By Krystle J. Bailey
The rich history behind Gateway Playhouse Theatre in Somers Point makes its recent rebirth awe-inspiring. The theatre has stood the test of time. The building has served as a home to countless musical productions, a silent movie house, a movie theatre, and so much more. Originally built as a warehouse around 1910, the Gateway Playhouse has gone through several renovations and changes since its inception over 100 years ago.
Live performances were reintroduced at Gateway in 1976 under the ownership of Producer Paul Aiken Jr. until his passing in 1999. As the building began to show its age, it was purchased by the City of Somers Point and closed due to structural concerns.
Enter the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey, stage left.
The Theatre Collaborative was established to restore the glory at Gateway Playhouse and bring musical productions back to the Jersey Shore. Several board members including James Dalfonso and Karen Sutherland, who had previously performed at Gateway, gathered their resources to bring back their hometown theatre. Along with executive director Keith Cooper, who was working in New York City on Broadway at the time, the Gateway Playhouse rescue-team was formed.
The team of four worked together, attending city council meetings and coming up with a plan to restore the theatre. They ultimately were able to purchase the property for near pennies with the caveat that the building would have to be entirely rebuilt from the ground up.
Fundraising began full speed ahead including participation in the Pepsi Refresh Project, matching grants from Shore Medical Center, generous donations from Jim and Isabel Allen, and the help of the community.
Eventually, the theatre reconstruction team raised enough money to begin renovation. After a grueling 10 years and $1.3 million, the Gateway Playhouse reopened its doors in 2017 with a performance by Andrea McArdle, the original Annie.
The Gateway Playhouse was operating in full swing, entirely debt free, with a regular lineup of shows. Right up until COVID shut everything down, which took a great toll on the theatre industry. The board of directors, volunteers, and staff at Gateway Playhouse are cautiously optimistic as the doors are reopened this summer.
Under the direction of Philip Pallito, they’ve relaunched the Gateway to the Arts summer intensive educational program. Gateway to the Arts is a program created to empower the youth through theatre. Students, ranging from ages 9-18, are taught how the role of art and theatre can help them to become better all-around people.
What goes into education during the summer intensive is far beyond the performance itself. They are taught about stage dynamics and the technology that goes into a production. Throughout the summer, students are offered valuable life lessons such as how to listen to people, trust their team members, and show up for one another. Each summer, the intensive program culminates in several live performances.
This summer, the groups will be working on a production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma as well as Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.
The staff at Gateway Playhouse, who have all worked in show business in some capacity, are inspired year after year, as they pass their knowledge and experience to the next generation of theatre enthusiasts.
Beyond the summer intensive performances, Gateway Playhouse offers year-round entertainment. Shows include monthly open mic style, piano bar nights featuring pianist Michael McAssey as well as an upcoming performance by Joe Conklin and The City Rhythm Orchestra.
This August, Gateway will host three productions of Beatlemania Now!
Get involved, buy tickets, and learn more about Gateway Playhouse at www.Gatewaybythebay.org.
Stay connected on social media:
@Gatewaybythebay on Instagram
Gateway Playhouse on Facebook
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet
KrystleJBailey.com
