UPDATE: After Some Rough Years, Surflight Will Reopen Again This Summer

BEACH HAVEN, NJ - The historic and much-loved Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven will reopen its doors soon, on June 23, with a production of "Footloose."

The historic theater closed its doors two years ago due to financial problems.

New Jersey native Al Parinello purchased the 66-year-old theater back in February. The deal included the Show Place Ice Cream Parlour next store. Parinello who was the former owner of WJSE radio station, is a real estate investor, Broadway and movie producer and is the current lead producer for The Fantasticks in New York, said press director Gail Anderson.

Steve Steiner, a former artistic director of the Surflightuntil 2010 and a longtime artistic partner of Parinello, will return as producing artistic director. The theatre will reopen with the original mission of its founder, Joseph P. Hayes: a training ground for young artists in a supportive summer stock environment and to provide quality entertainment to the residents and vacationers of Long Beach Island, Anderson said.

Parinello’s offer for purchase was accepted in early February 2017.

Parinello signed a contract to buy the Long Beach Island landmark from TD Bank and wants to close on the theater by the beginning of April. He will rent the theater to former Surflight producing artistic director Steve Steiner.

Steiner he has already lined up the 2017 season, which will run from June to mid-September.

TD Bank purchased the property and adjacent buildings for $100 at an auction in Toms River in December of 2015, according to The Sandpaper.

TD Bank had the first lien on the theater. If anyone else had bid at the 2015 auction, they would have been responsible for the $4,067,123 owed to a number of creditors. But now they would only have to pay $2,014,604 to TD Bank, the primary lien holder.

Parinello's offer to buy the theater was accepted in early 2017.

Steve Steiner, a former artistic director until 2010 and a longtime artistic partner of Mr. Parinello, will return as producing artistic director.

Shows slated for the season include Footloose, which will run through July 9, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (July 11-23), Disney’s Newsies (July 25-August 13, Hairspray (August 15-27), Million Dollar Quartet August 29-September 10) and Home for the Holidays: A Surflight Celebration (Dec. 7-17). Concerts are still being booked but will include John Davidson (July 31), the Coasters, Drifters and Platters (August 7), and the New Millenium Jazz Band Plays The Sinatra Songbook (Nov. 25).

For more information, contact the Surflight Box Office beginning Wednesday March 8 at 609-492-9477. The website iswww.surflight.org. The address for ticket orders and donations is Surflight Theatre, P. O. Box 1155, Beach Haven, NJ 08008.

Single tickets for all Surflight shows go on sale April 1. Tickets may also be purchased at the Box office in person as of April 14th, 201 Engleside Avenue, Beach Haven, NJ 08008 .

Image: Patch file photo.