Based in the culturally dynamic neighborhood of Staten Island’s North Shore, the not-for-profit Harbor Lights Theater Company is committed to illuminating the human experience by bringing to the community accessible, relevant, and at times thought-provoking professional theatrical productions and educational programs all designed to inspire new ways of thinking and self-expression.

Harbor Lights willhonor its belief that the health and prosperity of the arts is fundamental to the health and prosperity of the community by becoming an integral part of the North Shore’s economic and cultural renaissance.

Theater veterans and Harbor Lights Co-Founders (and proud Staten Island homeowners) Tamara Jenkins and Jay Montgomery will put their amazing contacts and relationships with Broadway’s top writers, producers, actors, and performers to work building a bridge between Staten Island and Broadway that will bring the nation’s best to work with their community’s finest.

Harbor Lights will also seek out, encourage, and commission new works; create a new, vibrant home for New York City’s tremendous talent pool; partner with other resident theater companies in co-productions; and act as a safe haven for Broadway and Off-Broadway producers who wish to develop their projects in a not-for-profit environment.

TAMARA JENKINS (FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) is an actress, writer, producer and organizer of special events. On the stage, Ms. Jenkins has appeared as ‘Velma’ in the First National Broadway Tour of Chicago, originated the role of ‘Cosette’ in the First National Broadway Tour of the smash hit Les Miserables, appeared as four felines in the original First National Broadway Tour of Cats, and covered the role of ‘Eliza’ in the Richard Chamberlain revival of My Fair Lady. Off- Broadway she appeared in the recent revival of Jaques Brel Is Alive and Well at The Zipper Theater. Her many regional credits include: ‘Fiona’ in Brigadoon with Dick Van Patton, ‘Hodel’ in Fiddler on the Roof with Theo Bikel, ‘Guenevere’ in Camelot with Noel Harrison, ‘Glinda’ in Wizard of Oz with Bob Keeshan, ‘Anna’ in the King and I, and ‘Lucy Mercer’ in Eleanor at such theaters as The Pittsburgh Public, The Pioneer Theater, Kansas City Starlight, Muny Opera, Fulton Opera, Cherry County Playhouse and Westchester Broadway. 

On television, she has appeared in the recurring role of ‘Dr. Emory’ on Guiding Light, as a guest star on Conviction, and on A&E’s Curse of the Hope Diamond with Leonard Nimoy (actually wearing the Hope Diamond).  

Her efforts for peace have been a source of pride, having appeared as featured vocalist with jazz greats Wayne Shorter, Buster Williams, Larry Coryell and Nestor Torres in Los Angeles, and Tokyo, Japan for The International Committee of Artists for Peace (ICAP). In 1996, she helped organize Songs of Joy, a Concert for Peace at Carnegie Hall, celebrating the 50th anniversary of UNICEF, with over 250 performers, including Herbie Hancock and Art Garfunkel. She has received three awards for her activities for Peace through Culture from UN affiliated organizations.  

As a librettist, Ms. Jenkins’ first script was a finalist for the prestigious Richard Rogers Award. She produced and directed a reading of her show Steps In Time at The Henry Miller Theater, starring Milo O’Shea and Helen Gallagher.  She is currently working on two librettos for musicals. 

JAY MONTGOMERY (FOUNDING ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR) made his Broadway debut as 'Whizzer' in the Tony Award-winning musical Falsettos, opposite Mandy Patinkin and Randy Graff.  He played 'Whizzer' in the national tour of Falsettos, and appeared in the Los Angeles production.   Mr. Montgomery has twice toured the country with Heart Strings, the landmark AIDS benefit, which raised millions for local AIDS charities, hospices, and volunteer organizations in cities all over America. The original cast was written, directed, and choreographed by Bick Goss, and featured Christopher Reeve, Sandy Duncan, and Tommy Tune.  The reprise production was written, directed and choreographed by David H. Bell, and added Oscar winner Lou Gossett, Jr. and the late Nell Carter as guest stars.  

Regionally, Mr. Montgomery has appeared in over seventy productions, among them 'Antony' in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, starring George Hearn and Judy Kaye,' the 'Gentleman Caller' in The Glass Menagerie, starring Kathleen Nolan as 'Amanda,' and 'Robert' in Company. Mr. Montgomery has played 'Che' in the Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster Evita a half dozen times (Atlanta's Post and Alley Award for Best Actor), and has played 'Curly' in the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Oklahoma! five times. Other credits include 'Rutledge' in 1776, 'Billy' in Cole Porter's gem Anything Goes, 'Anatoly' in Chess", 'Cliff' in Cabaret, 'Joe Hardy' in Damn Yankees, ‘Valentin' in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, and 'Sky' in Frank Loesser's Guys & Dolls. Mr. Montgomery also appeared in the acclaimed off-Broadway revival of Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris.  He created the role of ‘Alan/Fred’ in the world premiere production of Charles Strauss’s You Never Know, at Trinity Rep and is currently playing the role of ‘Dan’ in Snapshots, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, currently in development.  

Mr. Montgomery has worked at some of the nation’s finest theaters, among them Alabama Shakespeare, Trinity Rep, The Pioneer, Walnut Street, the Pittsburgh Public, Casa Manana, West Virginia Public, Florida Rep, The Human Race, Kansas City Rep, the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera, and The Papermill Playhouse. Television credits include Baywatch, Riptide, and one particularly bad episode of Melrose Place.