Ray Charles, Engelbert Humperdinck, ballet and drama troupes, and international pop stars all performed on the iconic stage of the Millennium Theatre in Brighton Beach before its financial fall from grace, but the once-abandoned movie house is making a stunning comeback — with a new name, a new look, and a new innovator behind the scenes.
Director Sanna Ezri’s role in trying to make the Master Theater a local Lincoln Center is as illustrious as the million-dollar makeover she and her brother lavished on the historic venue after taking over its lease three years ago, transforming it into a state-of-the-art auditorium with a gourmet supermarket on the ground floor, described by gastronomes as the Lexus of food shops.
“Well-known artists refused to come here and my job was to let producers know that we’re back in business,” says the Uzbekistan native whose family owns the NetCost supermarket chain.
Ezri’s managerial skills, paired with Brooklyn’s rising cachet as a cool cultural destination, attracted performers who might otherwise have given Kings County the royal brush off.
“We are bringing people who would never have thought they would have a concert or event here,” says the Woman of Distinction, 47, whose spring gigs included the World Championship Kickboxing Battle of the Millennium, and famous folk musicians and ballet dancers from the Motherland.
Ezri locates producers, recruits acts, signs contracts, and supervises every last detail on performance days, yet she is equally diligent about making Master an area oasis where veterans can enjoy a free concert, children can learn about their cultural roots through Russian-language shows, and borough schools can hold their graduations.
The theater is a household name among ex-Soviets and a vital connecting point for culture vultures, claims Raisa Chernina, founder of the Be Proud Foundation.
“It’s a place where Russians can discover their American neighbors and talent, and Americans can discover their Russian neighbors and talent,” says Chernina. “It’s like a bridge between our two communities, and Sanna has helped to make that happen.”
Ezri plans to expand the mutual appreciation society with a proposed Russian heritage museum to highlight the contributions of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, and trace their emigration around the world — just as soon as she can find a location for her ambitious archive.
“Americans might be surprised to know that the founder of the famous American footwear brand Timberland was an immigrant from Russia, and the creator of the Chevy Corvette was the son of Russian immigrants,” says the honoree, who worked with historians and genealogists to help trace the Russian ancestry of, among others, Steven Spielberg, whose forefathers emigrated from the Ukraine; Leonardo DiCaprio, whose maternal grandmother was Russian; and “I Dream of Jeannie” creator Sidney Sheldon, whose parents hailed from the old country.
Ezri’s personal knowledge of the immigrant experience is a masterful asset as she helps a once-defunct show hall shine on the local stage.
“This space is very important to Russian-speaking people,” she says. “It makes them feel like they are proud members of a strong community.”
OCCUPATION: Director.
COMPANY: Master Theater.
CLAIM TO FAME: I try to brighten people’s lives in Brighton.
FAVORITE PLACE: My home.
WOMAN I ADMIRE: Hillary Clinton because of her strength, grace, and family pride.
MOTTO: Life is tough, get a helmet.
