Tambra Dillon has worked at the Hudson, New York theater and arts organization since 2013, starting as a volunteer, then co-director, and becoming executive director in 2017. Built in 1855, Hudson Hall is considered New York’s oldest surviving theater. In addition to live performances, art exhibitions and artist residencies, it hosts a variety of community arts programs.
Speaking with WAMC Wednesday, Dillon says it was a bittersweet decision to step down, and while she’s still working out her next steps, it’s been on her mind for a few years now.
“I’ll turn 65, and I think it’s’ time for the generation to take it on and bring it to the next level," say Dillon. "I wanted to wait until I felt Hudson Hall was in a good position, and I feel we are."
Alongside founding Executive Director Gary Shiro, Dillon helped oversee the $9.5 million restoration of the historic opera house. The project opened the building for community in 2017, for the first time in more than 50 years.
Under Dillon’s leadership, Board President Paul Barrett says Hudson Hall has expanded its operations and programming, tripled its capacity and doubled its gallery space for art exhibitions.
“Just the level of achievement Tammy has demonstrated has far exceeded anything our board ever could have imagined," he says. "She’s brought the institution to a whole new level of experience for our members. Her time here, it’s just been truly transformative.”
Dillon specifically helped launch the annual Hudson Jazz Festival, Hudson Hall’s TedxHudson events, free movie screenings, and a workforce development program aimed at helping young people find careers in the arts.
Throughout, Dillon has pushed to establish Hudson Hall has a major opera destination. The theater has collaborated multiple times with local director R.B. Schlather for its “Handel on the Hudson” series. This month, it’ll be hosting productions of Handel’s “Giulio Cesare.”
A 2017 production of Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein’s opera “The Mother of Us All,” about the life of Susan B. Anthony, was named one of the best classical music performances of the year by the “New York Times.”
“Credit goes to R.B. and to Hudson Hall for having the gumption to actually pull off a project like that," says Dillon. "We didn’t have the budget for it and R.B. very creatively cast the entire opera from the community. We were all just incredibly surprised by its success, and how good it was.”
Dillon says she’s most proud of the community work Hudson Hall has been able to do over the years. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered many theaters in 2020, Dillon spearheaded Hudson’s Shared Streets Program, which restricted vehicle traffic to allow businesses to operate outdoors. She kept Hudson Hall open by offering timed tickets to its galleries, livestreaming performances, and offering “bubble” residencies allowing artists to work in isolation.
Barrett says that work was crucial to keeping Hudson Hall in good standing today.
“She’s leaving us in very good shape. She has a great staff, we’re on budget, she has stellar programming in place," says Barrett. "But of course, it’s a very sad day for us. We hate to see her go.”
Dillon says she is working with Hudson Hall’s Board of Directors to search for a successor and provide a smooth transition. Barrett says the organization will recognize Dillon at its annual Proprietor's Ball in June. For the sake of disclosure, Hudson Hall is a WAMC underwriter.
