The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center: A Jewel of the Community

A jewel of the Westhampton community, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center opened its doors on July 4, 1998. Created from a shuttered movie theater, the Performing Arts Center has become a beloved community resource and a regional performing arts center. Hamptons.com recently spoke with Executive Director Julienne Penza-Boone about the center’s programs and performances. Ms. Penza-Boone has been with the PAC for 13 years, building the after-school programs and becoming interim Executive Director in 2019; the position was made permanent in 2020.

The Center has come a long way since its early days, with a growing roster of courses and programs for children and adults, in addition to on-stage performances in the theater. Like so many public spaces, the PAC was hard hit by the Covid pandemic, but they have been able to present live performances in 2020. “Summer was busy,” said Ms. Penza-Boone. “Performances were held outdoors on the Great Lawn, and some at limited capacity in the theater,” which was able to reopen after being closed last year due to the pandemic. Many summer events that were missed were rescheduled for fall, “so we were able to have a fall season,” she said. Protocols were followed – they were able to host full-capacity events with audiences masked throughout the performance, as well as showing proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test. “We had no incidents, no virus spread,” Julienne explained. “The season started slowly but some of the later events sold out, including Big Shot, Billy Joel’s band.”

For the holidays the PAC is presenting the annual Nutcracker ballet for school groups and the public. After the Nutcracker performances the theater will close down for some much-needed work, including new rigging, lighting and stucco. “The building is from 1934,” Julienne said, “and the theater is almost 25 years old.” It’s time for some updates.

In addition to the theater, the PAC also hosts a variety of classes and workshops. “Education is a major part of what we do,” explains Julienne. The Arts Academy, which has been running for about 6 years, is primarily after-school musical theater programs for elementary, middle school and high school students. Each group puts on a full-scale musical, with sets and costumes, in the theater at the end of the term. “All the groups are full,” she says. “We also added Rock Band for teenagers.” She was happy to report that last year’s band, En Fuego, has become very popular. “They’re gigging all over the place,” she says. There is also a songwriting workshop for adults. Private music lessons are available for kids, including a music class for differently abled children. There is also a jazz band.

In summer the WHBPAC offers week-long camps that culminate in a full show, with sets and costumes, on Friday. There’s a Broadway camp for teens, with a choreographed performance. On Wednesday they go into NYC to see a Broadway show. There are also school day performances; this year there was an interactive live-streamed one with a group from the UK – the kids could interact with the actors.

The PAC promotes cultural equity, guided by a Cultural Equity Council of local people. “It keeps us connected to the community,” Julienne notes. And their audiences have become more diverse. “People really value shared experiences,” says Julienne. One successful example: after a screening of a film about Early Girl Farms, the farmers sold their produce outdoors afterward. “Our goal is to serve as a community resource,” explains Julienne, “not just a venue.”

“The WHBPAC is a shining jewel in the heart of Westhampton Beach’s Main Street. With only 425 seats, not many people know that sitting in the last row of the theater is like being in the first row of center orchestra at Carnegie Hall,” said Aimee Fitzpatrick Martin, a real estate broker at Saunders & Associates and a board member of the WHBPAC. “Only half of our funding comes from ticket sales so donations are vital to our continuing success. We already have a great 2022 season lined up, including comedian Jay Leno, the Village People and Michael Feinstein. Tickets are on sale now.”

The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center’s 2022 season will be coming up in early March. Here’s to a great 2022 for this much-loved Westhampton resource.

Stay up to date on all their events at whbpac.org