The Chance

The Chance
	Main entrance to the venue (c. 2008)
Former names	Dutchess Theatre (1912–26); Carroll Players Playhouse (1926–28); Playhouse Theatre (1928–30); Community Theater (1930–33); New Playhouse Theatre (1933–35); Astor Theater (1935–40); Starlight Theater (1940–45); Frivolous Sal's Last Chance Saloon (1970–77); The Chance (1980–present);
Address	6 Crannell St; Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-3306
Location	Downtown Poughkeepsie
Owner	Chai Developers
Capacity	900
Opened	July 23, 1912
Closed	1945–70; 1977–80;
Website
	thechancetheater.com

The Chance is a concert and theater complex located in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York. The complex consists of four rooms: the Chance Theater, which is the primary concert hall; The Loft, a smaller upstairs concert hall; The Platinum Lounge, a downstairs bar-nightclub; and The Nuddy Irishmen, a downstairs cafe-bar.

History

The theater opened in 1912 under the name the "Carroll Players Playhouse", and in 1928, changed its name to the "Playhouse Theatre". It primarily featured older silent films in its early days. The theater closed in 1945, but reopened once more in 1970 when Larry Plover turned the film stages into a music venue named Frivolous Sal's Last Chance Saloon. It was also closed from 1977 through 1980, finally changing its name to The Chance. The theater is owned by Frank Pallett, who purchased the venue in 1994.^[1]

The theater now has its own radio show, which airs internationally on iHeartRadio and local dial WBWZ.

The theater has held no events since October 29, 2023.^[2]

Dave Price listed this as one of the "Top 10 things" he "loved about Poughkeepsie" in a 2005 Poughkeepsie Journal article.