11-R389
2011 -- S 1066
Enacted 06/22/11
S E N A T E R E
S O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING JULY
25, 2011, AS “TOMMY BRENT DAY”
IN THE STATE OF
Introduced By: Senator V. Susan Sosnowski
Date Introduced: June 22, 2011
WHEREAS, Thomas Brent Cheseldine, known as “Tommy Brent” to his family and
many friends, was a highly respected and widely admired
actor, press agent, director, and most
notably, for more than two decades, the producer and savior
of the historic Theatre By The Sea in
WHEREAS, Born in
skip class to attend vaudeville shows during his school
years, thus beginning his eighty-year love
affair with the theatre; and
WHEREAS, Holding a panoply of odd jobs during his youth, Mr. Brent
got his start in
the theatre at a barn in
late 1940s, while traveling as part of a team producing a
documentary film about theatres in New
WHEREAS, By 1966, the owners of Theatre By The Sea had decided to
demolish the
Theatre. With only hours to spare before the demolition began,
Mr. Brent invested his own funds,
enlisted volunteer workers to help make necessary repairs, and
enabled the Theatre to open for
the summer season in 1967; and
WHEREAS, Producing more than 100 musicals, plays, and children’s
programs, Mr.
Brent acted as the producer and manager of the Theatre
from 1967 to 1988. He was a mentor to
many an aspiring actor and actress and he inspired the
public to become devoted patrons of his
beloved Theatre By The Sea; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, Theatre By The Sea was named to the National
Register of Historic
Places and Tommy Brent had become such an integral
part of the Matunuck community that the
South Kingstown Town Council declared “Tommy Brent
Day” in his honor; and
WHEREAS, In 2007, the Theatre, following four years of inactivity and
neglect, was ripe
for possible demolition. Once again to the rescue,
Mr. Brent helped broker the sale of the Theatre
to its current owner and Mr. Brent’s longtime friend,
Bill Hanney; and
WHEREAS, The most fitting tribute to Tommy Brent would be a
celebration of his life, a
life in which each and every day was lived fully and
joyfully embraced. In addition to the
Theatre, he enjoyed reading and his garden.
Tommy Brent was a gifted artist and true gentleman
who contributed immeasurably to the fabric of our arts
community and has left
better place because of his life’s endeavors; now, therefore
be
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of
hereby proclaims July 25th of 2011 to be “Tommy Brent Day”
in celebration of his glorious life
and myriad accomplishments; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is
authorized and directed to
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Martha
Stamp.
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LC02941
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