Theater has been alive in Somers Point since around the 1950's. Originally it started in a different building than where it stands today.  That building was once the Gateway Casino, then Orsatti's Casino before becoming the Gateway Playhouse. The building changed hands over the years evolving from a nightclub to a musical playhouse.  As a night club, it hosted performers such as Duke Ellington, Red Skeleton, Louie Prima and Vic Damone. As a successful summer playhouse, it held musicals such as “Kiss Me Kate” and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. Some of the stars appearing were Margaret Hamilton and John Barrymore, Jr.  Eventually the building was bought by the Prudential Company (1957) and the theater was moved to the site that is now the Gateway Playhouse.

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This building was originally called the Seaside Movie Theater, built in 1910.  It operated as a movie theater until the mid-1970s.  

The South Jersey Regional Theater is a nonprofit organization that purchased the Gateway Playhouse in 1977. Again productions were underway.  These included musicals, dramas and comedies.  

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South Jersey Regional Theater owned Gateway Playhouse for 29 years and in 2006 it was purchased by the city of Somers Point.  It has been closed since that time, due to the extent of needed repairs.  The city along with the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey hopes to revive it to a great community theater.  Currently, however, the Theater Collaborative of South Jersey is working on fund raising and obtaining donations for its rebirth, and the project has started in the past year.

Play Books

1977-1993