Marilyn Sassi, a longstanding members of Proctors History Committee and Volunteer Coordinator of the informal but informative walkabouts.

Informed, Experienced Guides
Marilyn Sassi facilitates all tours of the Proctors arts and entertainment complex; she schedules and conducts these informational gatherings in concert with a trained corps of committed volunteers.

Although she started her volunteer work as a member of The Theatre Guild at Proctors, over time she opted to combine her rich experience as a seasoned teacher specializing in material culture, architecture and area history with her enjoyment of people and love of Proctors. Ms. Sassi is a proactive contributor to Proctors History Committee.

All tours offer an informal glimpse of the entire facility, including the new Proctors Guild Room and Museum. These gatherings are always informal, fun and informative, says Ms. Sassi. “This informal event is enriched by questions, memories and interaction.

I always suggest that participants bring their friends and a camera.”