OUR STORY

Built in 1938 and designed by renowned theatre architect John Eberson, Schine's Auburn Theatre brought the sleek elegance of Streamline Moderne architecture to downtown Auburn, New York. For generations, Auburn came here for films, first dates, and nights out with family and friends, and many people in this community still carry memories of what happened inside it. After the theatre closed, the building endured years of deterioration. Two earlier groups worked to restore it, but neither was able to see the effort through. Along the way, a new roof was installed in 2018 and asbestos remediation was completed. Those steps protected the building and prepared it for what comes next, though much of the original interior has been lost.

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Schine On!, Inc. was founded in 2026 by Bree Kishman, who has spent 13 years co-managing and co-producing a touring concert production and working closely with performing arts centers and their technical teams across the country. She submitted a letter of intent to the City of Auburn to purchase the theatre and has since brought together a board with deep experience in theatre, nonprofit governance, real estate, and community leadership.

 

On September 15, 2026, 88 years to the day after the theatre's grand opening, Schine On! received IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our goal is to honor the theatre's history, restore its architectural character, and bring it back as a cultural destination for Auburn and the surrounding region. We know Auburn has waited a long time, so we are moving carefully and honestly, one step at a time, starting with a structural assessment and feasibility study. We will share what we learn as we learn it, and we hope you'll be part of it. Past in motion. Future in focus.