The Capitol Theatre’s Centennial Year Inspires New Work by Local Cartoonist

PORT CHESTER, NY - As The Capitol Theatre celebrates its 100th anniversary, the Port Chester venue has marked its centennial year with a growing collection of original artwork created by local cartoonist and educator Phil Lohmeyer. Earlier this year, Lohmeyer created two black-and-white ink illustrations celebrating the historic venue, including an exterior theater scene and an interior concert scene capturing the energy of a live performance. The drawings grew out of a freestyle illustration style Lohmeyer developed earlier in his career, filling scenes with dozens of small characters, visual jokes, and details to discover.

The project expanded this fall when The Capitol Theatre invited Lohmeyer to bring his artwork into the streetscape with a seasonal mural across three of its front windows. Painted directly onto the glass, the mural transitions from autumn into winter through squirrels, music, leaves, snow, and more. “The Cap has so much personality and history, giving me endless material to draw from,” Lohmeyer said. “I love seeing people stop, look closely, and find different details!” Stefanie May of The Capitol Theatre said, “Phil was the perfect artist for this project. He understood The Cap’s aesthetic, personality, and spirit, and brought all of that to life. We’re excited to have connected with Phil, and this has been such a fun collaboration. We look forward to working together on many more projects for years to come.”

Lohmeyer is the creator of “The Comic Tree,” a cartooning and comic-making brand through which he teaches children how to develop original characters and stories through art. He is also a Middle School MYP Design teacher at Whitby School in Greenwich, CT, and regularly brings cartooning programs to schools, libraries, and community programs throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties. Lohmeyer will lead cartooning workshops at The Rye Arts Center in December, introducing young artists to character design and visual storytelling. The Capitol Theatre project brings Lohmeyer’s cartooning into a public setting, connecting visual art with the venue’s music, history and surrounding community. For more about The Comic Tree, visit www.thecomictree.com, and for more on The Capitol Theatre, visit www.thecapitoltheatre.com.