Culinary Favorite Rich Paolo to Operate Bistro By the Sea, Opening This Year

Bill Hanney, Owner/Producer of Theatre By The Sea in Matunuck, RI announced today that local culinary favorite Rich Paolo from Pamfilio's Restaurant in Cumberland, RI will be operating the theater's on-site restaurant, Bistro By the Sea. The partnership is effective immediately and the restaurant will be in full operation for the 2015 theater season.

"When our previous restaurateur renter retired at the close of our 2014 season, we took several months to do an extensive search to find just the right partner to reopen the restaurant for our 2015 season," said Bill Hanney. "I am thrilled that we have entered into a long term lease with Rich Paolo from Pamfilio's Restaurant. Not only is Rich known for his terrific food at Pamfilio's, as well as his large catering operation to some of Rhode Island's most prestigious venues, but he also owns the popular summer ice cream parlor, Vanilla Bean, located right down the road from Theatre By The Sea. With strong ties to Matunuck, Rich and his family are ideal partners for the theater. It's a win-win for the theater and our audiences."

According to Paolo, he had been looking for another seasonal business to compliment his catering division. "Bistro By The Sea is the perfect gem we've been looking for, and we could not be happier to be partnering on this project in a community already so near and dear to us," revealed Paolo. "We are in the process of designing a creative menu that I think Theatre By The Sea's patrons will truly enjoy! We are also looking forward to continuing the tradition of offering a beautiful setting for weddings and other private events."

Theatre By The Sea opens its 2015 season on June 5, 2015 with Smokey Joe's Cafe, followed by My Fair Lady starring Charles Shaughnessy from June 26 through July 18, The Little Mermaid July 24 through August 15 and Young Frankenstein August 21 through September 6. For more information about Theatre By The Sea, visit www.theatrebythesea.com.

Theatre By The Sea has had many incarnations since opening in 1933. Tommy Brent saved the theater from demolition in 1967 and ran it successfully until FourQuest Entertainment took over the lease in 1988. Following extensive renovations that fall and winter, FourQuest reopened the theater in the spring of 1989 and continued producing Summer Theater at the seaside playhouse until the fall of 2003. Bill Hanney purchased the property in 2007and, with producing partners, successfully mounted a production of 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,' just six weeks later, reopening the historic theatre on August 8, 2007. Theatre By The Sea continues to produce a successful four-musical subscription season annually.

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