Do You Remember this Theatre?
Hello, PCMC members! We need your help in gathering information about the Surfside Theatre. In the collection, we have a program and invitation to the theatre’s production of Rashomon, which made its Broadway debut in 1959.
Where was the Surfside Theatre located? What was its association with the military? When was this specific play performed?
Theatre program, cover
Theatre program, contents
Invitation
Author
12 Comments
Beatriz
I remember going to the Surfside teather it was located in Amador, I was very young around 10 years old. It was inside the Amador Base, near the Smithsonian Institute. I dont recal who administrated it. http://www.czimages.com/CZMemories/Lifemag/lm6.htm. I found the “Unites States Treaties and Other International Agreements, Volumen33, Tema 1”. There is a mention of the Surfside Theater located at Naos Island. It seems it was under the military administration.
Lee Paris CS3
https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Library/NCR/note7.html In 1932 they constructed a theatre on Fort Amador that included a stage but the name is not given I was stationed at the 15th Naval District that ran just before you got to Ft. Amador.1948/1930 but we never went to Amador except to go to the beach. The Admin building and Galley was just this side of the golf course.
Beatriz
I remember that movie theater. I even went there a few years ago. It was all broken with no doors. Surfside was at Naos. Naos is the island where Smithsonian is located. I remember the Surfside Sign long after the americans left, the sign was there. You can check it out here on the treaties agreement. https://books.google.com.pa/books?id=n559BTeMBIsC&pg=PA396&lpg=PA396&dq=surfside+theater+amador&source=bl&ots=d8mgnjqdkI&sig=ACfU3U3qjpNo5OO5yGRWweYupA9dFkEvcA&hl=es-419&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_rOrkqsfiAhWHslkKHV1GAIUQ6AEwDHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=surfside%20theater%20amador&f=false
Beatriz
Check this webpage: https://www.boem.gov/ESPIS/3/3664.pdf page 387 there is a picture of the Theater and a insert that says “Surfside Theater-Naos Island Marine Laboratory” On page 385 says in the last sentence of the first paragraph: “However, STRI was able to renovate a nearby unoccupied building at Naos obtained through an interagency transfer from the U.S. militay, the “Surfside Theater” (Figure B.2). At page 387 you have it!
Jaime Fung-Casiano
do you know the name of the exact article or book where the surfside theater image appears on this website? the link seems to be broken. Anyone has a picture of this theater? i’m trying to compile a book and haven’t had any luck finding pictures of it
Jaime
are there any pictures or information with regards to the old movie theater in amador?
Adele Griffin
I was 10 years old and in a production of The Children’s Hour by Liliam Hellman that was staged at Surfside in 1980. It was a dinner theater, a sunken amphitheater. Frank Conwoy was the director of that play and others. I was a military kid and lived on the Atlantic side and took the train in with my mom for rehearsals. I dont remember exactly where Surfside was located.
Eric (Joe) williams
Performed in several shows at Surfside Theater from 1968 to 1970. Incredible great times in my life.
Rick Johnston
Surfside Theatre was not a movie theater. It was a theater-in-the round where plays were performed. It was small, about 200 seats, and very intimate, and was not air-conditioned. That was usually not a problem for actors or the audience because Surfside was on the Causeway on Naos Island where tropical breezes blew across the narrow Causeway. I believe the building , deserted for years, became the site of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Center. Surfside was part of the Morale Support Activities office of the 193rd Infantry Brigade. The director or manager of that branch was a civilian named Lucy Tonsfeldt; Frank Conway was her assistant. I directed or acted in eight plays at Surfside between 1974 and 1979. I loved the place!
Eric joe williams
From 1968 to 1970 I performed in many productions. Great time in my life.
Eric williams
Lucy Tonsfeldt was a creative angel
Terry Doan
I was stationed in Panama from 1981 to 1984 and was very involved in many of the productions at the Surfside Theater on the Fort Amador causeway. The Theater belonged to the Army’s Morale Support Activities office; Frank Conway was the Director, assisted by Wisia Kaliszczak. I still have original programs from three of the productions we did.