Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven, NJ is facing a severe financial crisis and we, the Surflight Board of Trustees, are coming to you for your help. We must raise $500,000 by October 31 or, sadly, the doors to the landmark non-profit theatre and Show Place Ice Cream Parlour will close.
Recently, we made the decision to change the theatre’s producing and artistic management in an effort to address the rapidly deteriorating financial situation. In doing so, we had one immediate goal – to attract a seasoned producer with expertise in financial controls, fundraising, and producing shows of the highest quality.
That goal was met in attracting Roy Miller, a Surflight alumnus. On Broadway, he produced West Side Story (2009 Tony nomination for Best Revival & Grammy Award winner for Best Cast Album), The Drowsy Chaperone (winner of five Tony Awards), and The Pee-wee Herman Show (opening October 26) amongst others. Roy also produced over eighty shows at Paper Mill Playhouse back in the heyday of the acclaimed non-profit Millburn, NJ theatre, with such notables as Kristin Chenoweth, Chita Rivera, Ann Miller, Betty Buckley, Deborah Gibson, Judd Hirsch, and Ben Vereen. Roy’s combined Broadway and non-profit experience will attract A-list talent and, along with other innovative changes, take the Surflight experience to an exciting new level.
This is very encouraging news, but after finding our new Producer, further investigation revealed that our financial situation is far worse than initially thought and can only be described as dire.
Since coming onboard, Roy has donated his first year’s salary because of his deep affection for Surflight. He immediately appointed Timothy Laczynski, a specialist in finance and operations for start-up ventures and also a producer of The Pee-wee Herman Show, as Chief Financial Officer. Timothy joins Roy in donating his salary in an effort to save our beloved Surflight Theatre. Roy also enlisted top Broadway publicist Charlie Siedenburg, who has strong ties in New Jersey, having worked at Paper Mill with Roy for many years.
As Surflight’s Board of Trustees, we have also contributed financially to this cause. We also met with TD Bank, which holds Surflight’s bonds, and they generously agreed to a six-month moratorium on the bonds’ principal payments. All said, it is still not enough to get us through this financial crisis.
After 61 years, Surflight w ill cease to operate. •
TD Bank will foreclose on the property. •
Our valued and supportive local vendors will be left with unpaid • bills.
Surflight’s education programs will no longer be available to hun• dreds of interns and local students.
Senior citizens groups will no longer have an affordable source of • entertainment.
Children will no longer have Surflight’s children’s theatre perfor• mances available to them.
Families will no longer be able to enjoy Show Place Ice Cream • Parlour and its talented singing waiters and waitresses.
Hundreds of jobs at Surflight Theatre and Show Place, one of the • area’s largest employers, will disappear along with the opportunity for actors and artisans to learn their craft – many Surflight alumni have gone on to successful careers on Broadway and in film and television.
To summarize, should Surflight Theatre and Show Place Ice Cream Parlour cease to exist, the overall economic impact will be devastating.
Surflight Theatre has served the community well. Please make your tax-deductible contribution now to ensure Surflight’s future as we step into a new and exciting era at Surflight.
There are several ways for you to make your tax-deductible contribution:
Go to our website www.surflight.org and click on the DONATE NOW • button.
Stop by or call the box office at 609-492-9477, ext. 1. •
For additional information or questions, call Development Director Brooke Salvanto at 609-290-9034.
On behalf of everyone at Surflight Theatre, we thank you in advance for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely, Surflight Theatre Board of Trustees
