RECENT SEASONS: 2016 through 2022
POSSESSING HARRIET
CAPE MAY SEASON 2022
VIRTUAL ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.tinyurl.com/ELTCYouTube
DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN returned on film for two weeks in February and March. Starring Suzanne Dawson, “Dorothy Parker: A Certain Woman” was compiled by James Rana and dramaturged and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth.
AFTERMATH (1919), written by Black activist and educator Mary P. Burrill, tells the story of a Black soldier during World War I who was awarded the French War Cross for single-handedly fighting off twenty German soldiers, only to return home to discover that his father has been lynched. This play foreshadowed The Red Summer of 1919, when race riots started by white supremist groups, occurred throughout the United States. Available for free for four days in April due to funding from NJTA's "Stages Festival." Cast: Leo Ebanks, Anthony Goss, Brandon Dion Gregory, Marie Louise Guinier, Alexa Kent, and Emerald Rose Sullivan, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. "The story is simple and courageous - and is brilliantly performed." - from Tom Sims review in "Exit Zero"
LIVE INDOORS
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE 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.
DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN returned due to popular demand. Compiled by James Rana, dramaturgy by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starring Suzanne Dawson, this solo show interweaves bits about Parker's life (1893-1967), along with her poems and stories. Suzanne Dawson is effervescent - she loves her subject matter. Gayle Stahlhuth did a beautiful directing the larger-than-life-Dawson and Parker. = Dottie Knapp, "Exit Zero."
WHO AM I THIS TIME (AND OTHER CONUNDRUMS OF LOVE) by Aaron Posner, adapted from stories by Kurt Vonnegut, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth. The cast: Nathan Garcia, Veronique Hurley, Mat Labotka, Mark Edward Lang, Andrew Lofredo, Liz Mattera, Alison J. Murphy and Gayle Stahlhuth. Stories upon which the play is based: “Long Walk to Forever,” “Who Am I This Time?,” and “Go Back to Your Precious Wife and Son.” "Performances are brilliant, moving, and funny." - from a review in "Exit Zero"
POSSESSING HARRIET (NJ premiere) by Kyle Bass, directed by Mark Edward Lang, with Tom Byrn, Emerald Rose Sullivan, Chauncy Thomas and Stephanie Turci. In 1839, in Peterboro, NY, a freed slave helps Harriet Powell escape from her Southern owner who is visiting the area. While hiding in an attic, a price on her head, waiting to be taken to Canada in the dead of night, Harriet is with abolitionist Gerrit Smith and suffragette Elizabeth Cady (before she married Stanton). The production was highlighted in a segment on PBS on NJ PBS and WNET. To watch it, please click here or here.
DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN
CAPE MAY SEASON 2021
LIVE OUTDOORS
VAUDEVILLE VARIETY (World Premiere) was conceived and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, with James Rana assisting. It's 1916, and Mae Savell Croy, portrayed by Susan Tischler, is travelling the country promoting her book, Putnam’s Household Handbook. Croy did write this book that contains suggestions such as “the best therapy for the baby is to leave it alone, to put it outdoors, and to seemingly forget all about it.” Joining Mrs. Croy are two vaudevillians, portrayed by Holly and Will Knapp. Skits include "The World's Greatest Knife Thrower" and "A Day at the Races." Songs include "Under the Yum Yum Tree., "Moonlight Bay," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "When You Wore a Tulip," and "Some of these Days." Amanda Brinlee plays Millie, who assists the others, meanwhile, longing to take center stage herself. This was performed at West Cape May Borough Hall’s “Back Yard,” 732 Broadway in West Cape May. "Like the vaudeville shows of the past, VAUDEVILLE VARIETY makes the audience de-stress and laugh out loud." - Carol Emmens for "The Cape May Star & Wave"
TALES IN THE BACKYARD (Thursdays at 4:00 from June - August, a different event every week) A Brief Look at The African American Experience since Juneteeth Day, June 19, 1865 with three authors: Mary Church Terrell, James Mercer Langston Hughes, and Alice Childress; Three who wrote for “The New Yorker:” James Thurber , E.B. White, and Robert Benchley; Selections from Goin' Home, a one-person play by Gayle Stahlhuth; Letters between John (1735-1826) and Abigail Adams (1744-1818); Stories about Pittsburgh, written by Susan Tischler and others; Selections from The Egg and I (1945) written by Betty McDonald; Ghost stories by Mary Wilkins Freeman (1852 - 1930); O. Henry's (1862 - 1910) "The Third Ingredient;" "The Parrot" (1901) by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and Belle Brittan's "First Visit to Cape May in 1858; Edward R. Murrow's speech at the Radio-Television News Directors Association meeting in 1958; and an afternoon of audience favorites, which included a story by Mark Twain. Performers were Amanda Brinlee, Suzanne Dawson, Stephanie Garrett, Suzanne Longacre, Phil Pizzi, James Rana, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
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.
LIVE INDOORS
THE RELUCTANT DRAGON The Student workshop production with ages 10-16, directed by Rob LeMaire, assisted by Amanda Brinlee and Gayle Stahlhuth
A HUNDRED THOUSAND DAYS OF LIGHT starring Barbara Quintiliani and pianist Stewart Robert Schroeder. This musical evening encompasses songs from the American Revolution to the present, including a piece composed specifically for Ms. Qunitiliani by Grammy nominee Lori Laitman, set to a poem by Dana Gioia. Works by others include Carrie Jacobs Bond (1862-1946), Mary Elizabeth Turner Salter (1896-1994), Samuel Barber (1910-1981), Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007), and many more . . .
DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN (World Premiere) was compiled by James Rana, dramaturgy and direction by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starring Suzanne Dawson, interweaves bits about Parker's life (1893-1967), along with her poems and stories including "Interior Desecration," "The Telephone Call," and "Lady with the Lamp." When you see DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN, expect an evening of listening, learning and laughing." - Carol Emmens, "The Cape May Star & Wave"
NOSFERATU The silent film classic with live organ accompaniment by Wayne Zimmerman
POE BY CANDLELIGHT Actors read their favorite stories by the master of the macbre. Performers: Amanda Brinlee, Morgan Nichols, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE 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.
CHRISTMAS WITH HARTE AND O. HENRY Gayle Stahlhuth brings two Western holiday tales to life: O. Henry's "Christmas by Injunction" and Bret Harte's "Dick Spindler's Family Christmas." These are completely memorized and performed - not read. "Imagine one superb actor convincingly portraying 30-plus characters.." - Gus Mosso for "Exit Zero"
VIRTUAL ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.tinyurl.com/ELTCYouTube
LYNCHING, OUR NATIONAL CRIME Speech Delivered by Ida B. Wells at the National Negro Conference (forerunner to the NAACP) in New York City in the spring of 1909, read by Stephanie Garrett and filmed Filmed at the Cape May Presbyterian Church in Cape May, NJ.
GET HAPPY! A world premiere cabaret saluting Judy Garland, filmed on a stage, starring Jenna Pastuszek. with music direction and orchestrations by Joshua Zecher-Ross, directed by Ari Axelrod; with dramaturgy by Caitlin Fahey. The musicians are Piano - Caryl Fantel, drums - Roy Fantel, and bass - Dave Wilkinson.
ENEMIES A reading of a one-act play, first produced in 1916, written by Neith Boyce and Hutchins Hapgood, "Enemies" explores a “modern,” nontraditional, non-monogamous marriage. Directed by James Rana, it starred Veronique Hurley and Mat Labotka. This presentation was filmed in a Manhattan apartment - not Zoomed - and was edited by Veronique Hurley.
SOMETHING TO VOTE FOR A reading of this one-act written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1911, it was directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, with the following cast: Amanda Brinlee, Pat Dwyer, Ann Flanigan, Rachel Holt, Jared Mason Murray, Sandra Nickel, Marcia Sofley, and Susan Tischler. The reading was offered for free due to support from The NJ Council for the Humanities through its “NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100” initiative, and The NJ Theatre Alliance’s “Stages Festival.”
NOTHING MATTERS about journalist, wit, and Civil War veteran Ambrose Bierce was written by Dave Geible, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starred James Rana with Stahlhuth. This play was originally presented under the 4th Actors' Equity Association's (AEA) contract in the country awarded since mid-March 2020. We were allowed to film the production with no audience. It originally ran on YouTube four days a week from October 14 - November 21, 2020. This production is dedicated to the memory of Lee O'Connor who lost his battle with cancer on March 21, 2021. This was the last production he stage managed.
AUNT HATTIE'S HOUSE: RECONSTRUCTED is a one-woman play exploring what compelled Harriet Beecher Stowe to pen Uncle Tom's Cabin, written and performed by Emma Palzere-Rae. It was directed by Albert Cremin.
LIVE OUTDOORS
VAUDEVILLE VARIETY (World Premiere) was conceived and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, with James Rana assisting. It's 1916, and Mae Savell Croy, portrayed by Susan Tischler, is travelling the country promoting her book, Putnam’s Household Handbook. Croy did write this book that contains suggestions such as “the best therapy for the baby is to leave it alone, to put it outdoors, and to seemingly forget all about it.” Joining Mrs. Croy are two vaudevillians, portrayed by Holly and Will Knapp. Skits include "The World's Greatest Knife Thrower" and "A Day at the Races." Songs include "Under the Yum Yum Tree., "Moonlight Bay," "By the Light of the Silvery Moon," "When You Wore a Tulip," and "Some of these Days." Amanda Brinlee plays Millie, who assists the others, meanwhile, longing to take center stage herself. This was performed at West Cape May Borough Hall’s “Back Yard,” 732 Broadway in West Cape May. "Like the vaudeville shows of the past, VAUDEVILLE VARIETY makes the audience de-stress and laugh out loud." - Carol Emmens for "The Cape May Star & Wave"
TALES IN THE BACKYARD (Thursdays at 4:00 from June - August, a different event every week) A Brief Look at The African American Experience since Juneteeth Day, June 19, 1865 with three authors: Mary Church Terrell, James Mercer Langston Hughes, and Alice Childress; Three who wrote for “The New Yorker:” James Thurber , E.B. White, and Robert Benchley; Selections from Goin' Home, a one-person play by Gayle Stahlhuth; Letters between John (1735-1826) and Abigail Adams (1744-1818); Stories about Pittsburgh, written by Susan Tischler and others; Selections from The Egg and I (1945) written by Betty McDonald; Ghost stories by Mary Wilkins Freeman (1852 - 1930); O. Henry's (1862 - 1910) "The Third Ingredient;" "The Parrot" (1901) by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman and Belle Brittan's "First Visit to Cape May in 1858; Edward R. Murrow's speech at the Radio-Television News Directors Association meeting in 1958; and an afternoon of audience favorites, which included a story by Mark Twain. Performers were Amanda Brinlee, Suzanne Dawson, Stephanie Garrett, Suzanne Longacre, Phil Pizzi, James Rana, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
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.
LIVE INDOORS
THE RELUCTANT DRAGON The Student workshop production with ages 10-16, directed by Rob LeMaire, assisted by Amanda Brinlee and Gayle Stahlhuth
A HUNDRED THOUSAND DAYS OF LIGHT starring Barbara Quintiliani and pianist Stewart Robert Schroeder. This musical evening encompasses songs from the American Revolution to the present, including a piece composed specifically for Ms. Qunitiliani by Grammy nominee Lori Laitman, set to a poem by Dana Gioia. Works by others include Carrie Jacobs Bond (1862-1946), Mary Elizabeth Turner Salter (1896-1994), Samuel Barber (1910-1981), Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007), and many more . . .
DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN (World Premiere) was compiled by James Rana, dramaturgy and direction by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starring Suzanne Dawson, interweaves bits about Parker's life (1893-1967), along with her poems and stories including "Interior Desecration," "The Telephone Call," and "Lady with the Lamp." When you see DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN, expect an evening of listening, learning and laughing." - Carol Emmens, "The Cape May Star & Wave"
NOSFERATU The silent film classic with live organ accompaniment by Wayne Zimmerman
POE BY CANDLELIGHT Actors read their favorite stories by the master of the macbre. Performers: Amanda Brinlee, Morgan Nichols, and Gayle Stahlhuth.
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE 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.
CHRISTMAS WITH HARTE AND O. HENRY Gayle Stahlhuth brings two Western holiday tales to life: O. Henry's "Christmas by Injunction" and Bret Harte's "Dick Spindler's Family Christmas." These are completely memorized and performed - not read. "Imagine one superb actor convincingly portraying 30-plus characters.." - Gus Mosso for "Exit Zero"
VIRTUAL ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.tinyurl.com/ELTCYouTube
LYNCHING, OUR NATIONAL CRIME Speech Delivered by Ida B. Wells at the National Negro Conference (forerunner to the NAACP) in New York City in the spring of 1909, read by Stephanie Garrett and filmed Filmed at the Cape May Presbyterian Church in Cape May, NJ.
GET HAPPY! A world premiere cabaret saluting Judy Garland, filmed on a stage, starring Jenna Pastuszek. with music direction and orchestrations by Joshua Zecher-Ross, directed by Ari Axelrod; with dramaturgy by Caitlin Fahey. The musicians are Piano - Caryl Fantel, drums - Roy Fantel, and bass - Dave Wilkinson.
ENEMIES A reading of a one-act play, first produced in 1916, written by Neith Boyce and Hutchins Hapgood, "Enemies" explores a “modern,” nontraditional, non-monogamous marriage. Directed by James Rana, it starred Veronique Hurley and Mat Labotka. This presentation was filmed in a Manhattan apartment - not Zoomed - and was edited by Veronique Hurley.
SOMETHING TO VOTE FOR A reading of this one-act written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1911, it was directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, with the following cast: Amanda Brinlee, Pat Dwyer, Ann Flanigan, Rachel Holt, Jared Mason Murray, Sandra Nickel, Marcia Sofley, and Susan Tischler. The reading was offered for free due to support from The NJ Council for the Humanities through its “NJ Women Vote: The 19th Amendment at 100” initiative, and The NJ Theatre Alliance’s “Stages Festival.”
NOTHING MATTERS about journalist, wit, and Civil War veteran Ambrose Bierce was written by Dave Geible, directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starred James Rana with Stahlhuth. This play was originally presented under the 4th Actors' Equity Association's (AEA) contract in the country awarded since mid-March 2020. We were allowed to film the production with no audience. It originally ran on YouTube four days a week from October 14 - November 21, 2020. This production is dedicated to the memory of Lee O'Connor who lost his battle with cancer on March 21, 2021. This was the last production he stage managed.
AUNT HATTIE'S HOUSE: RECONSTRUCTED is a one-woman play exploring what compelled Harriet Beecher Stowe to pen Uncle Tom's Cabin, written and performed by Emma Palzere-Rae. It was directed by Albert Cremin.
NOTHING MATTERS
CAPE MAY SEASON 2020
LIVE INDOORS
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE (March 13-14) Be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this mystery with live sound effects and commercials, and actors portray several roles. 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,
LIVE OUTDOORS
TALES IN THE BACKYARD (mid-June through mid-December, most Thursdays at 4:00) 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 Summer Student Workshop production directed by Gayle Stahlhuth with ages 10-15
POE BY CANDLELIGHT 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, with tea and tasty treats for guests, began to be filmed in the spring of 2020 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, 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 Bierce in 1896, seeking advice about her poetry, but receives insights into the Civil War,
politics, and Bierce's unusual life. 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. From March 20, 2020 - January 20, 2021, there were only 17 Equity contracts given to theaters throughout the country, due to the pandemic. 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"
LIVE INDOORS
SHERLOCK HOLMES' ADVENTURE OF THE BLUE CARBUNCLE (March 13-14) Be part of our "radio audience" when we perform this mystery with live sound effects and commercials, and actors portray several roles. 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,
LIVE OUTDOORS
TALES IN THE BACKYARD (mid-June through mid-December, most Thursdays at 4:00) 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 Summer Student Workshop production directed by Gayle Stahlhuth with ages 10-15
POE BY CANDLELIGHT 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, with tea and tasty treats for guests, began to be filmed in the spring of 2020 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, 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 Bierce in 1896, seeking advice about her poetry, but receives insights into the Civil War,
politics, and Bierce's unusual life. 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. From March 20, 2020 - January 20, 2021, there were only 17 Equity contracts given to theaters throughout the country, due to the pandemic. 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 spirit photographer William H. Mumler (1832-1884). In 1869, many, including Mary Todd Lincoln, flocked to his studio to get their pictures taken to see who was DEAD who appeared as a ghost in these photos. While a detective is keen to prove he’s a fraud, Mumler’s wife, a clairvoyant, digs into the detective’s past. This was 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, it was a hit on Broadway in 1954, 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. "Gayle Stahlhuth’s production crackles flawlessly. . . The performances of Ms. Dawson and Ms. Stahlhuth are good enough to withstand direct comparison with those of Jean Adair and Josephine Hull, who created the roles of Abby and Martha Brewster on Broadway and re-created them in Frank Capra’s 1944 film version, and their colleagues provide deft support." - Terry Teachout for "The Wall Street Journal"
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 spirit photographer William H. Mumler (1832-1884). In 1869, many, including Mary Todd Lincoln, flocked to his studio to get their pictures taken to see who was DEAD who appeared as a ghost in these photos. While a detective is keen to prove he’s a fraud, Mumler’s wife, a clairvoyant, digs into the detective’s past. This was 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, it was a hit on Broadway in 1954, 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. "Gayle Stahlhuth’s production crackles flawlessly. . . The performances of Ms. Dawson and Ms. Stahlhuth are good enough to withstand direct comparison with those of Jean Adair and Josephine Hull, who created the roles of Abby and Martha Brewster on Broadway and re-created them in Frank Capra’s 1944 film version, and their colleagues provide deft support." - Terry Teachout for "The Wall Street Journal"
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.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES
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. Lillie Gardner, who performs throughout the world and teaches at St. Joseph’s School of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, played several of Beach’s lush pano pieces for this special event. WWFM broadcast the concert on June 26, 2018, along with interviews with Dr. Gardner and ELTC's artistic Director Gayle Stahlhuth.
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (World Premiere) A cast of four bring the lyrics of Dorothy Fields (1905-1974) to life in this musical revue with Charles Gilbert as creator, musical director and accompanist, under the direction of Gayle Stahlhuth, with choreography by Karen Cleighton. During her almost 50-year career, Fields wrote lyrics for more than 400 songs, worked on 15 Broadway musicals, 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 Seehaw (1974).
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 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 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!”
SILENT SKY (NJ Premiere) 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. 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. 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. and 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 This 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 are: "The Gift of the Magi," "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." "Compliments of the Season." and "One Thousand Dollars."
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. Lillie Gardner, who performs throughout the world and teaches at St. Joseph’s School of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, played several of Beach’s lush pano pieces for this special event. WWFM broadcast the concert on June 26, 2018, along with interviews with Dr. Gardner and ELTC's artistic Director Gayle Stahlhuth.
ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET (World Premiere) A cast of four bring the lyrics of Dorothy Fields (1905-1974) to life in this musical revue with Charles Gilbert as creator, musical director and accompanist, under the direction of Gayle Stahlhuth, with choreography by Karen Cleighton. During her almost 50-year career, Fields wrote lyrics for more than 400 songs, worked on 15 Broadway musicals, 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 Seehaw (1974).
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 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 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!”
SILENT SKY (NJ Premiere) 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. 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. 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. and 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 This 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 are: "The Gift of the Magi," "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." "Compliments of the Season." and "One Thousand Dollars."
AH, WILDERNESS!
APE 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). 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. 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! This large-cast comedy takes place during the July 4th weekend in 1906 in a small Connecticut town. Eugene O’Neill’s (1888-1953) only comedy, it offers a gentle portrait of family values and teenage growing pains. 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 this witty Anti-Suffrage Monologue in 1912—eight years before women won the vote. 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 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.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES (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, written by James Rana and developed with director 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 Cape May Presbyterian Church.
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND Radio-style!
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. Stahlhuth, who’s been performing one-person shows for over 40 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). 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. 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! This large-cast comedy takes place during the July 4th weekend in 1906 in a small Connecticut town. Eugene O’Neill’s (1888-1953) only comedy, it offers a gentle portrait of family values and teenage growing pains. 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 this witty Anti-Suffrage Monologue in 1912—eight years before women won the vote. 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 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.
A YEAR IN THE TRENCHES (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, written by James Rana and developed with director 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 Cape May Presbyterian Church.
SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND Radio-style!
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. Stahlhuth, who’s been performing one-person shows for over 40 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."
DRACULA
CAPE MAY SEASON 2016
MR. LINCOLN On April 14,1865, the President and Mrs. Lincoln were at Ford’s Theatre when John Wilkes Booth aimed his pistol. In Herbert Mitgang’s play, Lincoln’s life flashes before him as the weapon is fired. 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. Let this flawless cast and these wonderful songs suspend your life for a couple of hours. - Tom Sims for "Exit Zero"
MR. LINCOLN On April 14,1865, the President and Mrs. Lincoln were at Ford’s Theatre when John Wilkes Booth aimed his pistol. In Herbert Mitgang’s play, Lincoln’s life flashes before him as the weapon is fired. 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. 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. 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 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 surface is a satirical study of American morals and all the dogma that lies in the clash of differing points of views. 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"
