About Us
Our building has been part of Westhampton Beach for over three generations. In June of 1933, former Governor Alfred E. Smith was on hand for the opening of Prudential’s Westhampton Theatre as a movie theater. The building was later purchased by United Artists and was changed to a single-theater movie house. However, by the mid-1990’s, it was determined that the theater was “not financially viable.” The United Artist Theatre was set to be demolished.
From Dream to Curtain Rising
In 1996, a group of concerned village residents and business owners, led by investor Len Conway and retailer Lon Sabella, stepped forward with the intention of buying the movie theater from United Artists.
The movement to create a performing arts space out of a shuttered movie theater has been a labor of love. Nearly 70 people came forward with tens of thousands of dollars to support the theater purchase. The new group, Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Inc, bought the rundown theater for $300,000 in May 1997. In the course of only a year, volunteers raised 60 percent of the $2.8 million needed to transform the building into a state-of-the-art facility.
Among the major donations, the Mollie Parnis Livingston Foundation made a $250,000 gift. The Center’s auditorium is named in honor of the internationally acclaimed fashion designer.
The early fundraising success facilitated the retention of nationally recognized theater consultant Robert Lorelli, whose projects include New York’s Carnegie Hall. He developed the design and engineering requirements for the theater’s sound, lighting and rigging systems and related equipment. Skilled architects and area residents Jay Sears and Robert Gruber donated their services and designed key aspects of the building and its finish.
Within hours of the closing, construction crews were already gutting the facility. The general contractor, Remsenburg resident Roger Stevens, part-owner of Island Companies, provided his services at cost. In just seven months, his company completed renovating the theater. This included the installation of a new stage, orchestra pit and seating areas, as well as re-wiring the entire building. Numerous in-kind contributions of labor, services and materials saved the Center several hundred thousand dollars in costs.
The building plans delicately balanced the old with the new, maintaining the theater’s old world charm and installing new technically advanced systems, handicapped access and fire safety upgrades. When the renovation began in November 1997, architectural details were removed for safekeeping, and molds were cast for reproduction. Sconces and chandeliers from the auditorium and the lobby’s wood details were saved and restored and the period marquee was completely refurbished.
Throughout the process, the community was the backbone of the fund-raising effort. More than half the cost of the entire renovation project came from residents and business owners. And on July 4, 1998, the new Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center reopened its doors to the public.
The Center also had help from many elected officials, both past and present. State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle, former U.S. Congressman Michael Forbes, New York Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Jr., former Suffolk County Legislator George Guldi, and present Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman. They help us keep the lights on and the curtains up.
Despite an aggressive and successful fund-raising campaign, the board was still forced to borrow nearly $1.6 million from North Fork Bank when the theater reopened in 1998, raising the total amount of the two loans to about $1.8 million. The board started paying down the interest and principal after reopening in July 1997, and made its last payment in June 2005. But in order to stay in business, the Center must raise more than half its budget each year since ticket sales only cover half of the costs of running the theater.
From Community Resource to Regional Performing Arts Center
With each passing season, we’ve grown. Our year-round program includes shows from world-class performers, our World Cinema series, and the region’s finest year-round Arts Education Program.
As we’ve expanded our program, our reach has extended both eastward and westward. From Montauk to Manhattan, our patrons agree that we have a jewel of a theater. Come and experience it for yourself!
Mission
The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center is a year-round, community-based, not-for-profit 501(c)3 arts organization, founded in 1997, that serves patrons on the East End and beyond. We are a vibrant venue committed to providing a greater understanding and appreciation of the arts and meeting the cultural aspiration of the area by:
- Presenting world-class performing arts, music, dance, comedy and cinema from around the world.
- Providing premier arts education programs to the widest and most diverse audiences, regardless of socio-economic status.
- Contributing positively to the local economy and enriching the community’s quality of life.
Board of Directors
- James Kuhn, Chairman
- Catherine Schumacher, Vice Chairwoman
- Robert Dieckmann, Treasurer
- Melissa Stoller, Secretary
- Anthony Bonner
- Lon Dolber
- Raymond Dowd
- Alice Geismar
- Cynthia Hochman
- Lisa Kaufman
- Stanley Komaroff
- Aimee Fitzpatrick Martin
- Kathleen Musnicki
- Marcus Stinchi
- Denise Tanzman
Honorary Board
- Matt Blank
- Gerry Byrne
- Len Conway
- Elizabeth Failing *
- Susan Lucci
- Jack Rovner
- Lon Sabella
- Roger Stevens *
Cultural Equity Council
The Cultural Equity Council ("CEC") is a cohort of community members who have committed themselves to the intentional inclusivity and diversification in cultural and socially conscious programming at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Council members represent intersectional identities such as people of color, LGBTQIA+, allies, and various professional narratives both theatrical and otherwise.
- Ellie Eichenlaub
- Yubal Maquez Fleites
- Tijuana Fulford
- Nicole Gebler
- Justin Harris, Staff Liaison/Facilitator
- Huck Hirsch
- Ana Kestler
- Russell Malbrough
- Mariana Montesdeoca
- Nikki Schettino
- Tara Smith
- Susan Toliver
Staff
Julienne Penza-Boone
Executive Director
Frank Russell
Director of Production & Facilities
Allison Frost
Director of Sales & Volunteers
Christine Alford
Director of Development
Tiffany Attardo
Finance Director
Heather Draskin
Director of Marketing & Communications
Justin Harris
Arts Academy Director
Taylor Duff
Arts Academy Manager
Box Office
Sales & Ticketing Information
Eric Kehl
Assistant Director of Operations
Faculty
Justin Harris
Arts Academy Director
Justin is a Tony Award Honorable Mention and versatile East End teaching artist and performer with a deep background in theater, holding an extensive resume as a director, choreographer, and actor. He is a Brown University graduate in Neuroscience who also studied acting, music, and dance, and has worked with organizations like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Taylor Duff
Arts Academy Manager
Bio coming soon.
Peter A. Pece
Accompanist
Dr. Peter Pece is an accomplished Neuromusicologist with 49 years of experience in education at Stony Brook University and a professional musician who has served as a musical director for numerous productions and composed neoclassical music. His work bridges music, neurological function, and education, including therapeutic applications for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Fred Raimondo
Teaching Artist
Singer-songwriter Fred Raimondo is a Long Island fixture who has been writing songs for over 30 years, regularly performing at local venues, and is currently recording his third solo album, Cinema, with a Grammy-winning producer. His previous albums, Stories From The Dark Heart Tavern and Little Flower, received critical acclaim, charting on the top 25 Folk album charts.
Kasia Klimiuk
Teaching Artist
Kasia Klimiuk is a New York-based arts educator, director, and performer with a Master's degree in Applied Theatre and over 25 years of performance experience across various mediums. She is the co-founder and producer of Our Fabulous Variety Show, which has produced over 26 theatrical productions on Long Island, and also serves as the Teeny Awards Coordinator for East End Arts.
Leisa Taylor
Teaching Artist
Bio coming soon.
Our Partners
Media Partners
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Government Partners
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Corporate Partners
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