shines again!
Neither Hurricane Sandy nor a failed restructuring in 2013 could completely wash away the small, but mighty
Surflight Theatre on the Jersey shore. After two years of being dark while passionate, dedicated people tried to bring back the light, it re-opened last June.
"WE did it! We're back! What a year!," says Artistic Director Steve Steiner, who also held that position from 1998 to 2010. "We are the only ones doing what we do in this area."
What they are doing to recover is gathering many volunteers, raising many funds, and fixing things like ceilings, lighting, and drywall.
A classic summer stock 450 seat theatre in a tourist town, Surflight has housing next door, plus
scene, costume, and paint shops, and an ice cream parlor where singing servers entertain guests and raise money.
Steiner credits a few smart strategies for their popularity and resurgence."We partner with restaurants so people can buy lunch or dinner and a ticket. I'd be happy to talk to anyone about how that works." He also mentions keeping prices reasonable, having interns work specific areas of the theatre they are studying, having great plays, and "no service charges," he explains. "They bug the heck out of people. We build that into the price of the ticket."
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