Ocean State Theatre Company, the not-for-profit producing entity at Theatre By The Sea, along with Bill Hanney, the current owner of the historic property, note with sorrow the recent passing of Tommy Brent, who produced shows for over two decades at the seaside playhouse.
Mr. Brent was first introduced to Theatre By The Sea in the late 1940s, when he was involved with a documentary about theaters in New England. He returned in 1958 for a one year stint as a press agent for the theater. Ten years later, after learning that the theater was destined for demolition, Mr. Brent took over the management of the theater and produced over 100 musicals and plays from 1967 through 1988.Mr. Brent credited himself with saving the theater twice - once from demolition in 1966 and the second time in 2007 by bringing Amiee Turner, Joel Kipper, and Bill Hanney together to reopen the theatre. After FourQuest Entertainment, Theatre By The Sea's owners and producers from 1989-2003, decided to discontinue producing theatre, Mr. Brent was very concerned that the theater might not ever reopen - fearing it would be demolished in favor of building single family homes on the nearly six acres the theater occupies.Videos