Steve Steiner and Group of Investors Present Plan to Keep Surflight Theatre Afloat

In response to Surflight Theatre filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Steve Steiner and a group of Investors have presented an offer to the Trustee, Jack McDonnell, Esq. overseeing the Chapter 7 dissolution bankruptcy of the Surflight Theatre. This plan and offer which includes a solid financial plan going forward to keep the institution viable for generations to come, also includes in the immediate future a full summer stock theatre season for 2015 including MainStage Shows, Children's Theatre, The ShowPlace Ice Cream Parlour and an Intern and Apprentice Program. The offer is in excess of the $1.9 million that TD Bank holds in a mortgage as the first lien holder.

Ocean Professional Theatre Company which has been operating successfully in Barnegat NJ since 2010 would be in residence at Surflight this summer with Steve Steiner as Artistic Director, Paula Hammons Sloan as Education Director and Resident Director/Choreographer, Andrew Foote as Assistant to the Artistic Director, and Gail Anderson as Production Manager. A new member of the team that represents the investors, Mr. Robert Van Naarden would be serving as Chief Financial Officer for the theatre immediately and going forward. Mr. Steiner and Mr. Van Naarden will be continuing the Artistic Mission of managing Surflight and keeping it viable and accessible as a community resource and artistic education institution for its 66th Season this summer and in years to come.

Surflight has launched and supported legions of Performers and Technicians who have been and are currently working full time in the theatrical profession while entertaining hundreds of thousands in the LBI area over the years, providing children's theatre for the generations of young audiences and has provided valuable arts education to thousands of children who live and or vacation in South Jersey. The ShowPlace Ice Cream Parlour is legendary in the area for its live entertainment while enjoying great ice cream.

Mr. Van Naarden and Mr. Steiner have prepared a very generous offer and plan to keep this cultural gem open, running and viable for years to come. While having already offered two proposals to the Trustee, at present it appears the Trustee has rejected these offers and may try to entice a developer to buy the property for building homes or condominiums. Clearly the Borough of Beach Haven along with the other towns on LBI have been very supportive of saving the Surflight and would oppose any such potential development especially in light of the very special place the Surflight has in the hearts and minds of the residents of LBI. Also, LBI needs the tremendous economic benefit Surflight brings to the community through theatergoers making purchases in many of the retails shops and restaurants on LBI.

Our group has just submitted a third proposal to purchase the Surflight which we hope will be acceptable to the Trustee. In that light we are asking you, the residents and vacationers of LBI, to come to our collective aid and make contact with the Trustee via phone calls and emails in support of our proposal so that we can still save the 2015 season and many more for decades to come.

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