(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May's award-winning East Lynne Theater Company, presently housed at Cape May Presbyterian Church, has just announced the name of the main stage at its future home at The Clemans Theater at Allen AME Church: The Gus Andy Stage.
Andy, a prominent Cape May businessman, was born in Greece. He came to the U.S. as a young man and eventually found his way to Cape May where he built a hotel empire, owning and managing La Mer Beachfront Resort, Pier House and Beach Club on Madison Avenue. He died in 2023 at age 85.
The recognition will be noted by a plaque to be visible throughout The Clemans Theater and will stay in perpetuity for as long as East Lynne resides there.
“He was introverted. He would never pat himself on the back,” said Andy’s son George Andy, who is managing partner of the properties that Andy began. “Though he would never do something like this for himself, our family wanted to honor his legacy, and we know the arts and East Lynne Theater Company, in particular, were very important to him.”
In fact, Andy had deep devotion for East Lynne, according to close friend Gary Padussis.
“He attended many shows, bought ads, gave personal donations (to East Lynne),” said Padussis “When he passed away, the Andy family thought that since East Lynne was moving into a new venue, they wanted to honor their father with some kind of naming rights.”
“We are humbled that the Andy family chose East Lynne to carry on Mr. Andy’s legacy,” said Board President Susan Tischler. “It makes for a beautiful statement of love for family and the arts.”
East Lynne’s The Clemans Theater is slated to open in the near future. Presently, East Lynne is located at 500 Hughes St., Cape May. For more information on East Lynne’s current mainstage season or to purchase tickets, go to EastLynneTheater.org.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) was the first theater in the country with the unique mission of presenting and preserving America's theatrical heritage. The New York Times listed ELTC as one of the 75 top summer theaters in North America. In 2018, the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly passed a joint legislative resolution recognizing ELTC as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.”
