RECENT SEASONS: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020
"If the actors don't endear, Ah, Wilderness! is dead in the water. Happily they come through in East Lynne Theater Company's production." - from Hugh Hunter's review for THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
NOTHING MATTERS
CAPE MAY SEASON 2020
LIVE
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE (March 13-14) ELTC invites you to be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this famous mystery with live sound effects and commercials, and actors portray several roles to make the tale come to life. Many radio shows were performed in front of live audiences at the same time they were sent across the "airways." This production is based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Craig Wichman, Founder and Producer of Quicksilver Radio Theater.
TALES IN THE BACKYARD (mid-June through mid-December, most Thursdays at 4:00, Outside) A different event every week: Speech by Ida B. Wells (1909), Celebration of LGBTQ Poets for LGBTQ Month, Helpful Hints based on Putnam’s Household Handbook (1916) by Mae Savell Croy, A Morality Play for the Leisure Class (1920) by John L. Balderston, Play Ball: Stories about Baseball, Eve’s Diary (1905) by Mark Twain, Presenting Ruth Draper (1884-1956), Isaac Asimov is 100!, Meet Benjamin (1833-1901) and Mrs. Harrison, Chicano Literature, Humorous African-American Tales, Celebrating Dorothy Parker (1893-1967), Christmas Ghost Tales, Kate Chopin Stories (1893-1967), William Chestnutt Stories (1858-1932), An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce (1842 – 1914), Mrs. McChesney Stories by Edna Ferber (1885-1968), Selections from Alice Childress's (1916-1994) Just One of the Family, More Dorothy Parker, Christmas Tales. Performers were Suzanne Dawson, Stephanie Garrett, Sydia Cedeno Genet, Mal and Dottie Knapp, Andrew Lofredo, Suzanne Longacre, Lee O'Connor, James Rana, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
A PANDEMIC BALLET (July 30, Outside) Summer Student Workshop production directed by Gayle Stahlhuth with ages 10-15
POE BY CANDLELIGHT (Oct. 24, Outside) Suzanne Dawson, Lee O'Connor, James Rana, and Gayle Stahlhuth read their favorite Poe stories.
GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST TROLLEY RIDES in partnership with Cape May MAC, storyteller Susan Tischler told ghost stories based on classic American literature adapted by Gayle Stahlhuth, as guests enjoyed a nighttime trolley ride through the holiday-decorated streets of Cape May.
VIRTUAL ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.tinyurl.com/ELTCYouTube
TALES OF THE VICTORIANS, which usually take place on the porches of B&B and in local shops during the summer, and involve tea and tasty treats for guests, began to be filmed last spring, in the safety of the home of artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth and technical director Lee O'Connor. These two, joined by James Rana who was sequestering with them, filmed themselves reading stories by Twain, Service, O. Henry, Chopin, Stockton, and others. Most of these are still available on ELTC's YouTube Channel.
HISTORIC SPOUT OFFS Cape May’s Letters to the Editor in newspapers from 1860-1925, compiled by Tom Byrn, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. Cast: Tom Byrn, Veronique Hurley, Mat Labotka, Mark Edward Lang, Andrew Lofredo, Alison J. Murphy, Lee O'Connor, James Rana, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
NOT ABOVE A WHISPER, written by Gayle Stahlhuth, starring Lee O'Connor and Stahlhuth, it's about mental health advocate Dorothea Lynde Dix. This play was originally commissioned by the Smithsonian and first performed at The National Portrait Gallery.
THE WOODHULL PROJECT, written and performed by Emma Palzere-Rae. Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for President. What would she think about the state of social issues today?
NOTHING MATTERS written by Dave Geible, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starring James Rana with Stahlhuth. A woman visits the famous journalist Ambrose in 1896, seeking advice about her poetry, but receives an insight into the Civil War and politics. Bierce's philosophy is "Nothing Matters." But of course, many things mattered to him very much. It took Stahlhuth three months to get a contract from Actors' Equity Association to fully produce this show on a set, with costumes and props, and be allowed to film it with three cameras. This was the 4th contract given by the union since mid-March 2020. So far, January 20, 2021, there have only been 17 Equity contracts given to theaters throughout the country since the lockdowns due to COVID. "Bierce, played by a genuine and passionate James Rana, is visited by a poet, played with brilliant rapport by Gayle Stahlhuth...Nothing Matters is timeless and timely - a tribute to writers, poets, and all who protect the truth and stand by the test of time." - Tom Sims for "Exit Zero"
YULETIDE TALES: Songs and Stories for the Holidays was filmed at the Cape May Presbyterian Church. Musicians: The Honeyhawks (Lelah and Jay Eppenbach), Will and Holly Knapp, and Barry Tischler with Tom Naglee. Storytellers: Stephanie Garrett, Susan Tischler, Gayle Stahlhuth, and James Rana. Funding was provided by New Jersey Theatre Alliance “Stages Festival” “There is so much local talent in this production, Yuletide Tales is like a visit with family complete with stories and music. It’s essential viewing for the holidays." - Tom Sims for "Exit Zero"
THE RAINMAKER
CAPE MAY SEASON 2019
SUMMERLAND (NJ Premiere) is an historical fiction mystery based on real life spirit photographer William H. Mumler (1832-1884). In 1869, 150 years ago, many, including Mary Todd Lincoln, flocked to his studio to get their pictures taken just to see who also showed up in the photo - that is - who was DEAD who appeared as a ghost in the photo. While a detective is keen to prove he’s a fraud, Mumler’s wife, a clairvoyant, is digging into the detective’s past. This is only the third production of this riveting play by Arlitia Jones; Summerland premiered at the Cincinnati Playhouse in 2017. "The cast and crew of Summerland does not disappoint." - Sally Galbraith for "Exit Zero"
THE RAINMAKER It's 1930, out West, during the Depression, with no hope of rain in site. Enter Starbuck, who claims he can make it rain for $100. There are those who believe he can do it - and those who don’t. And then there’s Lizzie, who wants so much to believe in anything – especially herself. Written by N. Richard Nash, this comedy-drama Western started out as a one-act 1953 production for Philco Television Playhouse. The full two-act version was a smash hit on Broadway in 1954, starring Geraldine Page and Darrin McGavin, It has been translated into over 40 languages and was adapted into the musical 110 in the Shade. "I tried to tell a simple story about droughts that happen to people, and about faith." - N. Richard Nash writing about The Rainmaker "
A fine ensemble cast." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero," and My father would have loved this production." - Amanda Nash
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE was so popular in 2018, that we brought it back. Written by Joseph Kesselring, it was first produced on Broadway by Howard Lindsey and Russel Crouse.
POE BY CANDLELIGHT
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE radio-style!
THE GREAT TREE AND OTHER TALES BY ZONA GALE Pulitzer Prize winner Zona Gale captures early 20th Century small town life through Calliope Marsh, portrayed here by Gayle Stahlhuth, in her unique memorized storytelling fashion.
SUMMERLAND (NJ Premiere) is an historical fiction mystery based on real life spirit photographer William H. Mumler (1832-1884). In 1869, 150 years ago, many, including Mary Todd Lincoln, flocked to his studio to get their pictures taken just to see who also showed up in the photo - that is - who was DEAD who appeared as a ghost in the photo. While a detective is keen to prove he’s a fraud, Mumler’s wife, a clairvoyant, is digging into the detective’s past. This is only the third production of this riveting play by Arlitia Jones; Summerland premiered at the Cincinnati Playhouse in 2017. "The cast and crew of Summerland does not disappoint." - Sally Galbraith for "Exit Zero"
THE RAINMAKER It's 1930, out West, during the Depression, with no hope of rain in site. Enter Starbuck, who claims he can make it rain for $100. There are those who believe he can do it - and those who don’t. And then there’s Lizzie, who wants so much to believe in anything – especially herself. Written by N. Richard Nash, this comedy-drama Western started out as a one-act 1953 production for Philco Television Playhouse. The full two-act version was a smash hit on Broadway in 1954, starring Geraldine Page and Darrin McGavin, It has been translated into over 40 languages and was adapted into the musical 110 in the Shade. "I tried to tell a simple story about droughts that happen to people, and about faith." - N. Richard Nash writing about The Rainmaker "
A fine ensemble cast." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero," and My father would have loved this production." - Amanda Nash
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE was so popular in 2018, that we brought it back. Written by Joseph Kesselring, it was first produced on Broadway by Howard Lindsey and Russel Crouse.
POE BY CANDLELIGHT
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE radio-style!
THE GREAT TREE AND OTHER TALES BY ZONA GALE Pulitzer Prize winner Zona Gale captures early 20th Century small town life through Calliope Marsh, portrayed here by Gayle Stahlhuth, in her unique memorized storytelling fashion.
CAPE MAY SEASON 2018
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES Back by popular demand! Meet Charles Edward Dilkes (1887-1968), poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), nurse Amabel Roberts (1891-1918), “Hello Girl” Grace Banker (1892-1960) and other Americans who served during World War I, 100 years ago. Written by James Rana, it’s based on Dilkes’ book Remembering World War I: An Engineer’s Diary of the War, and other historical sources. A cast of 6 play a variety of roles, and live music from the period is performed throughout. The creation of this script received partial funding from the NJ State Council on the Arts, and the NJ Historical Commission. "Fantastic Theater at Cape May! Highly recommend. We saw A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES, a new play about WW I. Excellent. Wonderfully professional talented artists portrayed various roles. Intimate theater; easy to get pulled in emotionally into the story. This was a new show; very compelling." - from a 5-Star-TripAdvisor review by macska2016
AN EVENING WITH AMY BEACH Amy Beach (1867-1944) was the first female composer to have her symphony performed by a major orchestra and was one of the first American composers to be honored in Europe. She published over 300 works during her lifetime, and other compositions have been discovered and published since. Lillie Gardner, who performs throughout the world and teaches at St. Joseph’s School of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, is playing several of Beach’s lush, romantic piano pieces for this special event. Gardner received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from New York University, and she holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in piano performance from the University of Connecticut. WWFM broadcast the concert on June 26, along with interviews with Dr. Gardner and ELTC's artistic Director Gayle Stahlhuth.
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (World Premiere Musical Revue) A cast of four bring the lyrics of the incredible Dorothy Fields (1905-1974) to life in this world premiere revue, with Charles Gilbert as musical director and accompanist, under the direction of Gayle Stahlhuth, with choreography by Karen Cleighton. Gilbert last worked with ELTC in Rodgers’ Romance, and the company is thrilled to have him back. During her almost 50-year career, Fields wrote lyrics for more than 400 songs; worked on 15 Broadway musicals, sometimes as book writer and/or lyricist, and almost 30 Hollywood films. She and Jerome Kern won the Oscar for Best Song with “The Way You Look Tonight” (1936) and she won two Tony Awards for Redhead (1959). Fields and Cy Coleman were nominated for the Tony for Sweet Charity (1966) and Seesaw (1974).
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE We're bringing this one back in 2019 since it broke all ELTC box office records! Murder! Mayhem! Madcap fun! Meet the Brewsters! Two charming sisters live in the family home in Brooklyn, offering rooms-to-rent, while populating their cellar with the remains of “acceptable” lodgers. The nephew who lives with them thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, another nephew has a criminal record and is on the run, and the third nephew is a Broadway theater critic who is recently engaged to a lovely young woman. Written by Joseph Kesselring, this 1941 Broadway comedy hit is family entertainment at its looniest!
WE’LL MEET AGAIN: The Songs of WWII Patricia Durante sings the iconic songs of WWII such as “We’ll Meet Again, “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” “The White Cliffs of Dover,” “This is the Army, Mr. Jones,” - and many more! Throughout the show, she engages with the audience, and puts the songs in their historical context. Printed song lyrics are provided for “sing-alongs!” We may even find the much-needed third female to complete our Andrews Sisters Trio in the audience! Meet Patricia and her accompanist after the hour-long show at a reception at The Chalfonte. Patricia Durante is the 2015 Winner of “NJ Best Actress in a Musical” for her portrayal of Patsy Cline in the Women’s Theater Company’s (Parsippany, NJ) production of Always Patsy Cline. Other awards: “DC Metro/Arts”’ “2015 Philadelphia’s Best Individual Performances in Theatre” for her portrayal of the Queen in Ionesco’s Exit the King, produced by Philadelphia’s IRC at Walnut Street Theatre; 2014 WCA Milwaukee’s “Outstanding Dramatic Performance” for her portrayal of Corrynn in Gidion’s Knot, at Boulevard Theatre, 2011 “Best Lead Actress in a Play” for Enchanted April, also at Women’s Theater Company. Her solo CD, Just Some Favorites is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com.
SILENT SKY tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921), the astronomer who provided the key to determining the size of the cosmos. In 1912, working at the Harvard College Observatory, she discovered that one could relate a star’s brightness cycle to its absolute magnitude. This was a valuable stepping stone for other scientists to later be able to measure the distance of stars, star clusters, and galaxies. Leavitt, and other women with whom she worked, called “computers,” mapped the sky working from photographic plates since only men were permitted to look through the telescope at Harvard. She lived during an era of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. As a working woman, she had to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. Silent Sky was written by Lauren Gunderson, the most produced living female playwright in America. The script was commissioned by and premiered at South Coast Repertory in 2011, and has been produced throughout the country. ELTC's production was directed by Tom Byrn. Churches are great venues for theaters and The First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, which is where ELTC makes its home, is no exception. The intimacy and acoustics create warmth and magic and with a simple but effective set and efficient staging, we're transported to locales ranging from an ocean liner on the Atlantic to the offices of the Harvard Observatory...The script is so multi-layered and moving, that it brilliantly and seamlessly becomes about our place in the universe. - from Donna Marie Nowak's review for Broadwayworld.com
POE BY CANDLELIGHT ELTC actors read their favorite Poe stories, and this year, selections from Frankenstein will be read to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel. Enjoy tasty treats and cider in the lounge before the show. This has become a very popular event that quickly sells out.
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND “Mr. Holmes, I am under such a strain that I shall go mad if it continues,” said Enid to Sherlock Holmes. Thus begins a race against time for Holmes and Watson to stop the bizarre murders in an eerie country manor in The Adventure of the Speckled Band. ELTC invites you to be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this famous mystery with live sound effects, commercials, and actors portraying several roles to make the tale come to life. Our radio show is based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s personal favorites and his play The Stoner Case, adapted by Craig Wichman, with the permission of Dame Jean Conan Doyle. Craig is the Founder and Producer of Quicksilver Radio Theater. His script received the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ “Gold Reel” for Radio Drama Award.
O. HENRY'S CHRISTMAS TALES "There are just as many real Christmas stories as ever, if we would only dig 'em up," wrote O. Henry in his "Unfinished Christmas Story," published posthumously in 1919. Gayle Stahlhuth has been "digging up" and adapting American Christmas stories for Cape May audiences since 2005, performing works by Louisa May Alcott, Zona Gale, L. Frank Baum, Mark Twain, and Mary Wilkins Freeman. She has been praised by reviewers and audience alike for her unique, memorized, storytelling style, bringing thirty different characters to life in one performance.
The O. Henry selections this year all take place in Manhattan and have to so with an exact amount of money. Della needs to buy a Christmas present for her husband in "The Gift of the Magi," and only has $1.87. A kindly old gent spends $1.30 on dinner for someone he barely knows in "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." A millionaire offers $100 to anyone who will return his five-year-old daughter's rag doll in "Compliments of the Season." Bobby Gillian inherits $1,000 in "One Thousand Dollars," and wonders how to spend it.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES Back by popular demand! Meet Charles Edward Dilkes (1887-1968), poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), nurse Amabel Roberts (1891-1918), “Hello Girl” Grace Banker (1892-1960) and other Americans who served during World War I, 100 years ago. Written by James Rana, it’s based on Dilkes’ book Remembering World War I: An Engineer’s Diary of the War, and other historical sources. A cast of 6 play a variety of roles, and live music from the period is performed throughout. The creation of this script received partial funding from the NJ State Council on the Arts, and the NJ Historical Commission. "Fantastic Theater at Cape May! Highly recommend. We saw A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES, a new play about WW I. Excellent. Wonderfully professional talented artists portrayed various roles. Intimate theater; easy to get pulled in emotionally into the story. This was a new show; very compelling." - from a 5-Star-TripAdvisor review by macska2016
AN EVENING WITH AMY BEACH Amy Beach (1867-1944) was the first female composer to have her symphony performed by a major orchestra and was one of the first American composers to be honored in Europe. She published over 300 works during her lifetime, and other compositions have been discovered and published since. Lillie Gardner, who performs throughout the world and teaches at St. Joseph’s School of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, is playing several of Beach’s lush, romantic piano pieces for this special event. Gardner received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from New York University, and she holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in piano performance from the University of Connecticut. WWFM broadcast the concert on June 26, along with interviews with Dr. Gardner and ELTC's artistic Director Gayle Stahlhuth.
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (World Premiere Musical Revue) A cast of four bring the lyrics of the incredible Dorothy Fields (1905-1974) to life in this world premiere revue, with Charles Gilbert as musical director and accompanist, under the direction of Gayle Stahlhuth, with choreography by Karen Cleighton. Gilbert last worked with ELTC in Rodgers’ Romance, and the company is thrilled to have him back. During her almost 50-year career, Fields wrote lyrics for more than 400 songs; worked on 15 Broadway musicals, sometimes as book writer and/or lyricist, and almost 30 Hollywood films. She and Jerome Kern won the Oscar for Best Song with “The Way You Look Tonight” (1936) and she won two Tony Awards for Redhead (1959). Fields and Cy Coleman were nominated for the Tony for Sweet Charity (1966) and Seesaw (1974).
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE We're bringing this one back in 2019 since it broke all ELTC box office records! Murder! Mayhem! Madcap fun! Meet the Brewsters! Two charming sisters live in the family home in Brooklyn, offering rooms-to-rent, while populating their cellar with the remains of “acceptable” lodgers. The nephew who lives with them thinks he’s Teddy Roosevelt, another nephew has a criminal record and is on the run, and the third nephew is a Broadway theater critic who is recently engaged to a lovely young woman. Written by Joseph Kesselring, this 1941 Broadway comedy hit is family entertainment at its looniest!
WE’LL MEET AGAIN: The Songs of WWII Patricia Durante sings the iconic songs of WWII such as “We’ll Meet Again, “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” “The White Cliffs of Dover,” “This is the Army, Mr. Jones,” - and many more! Throughout the show, she engages with the audience, and puts the songs in their historical context. Printed song lyrics are provided for “sing-alongs!” We may even find the much-needed third female to complete our Andrews Sisters Trio in the audience! Meet Patricia and her accompanist after the hour-long show at a reception at The Chalfonte. Patricia Durante is the 2015 Winner of “NJ Best Actress in a Musical” for her portrayal of Patsy Cline in the Women’s Theater Company’s (Parsippany, NJ) production of Always Patsy Cline. Other awards: “DC Metro/Arts”’ “2015 Philadelphia’s Best Individual Performances in Theatre” for her portrayal of the Queen in Ionesco’s Exit the King, produced by Philadelphia’s IRC at Walnut Street Theatre; 2014 WCA Milwaukee’s “Outstanding Dramatic Performance” for her portrayal of Corrynn in Gidion’s Knot, at Boulevard Theatre, 2011 “Best Lead Actress in a Play” for Enchanted April, also at Women’s Theater Company. Her solo CD, Just Some Favorites is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com.
SILENT SKY tells the story of Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921), the astronomer who provided the key to determining the size of the cosmos. In 1912, working at the Harvard College Observatory, she discovered that one could relate a star’s brightness cycle to its absolute magnitude. This was a valuable stepping stone for other scientists to later be able to measure the distance of stars, star clusters, and galaxies. Leavitt, and other women with whom she worked, called “computers,” mapped the sky working from photographic plates since only men were permitted to look through the telescope at Harvard. She lived during an era of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. As a working woman, she had to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. Silent Sky was written by Lauren Gunderson, the most produced living female playwright in America. The script was commissioned by and premiered at South Coast Repertory in 2011, and has been produced throughout the country. ELTC's production was directed by Tom Byrn. Churches are great venues for theaters and The First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, which is where ELTC makes its home, is no exception. The intimacy and acoustics create warmth and magic and with a simple but effective set and efficient staging, we're transported to locales ranging from an ocean liner on the Atlantic to the offices of the Harvard Observatory...The script is so multi-layered and moving, that it brilliantly and seamlessly becomes about our place in the universe. - from Donna Marie Nowak's review for Broadwayworld.com
POE BY CANDLELIGHT ELTC actors read their favorite Poe stories, and this year, selections from Frankenstein will be read to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s iconic novel. Enjoy tasty treats and cider in the lounge before the show. This has become a very popular event that quickly sells out.
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND “Mr. Holmes, I am under such a strain that I shall go mad if it continues,” said Enid to Sherlock Holmes. Thus begins a race against time for Holmes and Watson to stop the bizarre murders in an eerie country manor in The Adventure of the Speckled Band. ELTC invites you to be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this famous mystery with live sound effects, commercials, and actors portraying several roles to make the tale come to life. Our radio show is based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s personal favorites and his play The Stoner Case, adapted by Craig Wichman, with the permission of Dame Jean Conan Doyle. Craig is the Founder and Producer of Quicksilver Radio Theater. His script received the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ “Gold Reel” for Radio Drama Award.
O. HENRY'S CHRISTMAS TALES "There are just as many real Christmas stories as ever, if we would only dig 'em up," wrote O. Henry in his "Unfinished Christmas Story," published posthumously in 1919. Gayle Stahlhuth has been "digging up" and adapting American Christmas stories for Cape May audiences since 2005, performing works by Louisa May Alcott, Zona Gale, L. Frank Baum, Mark Twain, and Mary Wilkins Freeman. She has been praised by reviewers and audience alike for her unique, memorized, storytelling style, bringing thirty different characters to life in one performance.
The O. Henry selections this year all take place in Manhattan and have to so with an exact amount of money. Della needs to buy a Christmas present for her husband in "The Gift of the Magi," and only has $1.87. A kindly old gent spends $1.30 on dinner for someone he barely knows in "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." A millionaire offers $100 to anyone who will return his five-year-old daughter's rag doll in "Compliments of the Season." Bobby Gillian inherits $1,000 in "One Thousand Dollars," and wonders how to spend it.
Evan Smilyk, Mark Lazar, and Emma Palzere-Rae in AH, WILDERNESS!
CAPE MAY SEASON 2017
WILL ROGERS’ U.S.A. “There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you,” said Will Rogers (1879-1935), famous humorist, writer, philosopher, and performer. As a young man, he worked on ranches, and being a master of the lariat led to his performing in Vaudeville. By 1917 he was a headliner for the Ziegfeld Follies, blending his unique style of poking gentle fun at current events with his rope tricks. In 1922, he started a syndicated column that was read in 2,800 daily papers. His wit, wisdom and understanding of the human condition is often compared to that of Mark Twain. In 1934, Rogers played the role of Nat Miller in the road company of Ah, Wilderness!. Declining to do the role in the film version, he ended up flying with Wiley Post to Alaska in 1935. The plane crashed near Point Barrow, killing both men. Taking on the role of Will Rogers is Tom Byrn who recently received rave reviews for his performance in ELTC’s Mr. Lincoln. The script was based on the one used in 1970 by James Whitmore. It isn't published and took ELTC’s artistic director three months to track down who owns the script and the rights, with the help of Will Rogers' great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry. "Tom Byrn, who did a wonderful job bringing Abraham Lincoln to life last year, gives an equally winning performance as Will Rogers." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero"
AH, WILDERNESS! “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam! That’s the best of all! ‘A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou beside me singing in the wilderness,’” says seventeen-year old Richard, defending his choice of literature to his parents. His letters to his girlfriend, Muriel, contain quotes from Khayam and Swinburne. Finding these letters offensive, Muriel’s father forbids Richard to see his daughter again. Heartbroken, Richard goes on a bender and meets Belle. Is Richard going to turn into his Uncle Sid, or can he be brought back to his senses? This large-cast play takes place during the July 4th weekend in 1906 in a small Connecticut town. Eugene O’Neill’s (1888-1953) only comedy, Ah, Wilderness! offers a gentle portrait of family values and teenage growing pains. This is the life O’Neill wished he’d had. Long Day's Journey into Night, earning O’Neill his fourth Pulitzer Prize, is based on the real-life tragedy of his past. When Ah, Wilderness! premiered on Broadway in 1933, George M. Cohan portrayed Nat Miller, Richard’s father. When it went on the road, Will Rogers played the part. "The entire cast, 14 in all, deliver performances that are outstanding with plenty of fun throughout. Gayle Stahlhuth directs and Lee O'Connor is the technical director. The sets and costumes bring just the right mood for the era." - Tom Sims for "Exit Zero."
SOMEONE MUST WASH THE DISHES: An Anti-Suffrage Satire “Ladies, get what you want. Make home a hell on earth--but do it in a womanly way! This is so much more dignified than dropping a piece of paper into a ballot box," declares Marie Jenney Howe’s unlikely, but likeable, heroine. Howe, a pro-suffragist, wrote her Anti-Suffrage Monologue in 1912—eight years before women won the vote. Her fictional speaker is a charming, guileless enthusiast who sincerely believes that her efforts as a “womanly woman” will keep the Home intact—and save the Nation from anarchy. Performed by Michele LaRue, who has been touring the country for over 25 years with various one-person shows, gave a lecture after the performance.
ZELDA & SCOTT: love letters (and others) The greatest, and most tormented, literary love story of the 20th Century was the relationship and marriage of the writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Their poignant, playful, thoughtful and varied correspondence– from passionate love letters to the details of daily life to heated jealous screeds– comes to life in this new work written by Mark Edward Lang. He performs this with Alison J. Murphy as a staged-reading theater piece with slides. Zelda & Scott celebrates the splendor of the Fitzgeralds’ talent, their many challenges– and the depths of their tragic love for one another. There is a Q&A after the performance.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES (A world premiere) “If someone in the year 1916 told me that in 1917 I’d be in the army, I would have thought him insane,” said Charles Edward Dilkes (1887-1968). Meet Sergeant Dilkes, poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), pilot Kenneth Russell Unger (1898-1979), nurse Amabel Scharff Roberts (1891-1918), “Hello Girl” Grace Banker (1892-1960) and other Americans who went to Europe when the United Stated entered World War I a hundred years ago. A Year in the Trenches is based on Dilkes’ book Remembering World War I: An Engineer’s Diary of the War, and other historical accounts. Charles Edward Dilkes was born in Philadelphia, but spent the rest of his life in New Jersey after the war. Live music from the period is performed throughout. The script for this world premiere, written by James Rana and developed with Gayle Stahlhuth, was commissioned by the New Jersey Historical Commission and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
POE BY CANDLELIGHT Actors who perform with the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company read their favorite stories written by the master of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe, in the beautiful First Presbyterian Church of Cape May. This is the final event in our 2017 Tales of the Victorians series, and refreshments will be served. It’s the third year of this popular event, and the last two years sold out quickly!
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND “Mr. Holmes, I am under such a strain that I shall go mad if it continues,” said Enid to Sherlock Holmes. Thus begins a race against time for Holmes and Watson to stop the bizarre murders in an eerie country manor in The Adventure of the Speckled Band. ELTC invites you to be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this famous mystery with live sound effects, commercials, and actors portraying several roles to make the tale come to life. Our radio show is based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s personal favorites and his play The Stoner Case, adapted by Craig Wichman, with the permission of Dame Jean Conan Doyle. Craig is the Founder and Producer of Quicksilver Radio Theater. His script received the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ “Gold Reel” for Radio Drama Award.
LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S CHRISTMAS “Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, speaking to the other March sisters in the first chapter of Little Women. The opening chapters of this beloved novel, and the the short stories "Tessa's Surprises" and “What the Bells Saw and Said,” are adapted and performed by ELTC’s artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth in Louisa May Alcott's Christmas. Gayle Stahlhuth, who’s been performing one-person shows for over 35 years, including her own Lou: The Remarkable Miss Alcott, brings to life thirty-plus characters in her memorized, unique storytelling style. With the flick of the wrist and change of accent, she glides seamlessly from one character to another in this tour-de-force performance that delights all ages. "Every Christmas, Gayle Stahlhuth, who has already spent a year overseeing ELTC's season and outreach programs, has one last gift to give - her storytelling - and she's a master storyteller. . . . The whole evening filled me with holiday hope." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero."
WILL ROGERS’ U.S.A. “There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you,” said Will Rogers (1879-1935), famous humorist, writer, philosopher, and performer. As a young man, he worked on ranches, and being a master of the lariat led to his performing in Vaudeville. By 1917 he was a headliner for the Ziegfeld Follies, blending his unique style of poking gentle fun at current events with his rope tricks. In 1922, he started a syndicated column that was read in 2,800 daily papers. His wit, wisdom and understanding of the human condition is often compared to that of Mark Twain. In 1934, Rogers played the role of Nat Miller in the road company of Ah, Wilderness!. Declining to do the role in the film version, he ended up flying with Wiley Post to Alaska in 1935. The plane crashed near Point Barrow, killing both men. Taking on the role of Will Rogers is Tom Byrn who recently received rave reviews for his performance in ELTC’s Mr. Lincoln. The script was based on the one used in 1970 by James Whitmore. It isn't published and took ELTC’s artistic director three months to track down who owns the script and the rights, with the help of Will Rogers' great-granddaughter, Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry. "Tom Byrn, who did a wonderful job bringing Abraham Lincoln to life last year, gives an equally winning performance as Will Rogers." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero"
AH, WILDERNESS! “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam! That’s the best of all! ‘A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and thou beside me singing in the wilderness,’” says seventeen-year old Richard, defending his choice of literature to his parents. His letters to his girlfriend, Muriel, contain quotes from Khayam and Swinburne. Finding these letters offensive, Muriel’s father forbids Richard to see his daughter again. Heartbroken, Richard goes on a bender and meets Belle. Is Richard going to turn into his Uncle Sid, or can he be brought back to his senses? This large-cast play takes place during the July 4th weekend in 1906 in a small Connecticut town. Eugene O’Neill’s (1888-1953) only comedy, Ah, Wilderness! offers a gentle portrait of family values and teenage growing pains. This is the life O’Neill wished he’d had. Long Day's Journey into Night, earning O’Neill his fourth Pulitzer Prize, is based on the real-life tragedy of his past. When Ah, Wilderness! premiered on Broadway in 1933, George M. Cohan portrayed Nat Miller, Richard’s father. When it went on the road, Will Rogers played the part. "The entire cast, 14 in all, deliver performances that are outstanding with plenty of fun throughout. Gayle Stahlhuth directs and Lee O'Connor is the technical director. The sets and costumes bring just the right mood for the era." - Tom Sims for "Exit Zero."
SOMEONE MUST WASH THE DISHES: An Anti-Suffrage Satire “Ladies, get what you want. Make home a hell on earth--but do it in a womanly way! This is so much more dignified than dropping a piece of paper into a ballot box," declares Marie Jenney Howe’s unlikely, but likeable, heroine. Howe, a pro-suffragist, wrote her Anti-Suffrage Monologue in 1912—eight years before women won the vote. Her fictional speaker is a charming, guileless enthusiast who sincerely believes that her efforts as a “womanly woman” will keep the Home intact—and save the Nation from anarchy. Performed by Michele LaRue, who has been touring the country for over 25 years with various one-person shows, gave a lecture after the performance.
ZELDA & SCOTT: love letters (and others) The greatest, and most tormented, literary love story of the 20th Century was the relationship and marriage of the writers F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Their poignant, playful, thoughtful and varied correspondence– from passionate love letters to the details of daily life to heated jealous screeds– comes to life in this new work written by Mark Edward Lang. He performs this with Alison J. Murphy as a staged-reading theater piece with slides. Zelda & Scott celebrates the splendor of the Fitzgeralds’ talent, their many challenges– and the depths of their tragic love for one another. There is a Q&A after the performance.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES (A world premiere) “If someone in the year 1916 told me that in 1917 I’d be in the army, I would have thought him insane,” said Charles Edward Dilkes (1887-1968). Meet Sergeant Dilkes, poet Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918), pilot Kenneth Russell Unger (1898-1979), nurse Amabel Scharff Roberts (1891-1918), “Hello Girl” Grace Banker (1892-1960) and other Americans who went to Europe when the United Stated entered World War I a hundred years ago. A Year in the Trenches is based on Dilkes’ book Remembering World War I: An Engineer’s Diary of the War, and other historical accounts. Charles Edward Dilkes was born in Philadelphia, but spent the rest of his life in New Jersey after the war. Live music from the period is performed throughout. The script for this world premiere, written by James Rana and developed with Gayle Stahlhuth, was commissioned by the New Jersey Historical Commission and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
POE BY CANDLELIGHT Actors who perform with the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company read their favorite stories written by the master of the macabre, Edgar Allen Poe, in the beautiful First Presbyterian Church of Cape May. This is the final event in our 2017 Tales of the Victorians series, and refreshments will be served. It’s the third year of this popular event, and the last two years sold out quickly!
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND “Mr. Holmes, I am under such a strain that I shall go mad if it continues,” said Enid to Sherlock Holmes. Thus begins a race against time for Holmes and Watson to stop the bizarre murders in an eerie country manor in The Adventure of the Speckled Band. ELTC invites you to be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this famous mystery with live sound effects, commercials, and actors portraying several roles to make the tale come to life. Our radio show is based on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s personal favorites and his play The Stoner Case, adapted by Craig Wichman, with the permission of Dame Jean Conan Doyle. Craig is the Founder and Producer of Quicksilver Radio Theater. His script received the National Federation of Community Broadcasters’ “Gold Reel” for Radio Drama Award.
LOUISA MAY ALCOTT’S CHRISTMAS “Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, speaking to the other March sisters in the first chapter of Little Women. The opening chapters of this beloved novel, and the the short stories "Tessa's Surprises" and “What the Bells Saw and Said,” are adapted and performed by ELTC’s artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth in Louisa May Alcott's Christmas. Gayle Stahlhuth, who’s been performing one-person shows for over 35 years, including her own Lou: The Remarkable Miss Alcott, brings to life thirty-plus characters in her memorized, unique storytelling style. With the flick of the wrist and change of accent, she glides seamlessly from one character to another in this tour-de-force performance that delights all ages. "Every Christmas, Gayle Stahlhuth, who has already spent a year overseeing ELTC's season and outreach programs, has one last gift to give - her storytelling - and she's a master storyteller. . . . The whole evening filled me with holiday hope." - Dottie Knapp for "Exit Zero."
CAPE MAY SEASON 2016
MR. LINCOLN On Good Friday, April 14,1865, the President and Mrs. Lincoln were watching Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre when John Wilkes Booth aimed his pistol. In Herbert Mitgang’s play, Lincoln’s life flashes before him, from his early days as a lawyer, to President of the United States as the weapon is fired. During the 1980s, Mr. Lincoln, starring British actor Roy Dotrice, was performed in four countries. ELTC selected this play in 2015 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination, with Tom Byrn as the 16th President. It returned in 2016 since it was so successful, and was also performed at Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in Bloomsburg, PA. "Tom Byrn evokes the spirit of Lincoln so well, this "Mr. Lincoln" doesn't lag - it's a tour de force. It also has the feel of Lincoln's time, with the president's traditional attire by Marion T. Brady and Lincolnesque hair and make-up design by Dave Bova....ELTC's artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth made it move with a pleasant, leisure beat." - Howard Shapiro for WHYY Public TV and Radio.
RODGERS' ROMANCE An exciting NJ Premiere directed by David-Michael Kenney "DMK" who first created this musical event for Sellersville Theatre in 2004 and reprised it at Act II Playhouse in 2007. For ELTC, Charles Gilbert was the musical director. Harking back to a time before microphones, none will be used in this production, allowing the singers’ voices to be heard naturally in the excellent acoustics of ELTC’s performance space. "Let this flawless cast and these wonderful songs suspend your life for a couple of hours. - Tom Sims for Exit Zero
MR. LINCOLN On Good Friday, April 14,1865, the President and Mrs. Lincoln were watching Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre when John Wilkes Booth aimed his pistol. In Herbert Mitgang’s play, Lincoln’s life flashes before him, from his early days as a lawyer, to President of the United States as the weapon is fired. During the 1980s, Mr. Lincoln, starring British actor Roy Dotrice, was performed in four countries. ELTC selected this play in 2015 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination, with Tom Byrn as the 16th President. It returned in 2016 since it was so successful, and was also performed at Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in Bloomsburg, PA. "Tom Byrn evokes the spirit of Lincoln so well, this "Mr. Lincoln" doesn't lag - it's a tour de force. It also has the feel of Lincoln's time, with the president's traditional attire by Marion T. Brady and Lincolnesque hair and make-up design by Dave Bova....ELTC's artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth made it move with a pleasant, leisure beat." - Howard Shapiro for WHYY Public TV and Radio.
RODGERS' ROMANCE An exciting NJ Premiere directed by David-Michael Kenney "DMK" who first created this musical event for Sellersville Theatre in 2004 and reprised it at Act II Playhouse in 2007. For ELTC, Charles Gilbert was the musical director. Harking back to a time before microphones, none will be used in this production, allowing the singers’ voices to be heard naturally in the excellent acoustics of ELTC’s performance space. "Let this flawless cast and these wonderful songs suspend your life for a couple of hours. - Tom Sims for Exit Zero
DRACULA The quiet English countryside changed with the arrival of its newest neighbor, Count Dracula. Even Lucy Seward, the daughter of the psychiatrist in charge of the local sanitorium, is behaving strangely. Her mysterious oddities are noticed by Jonathan Harker, the man who loves her, and her father who sends for Dr. Van Helsing. Van Helsing believes Lucy might be a victim of a ghost that sucks blood at night from its victims. Based on Bram Stoker’s famous gothic novel, this version by John L. Balderston and Hamilton Deane is the first successful adaptation. Deane’s version opened in London in 1924, but before it’s Broadway opening in 1927, American John L. Balderston was hired to revise it. Bela Lugosi played the title role on stage and in the 1931 film. Frank Langella followed suit on Broadway in 1977, and starred in the 1979 film. It’s thrilling entertainment for the whole family! "Superb acting is always great to watch, but when an ensemble comes together so tight as these players, it's a rare treat." - Tom Sims for Exit Zero
BIOGRAPHY Richard Kurt asks internationally known portrait painter Marion Froude to write her autobiography for his magazine. At first she laughs off the idea, but it’s Manhattan in 1932, during the Depression, and she can use the money. The prospect dismays a former lover, Leander Nolan from Tennessee who is running for United States Senate and is engaged to the daughter of one of Knoxville’s wealthiest families. Nolan and his future father-in-law exercise their influence to try to kill the story. Conversation in this entertaining comedy by S. N. Behrman is sharp and witty, but beneath the polished surface is a satirical study of American morals and all the dogma that lies in the clash of differing points of views. Just in time for an election year! "Director Gayle Stahlhuth and her cast have turned a 1932 classic into a masterful stage production." - Ricky Young for DC Metro Theater Arts
DETECTIVES HOLMES AND CARTER ELTC's popular radio-style mysteries with "Sherlock Holmes' Adventure of the Red-Headed League" and "Nick Carter and the Voice of Crime."
YULETIDE TALES As usual, the holiday offering is based on American classics and adapted and performed by ELTC’s artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth, who brings to life thirty-plus characters in her unique storytelling style. This year, the stories she adapted were "A Letter to Susie from Santa Claus" by Mark Twain, "9 Linwood Street" by Edward Everett Hale, "The Snow Image" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. "Gayle Stahlhuth becomes so many wonderful characters in this one-person show, you don't need to find the spirit of the season - it finds you." - Dottie and Mal Knapp for Exit Zero
A scene from STRICTLY DISHONORABLE
CAPE MAY SEASON 2015
MR. LINCOLN starring Tom Byrn and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, returns in 2016.
HUCKLEBERRY FINN (World Premiere) 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. Ernest Hemingway called it the one book from which “all modern American literature came.” While fleeing from his drunken father, young Huck meets Jim, a runaway slave. Thus begins their unforgettable odyssey down the Mississippi River. Huckleberry Finn is adapted by James Rana, who’s other adaptations first produced by ELTC include the well-reviewed Zorro!, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and The Poe Mysteries – all enjoyed by audiences from ages 5 – 95. 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
STRICTLY DISHONORABLE Isabelle, who was raised on a plantation in Mississippi, and Henry, her fiancé from West Orange, New Jersey step into a Manhattan speakeasy for a drink. Here they encounter Tomaso, the owner of the establishment, Mario, a waiter, Judge Dempsey, who lives above the speakeasy, Patrolman Mulligan, and the famous opera star, Count Di Ruvo. Isabelle finds these men enchanting. Henry does not. Where Isabelle and Henry spend the night and what happens the next day all have to do with the decision to play it safe or expand one’s horizons. Opening on September 19, 1929, this screwball comedy by Preston Sturges received rave reviews, and ticket sales remained strong even after the stock market crash in October. "While Sturges does examine issues that are important to what it means to be an American—giving comic (and other) consideration to questions of ambition, money, heroism, and morality—he examines them with a flashing wit and a poet’s gift for slang that offers American English at its most entertaining." - from a Vanity Fair article. Click Here to read the complete May, 2010 article in Vanity Fair about Sturges.
"I had the pleasure of seeing Strictly Dishonorable recently at ELTC. It was a fantastic production with so many strong performances and excellent direction. The play was very engaging and kept us on the edge of our seats. Very funny.. the actors had great timing and it was also quite touching. The costuming was perfect and the set was resourceful and very charming. I've seen multiple shows here and I highly recommend catching a show! This is a unique and professional company that never leaves you disappointed. Seeing a play here always seems to fit in perfectly for a night out in Cape May." - review on TripAdvisor
DETECTIVES HOLMES AND CARTER Radio-style adventures featuring 2 mysteries: Sherlock Holmes and the Red-Headed League and Nick Carter and the Voice of Crime. They return in 2016.
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS From L. Frank Baum, the man who gave us The Wizard of Oz, comes this charming tale about Claus’s life, from his early years to how he became immortal, presented in storytelling fashion by Artistic Director Gayle Stahlhuth, who has been praised by reviewers and audience alike for her portrayals of 30-plus roles in the telling of one tale. When ELTC last produced this one-person tour-de-force in 2010, it was designated an “American Masterpiece” as part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Masterpieces Series. Baum gave Claus an exciting life that evokes all the charm, warmth, and fantasy that made his "Oz" stories American classics. He took Claus out of his conventional trappings, and placed him into the world of folklore, complete with fairies, gnomes, and elves. In fact, it is because of Baum’s book, that Santa Claus is believed to have elves to help him.
