SAMPLES OF OUR WORLD PREMIERES AND NEW WORKS
"Edgar Allan Poe's three mysteries involving C. August Dupin have been adapted for the stage by James Rana, also one of six able actors in these delightful tellings . . .Put together as The Poe Mysteries, the show is directed with crisp, clear simplicity by Gayle Stahlhuth, East Lynne Theater Company's artistic director." For full review click here
- Howard Shapiro for THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
2015 World Premiere HUCKLEBERRY FINN (Commissioned by ELTC)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), written by Mark Twain, is considered to be one of America’s greatest books by today’s critics and scholars. While fleeing from his drunken father, young Huck meets Jim, a runaway slave. Thus begins their unforgettable odyssey down the Mississippi River. Huckleberry Finn was another adaptation by James Rana.
"So many times, you see adaptations and consider only the elements of the story, but with Rana’s skillful writing and masterful direction from Gayle Stahlhuth, the story and its spirit come to life. In fact, everything comes together in this production. The cast works together beautifully as they take on varied roles with unsurpassed energy and grace. Story, character, action all work as harmoniously as the bends of the mighty Mississippi traveling to its delta. This play leads you anywhere your heart imagines."- Tom Sims, Exit Zero
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), written by Mark Twain, is considered to be one of America’s greatest books by today’s critics and scholars. While fleeing from his drunken father, young Huck meets Jim, a runaway slave. Thus begins their unforgettable odyssey down the Mississippi River. Huckleberry Finn was another adaptation by James Rana.
"So many times, you see adaptations and consider only the elements of the story, but with Rana’s skillful writing and masterful direction from Gayle Stahlhuth, the story and its spirit come to life. In fact, everything comes together in this production. The cast works together beautifully as they take on varied roles with unsurpassed energy and grace. Story, character, action all work as harmoniously as the bends of the mighty Mississippi traveling to its delta. This play leads you anywhere your heart imagines."- Tom Sims, Exit Zero
2014 World Premiere ZORRO! (Commissioned by ELTC)
In 1919, the character of “Zorro” first appeared in The Curse of Capistrano. Written by Johnston McCulley, it was a serialized novel in "All-Story Weekly" magazine. After the success of Douglas Fairbank’s silent film, it was reissued under the title The Mark of Zorro. James Rana wrote the adaptation. When a common citizen realizes the governor of Old California is arresting people because they disagree with him, he dons a mask and cape, and wields his sword to avenge the wrong. A cast of seven portray a variety of roles. Cast: Mark Edward Lang, Mark Lazar, Elisa Pupko, Jed Peterson, James Rana, Suzanne Dawson, and Evan Smilyk.
"What you get at East Lynne is the level of production that's become its trademark: polished professional acting. . . . Gayle Stahlhuth, East Lynne's artistic chief, directs the show to focus on the storytelling – and James Rana's swift script gives her plenty to consider in the world-premiere production. The show's musical background adds much to the feel of the production, and fight director Joseph Travers choreographs some rousing tussles." - Howard Shapiro, WHYY Public TV and Radio, Philadelphia
“Neatly adapted…brisk direction…endearing performances.” - Michael Sommers, The New York Times
In 1919, the character of “Zorro” first appeared in The Curse of Capistrano. Written by Johnston McCulley, it was a serialized novel in "All-Story Weekly" magazine. After the success of Douglas Fairbank’s silent film, it was reissued under the title The Mark of Zorro. James Rana wrote the adaptation. When a common citizen realizes the governor of Old California is arresting people because they disagree with him, he dons a mask and cape, and wields his sword to avenge the wrong. A cast of seven portray a variety of roles. Cast: Mark Edward Lang, Mark Lazar, Elisa Pupko, Jed Peterson, James Rana, Suzanne Dawson, and Evan Smilyk.
"What you get at East Lynne is the level of production that's become its trademark: polished professional acting. . . . Gayle Stahlhuth, East Lynne's artistic chief, directs the show to focus on the storytelling – and James Rana's swift script gives her plenty to consider in the world-premiere production. The show's musical background adds much to the feel of the production, and fight director Joseph Travers choreographs some rousing tussles." - Howard Shapiro, WHYY Public TV and Radio, Philadelphia
“Neatly adapted…brisk direction…endearing performances.” - Michael Sommers, The New York Times
2014 World Premiere CHRISTMAS IN WISCONSIN: Tales by Zona Gale (performed again in 2019 under the title The Great Tree and Other Tales by Zona Gale)
Adapted by Gayle Stahlhuth, who also portrays the storyteller, Calliope Marsh in Friendship Village. In "Human," while waiting at the post office to mail off Christmas presents, along with most of the rest of the town, Calliope discovers that a seven-year-old boy doesn't have the money to visit his mother. In "The Great Tree," she is determined to see to it that the tree in the center of town is lit with electric lights for Christmas Eve in 1912. Zona Gale was known for her short stories and her novel, Miss Lulu Bett, that she adapted for the stage. While on Broadway in 1922, it received the Pulitzer Prize.
“Stahlhuth mesmerizes audiences as she moves seamlessly from character to character.” - Catherine Dugan, Exit Zero
Adapted by Gayle Stahlhuth, who also portrays the storyteller, Calliope Marsh in Friendship Village. In "Human," while waiting at the post office to mail off Christmas presents, along with most of the rest of the town, Calliope discovers that a seven-year-old boy doesn't have the money to visit his mother. In "The Great Tree," she is determined to see to it that the tree in the center of town is lit with electric lights for Christmas Eve in 1912. Zona Gale was known for her short stories and her novel, Miss Lulu Bett, that she adapted for the stage. While on Broadway in 1922, it received the Pulitzer Prize.
“Stahlhuth mesmerizes audiences as she moves seamlessly from character to character.” - Catherine Dugan, Exit Zero
2013 World Premiere THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW (Commissioned by ELTC)
The townsfolk of Sleepy Hollow believe that the headless body of a Hessian soldier astride his horse haunts their isolated village. When Ichabod Crane suddenly disappears, is it the fault of the Headless Horseman, or something else? Washington Irving’s supernatural story is adapted by James Rana, with a cast of six playing many roles to bring the tale to life. Cast: Justin Bennett, Suzanne Dawson, Matt Baxter Luceno. Elisa Pupko, Thomas Raniszewski, and John Cameron Weber. This production also had a run at Ocean Professional Theatre in Barnegat, NJ.
"Each actor contributes something special. Matt Baxter Luceno, appealing elegant as Ichabod, arouses our sympathy as the harassed and terrified outsider. . . Elisa Pupko as Katrina is superlative . . . Suzanne Dawson shows her mettle as a character actor with the best of them . . . As Brom Bones, Justin Bennett is certainly up to the task . . . Thomas Raniszewski plays all his multiple roles wonderfully, and John Cameron Weber shows he is a solid and convincing actor . . . Marion T. Brady's period costuming beautifully establish the Dutch era backdrop of the play . . . Gayle Stahlhuth's direction is so natural that it creates the illusion of looking like it just "happened." However, I suspect that a great deal of work was required to have the seamless action move with such fluidity and ease. . . .This fine production is child-friendly (and certainly adult-friendly as well). It reminds me of the teleplays of early television time: a time when, with good scripts, fine actors and direction, and with only basic scenery and props, delightful and enduring works were created."
- Jay Reisberg, Culture Catch, NYC-based review site: http://culturecatch.com/theater/sleepy-hollow
The townsfolk of Sleepy Hollow believe that the headless body of a Hessian soldier astride his horse haunts their isolated village. When Ichabod Crane suddenly disappears, is it the fault of the Headless Horseman, or something else? Washington Irving’s supernatural story is adapted by James Rana, with a cast of six playing many roles to bring the tale to life. Cast: Justin Bennett, Suzanne Dawson, Matt Baxter Luceno. Elisa Pupko, Thomas Raniszewski, and John Cameron Weber. This production also had a run at Ocean Professional Theatre in Barnegat, NJ.
"Each actor contributes something special. Matt Baxter Luceno, appealing elegant as Ichabod, arouses our sympathy as the harassed and terrified outsider. . . Elisa Pupko as Katrina is superlative . . . Suzanne Dawson shows her mettle as a character actor with the best of them . . . As Brom Bones, Justin Bennett is certainly up to the task . . . Thomas Raniszewski plays all his multiple roles wonderfully, and John Cameron Weber shows he is a solid and convincing actor . . . Marion T. Brady's period costuming beautifully establish the Dutch era backdrop of the play . . . Gayle Stahlhuth's direction is so natural that it creates the illusion of looking like it just "happened." However, I suspect that a great deal of work was required to have the seamless action move with such fluidity and ease. . . .This fine production is child-friendly (and certainly adult-friendly as well). It reminds me of the teleplays of early television time: a time when, with good scripts, fine actors and direction, and with only basic scenery and props, delightful and enduring works were created."
- Jay Reisberg, Culture Catch, NYC-based review site: http://culturecatch.com/theater/sleepy-hollow
2013 NJ Premiere LOST ON THE NATCHEZ TRACE
The year is 1825 and slave auctioneer Malcolm Jeters is headed home when he falls from his mule in Mississippi's Natchez Trace during a violent storm. Injured and starving, he yells for help. The only one who appears is a runaway slave. The question is, who will save whom? Written by Jan Buttram, co-founder and the first artistic director of Abingdon Theatre Company in NYC, the play was first produced at Abingdon in 2012. After seeing it, ELTC's artistic director, asked Jan if she would like to make further changes to the script and have another run. Cast: Tom Byrn, Leon Morgan, and Stephanie Garrett.
"Three actors, Tom Byrn, Leon Morgan, and Stephanie Garrett, led by director Gayle Stahlhuth capture the attention of the audience from the beginning to the end of the play and they never let go. Each of the cast members produces a performance that is literally a tour de force. It is thoroughly engrossing and deserves to be widely seen." - Ed Wismer, Cape May Star and Wave
The year is 1825 and slave auctioneer Malcolm Jeters is headed home when he falls from his mule in Mississippi's Natchez Trace during a violent storm. Injured and starving, he yells for help. The only one who appears is a runaway slave. The question is, who will save whom? Written by Jan Buttram, co-founder and the first artistic director of Abingdon Theatre Company in NYC, the play was first produced at Abingdon in 2012. After seeing it, ELTC's artistic director, asked Jan if she would like to make further changes to the script and have another run. Cast: Tom Byrn, Leon Morgan, and Stephanie Garrett.
"Three actors, Tom Byrn, Leon Morgan, and Stephanie Garrett, led by director Gayle Stahlhuth capture the attention of the audience from the beginning to the end of the play and they never let go. Each of the cast members produces a performance that is literally a tour de force. It is thoroughly engrossing and deserves to be widely seen." - Ed Wismer, Cape May Star and Wave
2012 World Premiere THE POE MYSTERIES
Adapted by James Rana, The Poe Mysteries is based on the first modern detective stories ever written. C. Auguste Dupin is a recluse living in Paris, avoiding people and the bill collectors, when an American journalist comes to interview him. As the great detective recalls his cases, the characters spring to life on stage. Six actors portray 50 roles in Edgar Allan Poe's famous “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Murder of Marie Roget,” and “The Purloined Letter.”
Everyone in the cast had performed with ELTC before: Mark Edward Lang (The Guardsman), Shelley McPherson (Why Marry?), James Rana (Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Norwood Builder), Thomas Raniszewski (Berkeley Square), Fred Velde (Dulcy), and Grace Wright (He and She). Gayle Stahlhuth directed. This production was produced in July and August in Cape May, and moved to Ocean Professional Theatre Company in Barnegat, NJ in October.
"Edgar Allen Poe's three mysteries involving C. August Dupin have been adapted for the stage by James Rana, also one of six able actors in these delightful tellings . . .Put together as The Poe Mysteries, the show is directed with crisp, clear simplicity by Gayle Stahlhuth, East Lynne Theater Company's artistic director." For full review click here - Howard Shapiro for The Philadelphia Inquirer
Adapted by James Rana, The Poe Mysteries is based on the first modern detective stories ever written. C. Auguste Dupin is a recluse living in Paris, avoiding people and the bill collectors, when an American journalist comes to interview him. As the great detective recalls his cases, the characters spring to life on stage. Six actors portray 50 roles in Edgar Allan Poe's famous “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Murder of Marie Roget,” and “The Purloined Letter.”
Everyone in the cast had performed with ELTC before: Mark Edward Lang (The Guardsman), Shelley McPherson (Why Marry?), James Rana (Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Norwood Builder), Thomas Raniszewski (Berkeley Square), Fred Velde (Dulcy), and Grace Wright (He and She). Gayle Stahlhuth directed. This production was produced in July and August in Cape May, and moved to Ocean Professional Theatre Company in Barnegat, NJ in October.
"Edgar Allen Poe's three mysteries involving C. August Dupin have been adapted for the stage by James Rana, also one of six able actors in these delightful tellings . . .Put together as The Poe Mysteries, the show is directed with crisp, clear simplicity by Gayle Stahlhuth, East Lynne Theater Company's artistic director." For full review click here - Howard Shapiro for The Philadelphia Inquirer
2011 World Premiere THE WORLD OF DOROTHY PARKER
This show was adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. The following are brought to life with a cast of four: "A Telephone Call" (1930), "Here We Are" (1931), "The Lovely Leave" (1943), and other tales and poems by the woman who quipped about "women who wear glasses."
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a sharp wit, whether the medium was short stories, poetry, screenplays, plays, or play or book reviews. In one of her classic Broadway reviews – about Katharine Hepburn – Parker wrote, "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B." The first edition of The Portable Dorothy Parker was selected by Alexander Woollcott in 1944 as the fourth in a series of volumes intended for soldiers overseas. It has never been out of print. Parker left her royalties for all of her work to Martin Luther King, Jr., but should she outlive King, the money would then go to the NAACP. The four actors were Suzanne Dawson, Megan McDermott, Drew Seltzer, and John Cameron Weber.
This show was adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. The following are brought to life with a cast of four: "A Telephone Call" (1930), "Here We Are" (1931), "The Lovely Leave" (1943), and other tales and poems by the woman who quipped about "women who wear glasses."
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a sharp wit, whether the medium was short stories, poetry, screenplays, plays, or play or book reviews. In one of her classic Broadway reviews – about Katharine Hepburn – Parker wrote, "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B." The first edition of The Portable Dorothy Parker was selected by Alexander Woollcott in 1944 as the fourth in a series of volumes intended for soldiers overseas. It has never been out of print. Parker left her royalties for all of her work to Martin Luther King, Jr., but should she outlive King, the money would then go to the NAACP. The four actors were Suzanne Dawson, Megan McDermott, Drew Seltzer, and John Cameron Weber.
2010 World premiere EMMA GOLDMAN: MY LIFE (Commissioned by ELTC)
Written and performed by and Lorna Lable, directed by Karen Case Cook. Wise and witty, Emma always spoke her mind, whether it was on women's rights or the widening gap between rich and poor. She was a fascinating woman in a fascinating time: America in the early 1900s, teeming with immigrants like herself, all longing for a better way of life. Places where it has played since Cape May include Ohio State University and the Metropolitan Playhouse in NYC.
"You're witnessing one of the greatest activists in history answer questions from phantom colleagues sitting next to you. She is a masterful speaker, answering questions with authority and ease. She's passionate, insightful and from her answers, you soon realize she is eternally pulling for those who are lacking an advocate. And that's what you learn to love about her." Tom Sims for Exit Zero (NJ)
Written and performed by and Lorna Lable, directed by Karen Case Cook. Wise and witty, Emma always spoke her mind, whether it was on women's rights or the widening gap between rich and poor. She was a fascinating woman in a fascinating time: America in the early 1900s, teeming with immigrants like herself, all longing for a better way of life. Places where it has played since Cape May include Ohio State University and the Metropolitan Playhouse in NYC.
"You're witnessing one of the greatest activists in history answer questions from phantom colleagues sitting next to you. She is a masterful speaker, answering questions with authority and ease. She's passionate, insightful and from her answers, you soon realize she is eternally pulling for those who are lacking an advocate. And that's what you learn to love about her." Tom Sims for Exit Zero (NJ)
2009 World Premiere CHRISTMAS IN BLACK AND WHITE
Based on the writings of American authors, it’s holiday time told from the point of view of African-Americans and newly arrived immigrants, adapted and interpreted by two master storytellers: Stephanie Garrett and Gayle Stahlhuth.
Stories adapted/told by Stephanie Garrett: "Nancy Coachman's Christmas Stories" based on the history of the Whaler's Cottage in Cape May, Zora Neale Hurston’s “Tell My Horse” (1938), T. Thomas Fortune's "Mirama's Christmas Test (1896), and Chester Himes' "Momma's Missionary Money" (1932), commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary of Himes' birth. Stories adapted/told by Gayle Stahlhuth: "Thanksgiving at the Polls" (1898) and "9 Linwood Street" (1895) both by Edward Everett Hale, commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary of his death.
Edward Everett Hale was born in Boston on April 3, 1822, the grand-nephew of the famous patriot Nathan Hale (1755-1776). His first notable story was “My Double and How He Undid Me” (1859), and “The Man without a Country” (1863) published in the “Atlantic,” became his most famous work. In 1903, he was appointed Chaplain of the United States Senate, and when he was asked “Do you pray for the Senators, Dr. Hale?” he replied “No, I look at the Senators, and pray for the country.” Above all else, Hale was a philanthropist, championing all sorts of reform movements and one of his most famous quotes, “Look up and not down, look forward and not back, look out and not in, and lend a hand," was adopted by the Lend-a-Hand Clubs and Look-up Legions.
T. Thomas Fortune was born a slave in Marianna, Florida, on October 3, 1856, and was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Fortune's tenure at “The New York Age” for over 20 years established him as the leading African-American journalist of the late 19th and early 20th century, and the paper became the nation's most influential African-American paper, protesting discrimination, lynching, mob violence, and disenfranchisement. In 1890, Fortune co-founded the Afro-American League, one of the earliest equal rights organizations in the United States and a precursor of the Niagara Falls Movement and The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He died on June 2, 1928. His home, in Red Bank, NJ, is a National Historic Landmark.
Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, but the family moved to Eatonville, Florida, when she was young, and for her, Eatonville was always home. She graduated from Barnard College in 1928, and by 1935, had published several short stories and articles, as well as a novel (Jonah's Gourd Vine) and a collection of black Southern folklore (Mules and Men). Her other works include: Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Tell My Horse (1938); Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939), Dust Tracks on a Road (1942), and Seraph on the Suwanee (1948). She never received the financial rewards she deserved, although she was a key figure during the Harlem Renaissance era and was one of the most successful and significant African-American female writers in the first half of the 20th century. When she died on January 28, 1960, after suffering a stroke, her neighbors in Fort Pierce, Florida, took up a collection for her funeral. The collection didn't cover the cost of a headstone, so Hurston’s grave remained unmarked until 1973, when Alice Walker saw to it that a proper maker was placed, with the epitaph: "Zora Neale Hurston: A Genius of the South."
Chester Himes was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1909. In 1928, he took money and jewelry from a house in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and fled in the owners’ Cadillac. At the pawn shop where he was going to sell the jewelry, he was arrested. Sentenced to 20 years at Ohio State Penitentiary, he served only seven-and-a-half. It was here, that his writing career began. (Ironically, O. Henry also began his writing career while serving time in the same prison almost 28 years before.) He first submitted his stories to black newspapers and magazines like “Abbott's Monthly,” then in 1934 “Esquire” published his short stories "Crazy in the Stir" and "To What Red Hell." His first detective novel, The Five-Cornered Square, won France’s La Grand Prix du Roman Policier for the best detective novel of 1957. He stayed with the detective genre throughout much of his writing career, including Cotton Comes to Harlem in 1965. He died in Moraira, Spain in November, 1984. Cynical to the end, he believed people were capable of anything.
Based on the writings of American authors, it’s holiday time told from the point of view of African-Americans and newly arrived immigrants, adapted and interpreted by two master storytellers: Stephanie Garrett and Gayle Stahlhuth.
Stories adapted/told by Stephanie Garrett: "Nancy Coachman's Christmas Stories" based on the history of the Whaler's Cottage in Cape May, Zora Neale Hurston’s “Tell My Horse” (1938), T. Thomas Fortune's "Mirama's Christmas Test (1896), and Chester Himes' "Momma's Missionary Money" (1932), commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary of Himes' birth. Stories adapted/told by Gayle Stahlhuth: "Thanksgiving at the Polls" (1898) and "9 Linwood Street" (1895) both by Edward Everett Hale, commemorating the one-hundredth anniversary of his death.
Edward Everett Hale was born in Boston on April 3, 1822, the grand-nephew of the famous patriot Nathan Hale (1755-1776). His first notable story was “My Double and How He Undid Me” (1859), and “The Man without a Country” (1863) published in the “Atlantic,” became his most famous work. In 1903, he was appointed Chaplain of the United States Senate, and when he was asked “Do you pray for the Senators, Dr. Hale?” he replied “No, I look at the Senators, and pray for the country.” Above all else, Hale was a philanthropist, championing all sorts of reform movements and one of his most famous quotes, “Look up and not down, look forward and not back, look out and not in, and lend a hand," was adopted by the Lend-a-Hand Clubs and Look-up Legions.
T. Thomas Fortune was born a slave in Marianna, Florida, on October 3, 1856, and was freed by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Fortune's tenure at “The New York Age” for over 20 years established him as the leading African-American journalist of the late 19th and early 20th century, and the paper became the nation's most influential African-American paper, protesting discrimination, lynching, mob violence, and disenfranchisement. In 1890, Fortune co-founded the Afro-American League, one of the earliest equal rights organizations in the United States and a precursor of the Niagara Falls Movement and The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He died on June 2, 1928. His home, in Red Bank, NJ, is a National Historic Landmark.
Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891, in Notasulga, Alabama, but the family moved to Eatonville, Florida, when she was young, and for her, Eatonville was always home. She graduated from Barnard College in 1928, and by 1935, had published several short stories and articles, as well as a novel (Jonah's Gourd Vine) and a collection of black Southern folklore (Mules and Men). Her other works include: Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Tell My Horse (1938); Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939), Dust Tracks on a Road (1942), and Seraph on the Suwanee (1948). She never received the financial rewards she deserved, although she was a key figure during the Harlem Renaissance era and was one of the most successful and significant African-American female writers in the first half of the 20th century. When she died on January 28, 1960, after suffering a stroke, her neighbors in Fort Pierce, Florida, took up a collection for her funeral. The collection didn't cover the cost of a headstone, so Hurston’s grave remained unmarked until 1973, when Alice Walker saw to it that a proper maker was placed, with the epitaph: "Zora Neale Hurston: A Genius of the South."
Chester Himes was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, in 1909. In 1928, he took money and jewelry from a house in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and fled in the owners’ Cadillac. At the pawn shop where he was going to sell the jewelry, he was arrested. Sentenced to 20 years at Ohio State Penitentiary, he served only seven-and-a-half. It was here, that his writing career began. (Ironically, O. Henry also began his writing career while serving time in the same prison almost 28 years before.) He first submitted his stories to black newspapers and magazines like “Abbott's Monthly,” then in 1934 “Esquire” published his short stories "Crazy in the Stir" and "To What Red Hell." His first detective novel, The Five-Cornered Square, won France’s La Grand Prix du Roman Policier for the best detective novel of 1957. He stayed with the detective genre throughout much of his writing career, including Cotton Comes to Harlem in 1965. He died in Moraira, Spain in November, 1984. Cynical to the end, he believed people were capable of anything.
2009 World Premiere THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF
Based on the popular O. Henry tale, adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, it's about two thieves who think all they have to do is capture a young boy and demand a ransom for his return. If it were only that easy! This comedy is riddled with O. Henry stories and passages—a delight for lovers of one of America’s favorite authors.
The thieves were portrayed by Tom Byrn and Karen Case Cook. Bobby LeMaire played "Red Chief" and Rob LeMaire played his father. Aiden Kohler not only played Irish and Appalachian tunes on the violin, but also portrayed several roles.
O. Henry (1862-1910) was a master of surprise endings, who wrote about the lives of ordinary people. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henry's stories.
Based on the popular O. Henry tale, adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, it's about two thieves who think all they have to do is capture a young boy and demand a ransom for his return. If it were only that easy! This comedy is riddled with O. Henry stories and passages—a delight for lovers of one of America’s favorite authors.
The thieves were portrayed by Tom Byrn and Karen Case Cook. Bobby LeMaire played "Red Chief" and Rob LeMaire played his father. Aiden Kohler not only played Irish and Appalachian tunes on the violin, but also portrayed several roles.
O. Henry (1862-1910) was a master of surprise endings, who wrote about the lives of ordinary people. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henry's stories.
2008 World Premiere HELPFUL HINTS (Commissioned by ELTC)
Susan Tischler adapted Mae Savell Croy’s Putnam's Household Handbook (1916) into a show that is both witty and wise. As Mrs. Croy, she explains everything from cleaning the stove and your clothes with kerosene, to leaving babies outside when they cry because children should not be spoiled and screaming (outside) is good for the lungs. She also discusses developing the mind, the importance of a cheerful doctor, and the comfort of the gymnasium suit!
The production was directed by Karen Case Cook with several actors taking on the supporting role of stage manager Wilcox, including Robert LeMaire, Thomas Raniszewski, Karen Case Cook, and Lee O'Connor. Costume was designed and built by Marion T. Brady.
Created at the request of The Chalfonte Hotel in 2008 to be performed in its Henry Sawyer Room, it returned in 2009, and moved to the Mad Batter in 2010, and ELTC own mainstage in 2011. In 2010, members of the Croy family traveled to see the show in Cape May in 2010. Between 2008-2012, it was performed for various women's and Red Hat groups in South Jersey, and for the Wildwood Historical Society.
Susan Tischler adapted Mae Savell Croy’s Putnam's Household Handbook (1916) into a show that is both witty and wise. As Mrs. Croy, she explains everything from cleaning the stove and your clothes with kerosene, to leaving babies outside when they cry because children should not be spoiled and screaming (outside) is good for the lungs. She also discusses developing the mind, the importance of a cheerful doctor, and the comfort of the gymnasium suit!
The production was directed by Karen Case Cook with several actors taking on the supporting role of stage manager Wilcox, including Robert LeMaire, Thomas Raniszewski, Karen Case Cook, and Lee O'Connor. Costume was designed and built by Marion T. Brady.
Created at the request of The Chalfonte Hotel in 2008 to be performed in its Henry Sawyer Room, it returned in 2009, and moved to the Mad Batter in 2010, and ELTC own mainstage in 2011. In 2010, members of the Croy family traveled to see the show in Cape May in 2010. Between 2008-2012, it was performed for various women's and Red Hat groups in South Jersey, and for the Wildwood Historical Society.
2007 World Premiere LIZZIE BORDEN LIVE (Commissioned by ELTC)
Written and performed by Jill Dalton, directed by Jack McCullough, with original music by Emmy winning-composer Larry Hochman. Jill Dalton brings the legend to life in this provocative play that has audiences rethinking the sensational murders of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Borden on Aug. 4, 1892 in Fall River, MA. The only one tried for the murders was Andrew's daughter, Lizzie, who maintained her innocence and was acquitted. To this day, the case is considered unsolved, although many do believe that "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41." Did she do it or not? You decide. Lizzie Borden Live has since been performed several times at The Eagle Performing Arts in Fall River, MA and around the country.
"Dalton enacts a Lizzie such as never before seen. Her accomplishment may be far the most accurate, the most thoroughly researched, and the most brilliantly complex Lizzie created for dramatic purposes. It is an accomplishment not only of theater and performance, but of Lizzie Borden scholarship: a tale woven with historical accuracy and intelligent speculation, one that does not try to solve the murders, but to puzzle out the mystery inside the woman herself." - Richard Behrens, critic for The Hatchet, Quarterly for The Lizzie Borden Society
Written and performed by Jill Dalton, directed by Jack McCullough, with original music by Emmy winning-composer Larry Hochman. Jill Dalton brings the legend to life in this provocative play that has audiences rethinking the sensational murders of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Borden on Aug. 4, 1892 in Fall River, MA. The only one tried for the murders was Andrew's daughter, Lizzie, who maintained her innocence and was acquitted. To this day, the case is considered unsolved, although many do believe that "Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41." Did she do it or not? You decide. Lizzie Borden Live has since been performed several times at The Eagle Performing Arts in Fall River, MA and around the country.
"Dalton enacts a Lizzie such as never before seen. Her accomplishment may be far the most accurate, the most thoroughly researched, and the most brilliantly complex Lizzie created for dramatic purposes. It is an accomplishment not only of theater and performance, but of Lizzie Borden scholarship: a tale woven with historical accuracy and intelligent speculation, one that does not try to solve the murders, but to puzzle out the mystery inside the woman herself." - Richard Behrens, critic for The Hatchet, Quarterly for The Lizzie Borden Society
2006 NJ Premiere TWO-HEADED
Written by Julie Jensen, Playwright-in-Residence at the Salt Lake Acting Company, the play begins on September 11, 1857 – the day over 100 California-bound pioneers were killed in what became known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Ten-year old Hettie and Lavinia are haunted by this Massacre for the rest of their lives. During the next forty years, through high jinks and humor, in horror and outrage, they each find their place in an intolerant, patriarchal Mormon society and the polygamy it espouses.
This was a co-production with the Women's Theater Company in Parsippany, NJ and Two-Headed opened in the spring of 2006 at this company, before coming down to ELTC in Cape May. Barbara Krajkowski, a co-founder and artistic director of Women’s Theater Company, directed.
Written by Julie Jensen, Playwright-in-Residence at the Salt Lake Acting Company, the play begins on September 11, 1857 – the day over 100 California-bound pioneers were killed in what became known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Ten-year old Hettie and Lavinia are haunted by this Massacre for the rest of their lives. During the next forty years, through high jinks and humor, in horror and outrage, they each find their place in an intolerant, patriarchal Mormon society and the polygamy it espouses.
This was a co-production with the Women's Theater Company in Parsippany, NJ and Two-Headed opened in the spring of 2006 at this company, before coming down to ELTC in Cape May. Barbara Krajkowski, a co-founder and artistic director of Women’s Theater Company, directed.
2003 World Premiere TALES BY TWAIN
Mark Twain’s books continue to be among the most popular ever written, and cover a wide variety of topics. For almost fifty years, beginning as a young reporter on the western frontier, Twain used the weapon of laughter to assault injustice and inequity wherever he found them. The words of this beloved author and humorist still possess the power to make us laugh today, and they contain wisdom and insights in the world and human nature that are as fresh now as they were over one hundred years ago.
In Tales by Twain, several of these diverse works, from 1862-1910, are presented on stage by a talented cast of four. Interwoven throughout the scenes, are songs from the period, like the rousing “Oh, California!” and “Buffalo Gals,” and the tender classic, “Sweet By and By,” played and sung by the performers. Tales by Twain was written by Gayle Stahlhuth, and directed by Luke Sickle and Joe Stinson. The show was first performed by ELTC during its 2003 Summer/Fall Season, and, immediately following the Cape May run, appeared at Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, NJ. Tales by Twain was so popular that it was brought back to Cape May for a longer run for East Lynne’s 2004 Season. The cast for 2003 (pictured here): Damon Bonetti, Sarah Johnson, Erick Schark, and Gayle Stahlhuth. The cast for 2004: Damon Bonetti, Charlotte Northeast, Gayle Stahlhuth, and Matthew Staley.
Mark Twain’s books continue to be among the most popular ever written, and cover a wide variety of topics. For almost fifty years, beginning as a young reporter on the western frontier, Twain used the weapon of laughter to assault injustice and inequity wherever he found them. The words of this beloved author and humorist still possess the power to make us laugh today, and they contain wisdom and insights in the world and human nature that are as fresh now as they were over one hundred years ago.
In Tales by Twain, several of these diverse works, from 1862-1910, are presented on stage by a talented cast of four. Interwoven throughout the scenes, are songs from the period, like the rousing “Oh, California!” and “Buffalo Gals,” and the tender classic, “Sweet By and By,” played and sung by the performers. Tales by Twain was written by Gayle Stahlhuth, and directed by Luke Sickle and Joe Stinson. The show was first performed by ELTC during its 2003 Summer/Fall Season, and, immediately following the Cape May run, appeared at Surflight Theatre in Long Beach Island, NJ. Tales by Twain was so popular that it was brought back to Cape May for a longer run for East Lynne’s 2004 Season. The cast for 2003 (pictured here): Damon Bonetti, Sarah Johnson, Erick Schark, and Gayle Stahlhuth. The cast for 2004: Damon Bonetti, Charlotte Northeast, Gayle Stahlhuth, and Matthew Staley.