The executive director of the Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York, Chris Silva has been a theater founder, director, producer, manager and script developer. After college graduation, he founded the Eureka Theatre in a San Francisco commune. That theater went on to present the world premiere of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America.” A move to New York led to working as associate director at Joe Papp’s Public Theatre and to later taking over management of the Chelsea Theatre Center. The list of boldfaced names he’s worked with (and continues to meet in his present position) is long and impressive, and even though he’s rubbed elbows with some of the greatest performers of our time, he still delights in meeting them.
Photo by Jennifer May
I’m from the West Coast, Bay Area, and went to San Francisco State. Starting a theater in college was a great training ground for me. I learned every single aspect of putting on a show. In 1979 I joined my then-girlfriend who was touring with a big band, acting as the road manager, but it was an insane way of life. I left the tour to visit a friend in New York and realized the city was the place to be. I stayed in New York for 10 or 11 years. I founded a nonprofit arm of the Westside Arts Theatre called New Writers at the Westside and developed new works for scores of playwrights, including Arthur Miller, David Mamet and Wallace Shawn. It was a great time, and I was proud that I always made my living in the theater, even if it meant working two or three [theater] jobs at a time. I met my wife, Casey Kurtti, in New York. She’s a writer, and one of her plays that I produced, “Three Ways Home” got purchased for the movies. In 1989, with the money from that sale we moved to Stone Ridge, New York; Casey had gone to SUNY New Paltz so she knew the area. I freelanced in the Hudson Valley, and also had some good adventures working in Cuba, Berlin and other places. In 1994 I applied for the position of executive director at the Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston, New York, but ended up getting the same position at the Bardavon. Ironically, in 2006 we took over the management of UPAC, so I ended up with both jobs. We also manage and present the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and book for the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington. Last year we opened the Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, and recently finished a $20-million renovation of both the Bardavon and UPAC. When it comes to booking, we look for any opportunity that comes along. Agents know us, so some things fall in our laps, and sometimes we pursue them. For instance, Bob Dylan’s agent contacted us about 10 years ago, mysteriously asking us if we had a certain time available for his client to rehearse. He wouldn’t reveal that it was Dylan, although he recited some lyrics that gave me a clue. Dylan came and rehearsed with his band, and they liked us, because we totally protected them. They came back a second time and did the same thing. I got to sit in the wings and listen to Dylan create new music. He and I had talks about urban development, a topic that interests both of us. I was thrilled. He came a third time, and it was like we’d never met. But we had gotten to know the tour manager and everybody in the band. So when I called them to see if they’d play the opening of the Hutton Brickyards, they agreed. We had two sold-out concerts. It’s exciting meet with great artists. Eddie Izzard was so funny backstage I didn’t want him to go on stage. David Sedaris cannot not be funny. Itzhak Perlman is a punmeister. When the artists are wonderful, it’s a wonderful situation for everyone working backstage.
