Talk:Theatre Three
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Theatre Three was founded in the very late 1960s. (Its website says 1969.)
As I recall, it was actually a sort-of "spinoff" from the Brookhaven Lab Theater Group at in general, and from the very successful series of on-site revues called "Showstoppers", in particular. These productions directed by Jerry Friedman (a BNL programmer who occupied the office across the hall from mine, in the Applied Mathematics Dept.) Jerry later left BNL to study psychology at Stony Brook, later earning his doctorate and setting up a practice.
Some time after "Showstoppers" was taken "on the road" with great success, Theatre Three was formed. My understanding was that the "Three" was for the "Three Village" area, where the group was located - in various locations - before obtaining the current building; however, I am not certain about the name.
In the early days of Theater Three, many BNL Theater Group regulars were involved, including Ronny & Julie Peierls, Bob Marr, Graham Campbell, Mike Losquadro, and others (including myself).
Bradlee Bing, a teacher at Longwood High School (just outside BNL) later became "Artistic Director" of Theatre Three. Other teachers were involved, but I don't think the name came from that. (If "three teachers" can be verified as the origin of the name, then I apologize for removing it and ask that it be restored.)
I'd be glad to supply further information and history (party from my collection of old programs, etc.) My email address is bam@abcdunlimited.com
Tripodics 22:00, 30 August 2007 (UTC)
Further info from http://cinematreasures.org/theater/9563/
Theater Three was built in 1874 as Town Hall. It later became a roller skating rink, before becoming a movie theater known as the Port Jefferson Theater. In the late 1970s it became Theater Three, a place for live performances all year long. If you pay for your ticket you will still see the projection room. Mostly Theater Three has musicals, although there have been some non-musical productions.
Contributed by Alan G. Wasenius
Tripodics 22:01, 30 August 2007 (UTC)
In my talks with Bradlee Bing (who was my teacher at Longwood High School, funny you mention), he indicated that there were two other teachers with him who started the place. One of those was Carl Verdi, who after teaching for some years became the principal of Longwood Middle School until retiring a few years ago. Bing's story was that he ran the upstairs while Verdi ran the downstairs (i.e., the bar, now "Griswold's Café" and the Second Stage at Theatre Three.) He did mention a third person, but I can't seem to remember details. Never one to take Bing's word as gospel, I haven't changed back your edit. I'd like to see if there's any evidence of how the group was formed exactly. I've worked there a couple of times and talked with the current artistic director, Jeff Sanzel, who's been there a while, but he hasn't offered up any information. Jeff was a teacher, too. And so was Brent Erlanson, I believe, who has been there a long time as well.
Maybe someday I'll have time to ask them more about it. Thanks for your information! - Kevin F. Story (talk) 03:03, 24 December 2007 (UTC)
