The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie to Close, Final Show planned for October 28

October 28 will be your last chance to catch a show at Poughkeepsie’s famed The Chance Theatre, as the venue is slated to close, with Mike Robinson of Rolling Stones tribute band 50 Amp Fuse headlining what is billed as “the final show at the Legendary Chance theater.” 

the chance poughkeepsie
photo by Mickey Deneher

Shows lined up from mid-September through late October will mark the final at a venue that has been a staple of Poughkeepsie for over 110 years.

Axl Rose performing with Guns n Roses at The Chance, 1987

Located at 6 Crannell Street in Poughkeepsie, the 17,000 sq ft building was built in 1912 was first named the Dutchess Theatre – and later the Carol Players Playhouse and Playhouse Theatre, as ownership changed hands during the 1920s – originally designed with vaudeville performers and silent movie screenings in mind. 

The building would be closed following World War Two, and from 1945 to 1970 the theatre became a storage facility. The venue would reopen in 1970 when Larry Plover opened “Sal’s Last Chance Saloon,” turning the old vaudeville theatre into a music venue until 1977. The name was shortened to “The Chance” in 1980, when Peter Francese re-opened the venue. 

the chance poughkeepsie

In 1994 Frank Pallett acquired The Chance, bringing the venue to new heights with an incredible array of classic and contemporary rock bands to the Hudson Valley. Pallett passed away in 2021, and his sister and business partner, Carolyn Brophy, died a short time later, putting the future of the building, already listed for sale, in jeopardy.

Everlast performing at The Chance

The list of artists that have performed at The Chance sets the legacy for this venue on solid footing: The Police, The Ramones, Muddy Waters, Pete Seeger, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ace Frehley, The Band (numerous times), Guns n Roses, Motorhead, Rob Zombie, Fozzy, Hatebreed, Sevendust, Shadows Fall, Soundgarden, Candiria, Slayer, Breaking Benjamin, Phish, Coheed and Cambria, moe. (New Year’s Eve 1999) R.E.M., Metallica, Charles Mingus, Cyndi Lauper and hundreds more.

In August 2023, CR Properties, the listing agent for the theater, announced the sale to Chai Developers, headed up by CFO Berry Kohn, who have been purchasing other buildings throughout Poughkeepsie, with a focus on Main Street. But they plan to renovate and rejuvenate The Chance, making it a centerpiece of a revitalization effort.

the chance poughkeepsie

Among work that is slated to be done to The Chance include, new electric, lighting, mechanical components and the addition of a proper backstage area, as well as maintaining the building aesthetic while increasing capacity to make the theater more profitable. While there are no solid plans, they could involve moving the entrance and rentals for private shows.

the chance poughkeepsie

Chai Developers does believe that the wait for what comes of The Chance and downtown Poughkeepsie will be worth it, saying “It’s gonna be something that will surprise a few people with what we’re willing to do there.”

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