He's already a co-producer for the BroadHollow Theatre Company. But soon, Richard Dolce and his business partner Kevin O'Neill will embark on a new venture -- the first year-round Equity theater on Long Island since the 1980s.
"We thought we'd bring something different to Long Island," says Dolce, who, besides helping his mom, Pat Zaback, and step-dad Jerry, run the three BroadHollow theaters, is also a lawyer. That will come in handy in writing contracts for his new theater. As an Actors Equity house, the new John W. Engeman Theater at Northport will be required to pay union scale to the cast and crew of all productions. (The theater is named for O'Neill's brother-in-law from East Northport who was
killed last Mother's Day while serving in Iraq.)
Meanwhile, Dolce and O'Neill, a Wall Street financier who also invested in the TheaterMania.com ticket Web site, are busy renovating the old Northport movie theater on Main Street. That is, re-renovating it. The theater was reopened for live events just last spring, but has remained largely dark since its opening. "I saw 'Brooklyn Boy' there last May and was encouraged by the full house," Dolce said. Among the improvements, he said, will be stadium seating (399 seats), a new stage
and an orchestra pit, plus dressing rooms.
The projected opening is June 16. No deal has been struck on the first production. While this is a separate venture from BroadHollow, Dolce said he will continue his association, both personal and professional, with his family's company.
The last year-round Equity company on the Island, Long Island Stage, went belly-up in 1991. Two other Equity companies, Bay Street Theatre and Gateway Playhouse, limit their major productions to spring, summer and December holidays.
