Via Playbill-When Billy Cardone and Keely Davenport first met, they were two theatre-loving 13-year-olds who’d both grown up in Toms River, New Jersey. Their shared passion for musical theatre sparked the beginning of a life-long friendship, which years later also propelled them into their very first joint business venture: founding a non-profit theatre in their hometown.
Since launching a decade ago, Cardone and Davenport’s Exit 82: A Toms River Theatre Company has produced 23 productions, taught over 334 students, involved over 950 volunteers, and performed to over 38,427 patrons. The only theatre company in Toms River, their 2017 production of Be More Chill drew in nearly 5,000 theatregoers from across the country and around the world.