Surflight Theatre Announces New Appointments

Surflight Theatre officials have announced the appointment of Waretown’s Jessica O’Brien as Director of Education and Manahawkin’s Stacey Schnepp-Stoops as Group Sales Coordinator.

“We welcome Jessica and Stacey and look forward to a successful season and the growth of departments,” said Surflight Theatre Executive Director Ken Myers in a prepared statement.

Jessica O’Brien joins Surflight as its new Director of Education.  Jessica has an M.A. in Theatre from Villanova University, and a B.A. in Theatre Performance/Musical Theatre from Marymount Manhattan College. She recently received the BroadwayWorld.com(Philadelphia) Best Actress in a Musical Award for her portrayal of Julie Jordan in Carousel. She is a five-time New Jersey Perry Award Nominee, and received the 2010 Outstanding Choreography Award for her work on a production of Crazy for You. Jessica created the role of Scarecrow in the Philadelphia premiere of the play, Woman and Scarecrow. She created the role of Elizabeth in a staged reading of An American Tragedy directed by Barbara Siman and Charles Strouse. She also performed as a soloist/dancer in the Oscar Hammerstein Lifetime Achievement Awards, which featured Ben Vereen and Chita Rivera. Some Directorial/Choreographic credits include: The Last Five Years, Spamalot, Ragtime, Legally Blonde: The Musical, Me and My Girl, Oliver, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Annie, West Side Story, 42nd Street, Children of Eden, Crazy for You, and Anything Goes.

Stacey Schnepp-Stoops is Surflight’s new Group Sales Coordinator.  Stacey holds a BA in Theater from Glassboro State College, grew up at the Surflight Theater as an apprentice and child performer and is thrilled to be back as part of the Surflight Staff this year. Over the past 20 years since graduating, Stacey has successfully owned and operated her own cleaning business here in Southern Ocean County and has been an active member of The Our Gang Players; serving on the Board of Directors, acting as Assistant Artistic Director, and Directing & performing in many musicals & shows. Some of her favorite roles include The Duchess of Dene (Me and My Girl), Elle’s Mom (Legally Blonde), The Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz), Dolly Levi (Hello, Dolly!), Mame (Mame), Emily Arden (State Fair), Elsa Schrader (The Sound of Music), Mrs. Potts (Beauty & the Beast), Storyteller, (Children of Eden), Glinda (The Wizard of Oz), Kate/Principal (Baby With The Bathwater), Blanche (Brighton Beach Memoirs), Philia (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) and Ensemble (Godspell).