The Room Where Laughter Happens: Architecture & the Comedy of the Catskills

The Stage as the Star: Architecture, Comedy, and the Borscht Belt Space

The casino at Grossinger’s. The legendary nightclub at the Concord. The makeshift stage tucked behind a boathouse. In the Catskills, place mattered.

The physical architecture of the mountains did more than just house an audience; it shaped the very soul of American comedy. From the timing of a punchline to the intimate, high-stakes energy of a crowded room, the "spatial genius" of the resort era was a critical ingredient in the Borscht Belt experience.

Join us for a deep-dive panel discussion featuring historians, architects, and performing artists as we explore the rooms that built the legends.

Featuring:

Alex Prizgintas (Historian & Musician): A powerhouse of Hudson Valley preservation, Alex is the President of the Woodbury Historical Society and the Town Historian of both Woodbury and Tuxedo. A Marist College alumnus and board member of the Association of Public Historians of NYS, Alex brings an academic and archival passion to the history of regional landscape architecture and community identity.

Ross Padluck is an architect, author, and foremost authority on the architectural legacy of the Catskills. He is the author of Catskill Resorts: Lost Architecture of Paradise, a definitive work that chronicles the rise and fall of the great vacation empires of the Borscht Belt. Through his deep research and rich collection of archival photographs, postcards, and blueprints, Ross preserves the memory of iconic mid-century marvels like Grossinger’s, the Concord, and the Nevele. As an architect, he brings a unique, technical eye to how the design of lavish lobbies, massive dining halls, and legendary nightclubs shaped the social fabric and entertainment culture of twentieth-century New York.

Moderated by Barry Lewis

Location: The Hunt Memorial Building | 2 Liberty Street

Experience New York Comedy, Cuisine, & Culture

July 24 - 26, 2026 in the heart of The Catskills!