East Lynne Theater Company Celebrates American Troops, 11/11

On Thursday, November 11, ELTC, itself, celebrates its now thirty-one years of entertaining audiences in Cape May and throughout the country, and the brave men and women who have served and are serving our country in the armed forces. Titled "Stage Door Canteen," ELTC's annual gala will once more take place at Aleathea's Restaurant at the Inn of Cape May, 7 Ocean Street, and the restaurant, once again, is graciously supporting the event.

The evening begins at 5:30p.m. with hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. At 6:30, a sumptuous surf and turf dinner is served - along with entertainment.

This year, since our annual gala falls on Veterans Day, ELTC is celebrating our troops in the style of a "Stage Door Canteen." Like last year's popular gala, there are Special Guest Celebrities performing with ELTC Equity professionals, but this year, scripts are taken from the vast collection of plays and films that focus on American soldiers, i.e. "What Price Glory?" written by Laurence Stallings and Maxwell Anderson about troops in France in 1916, and "Home of the Brave" by Arthur Laurents about fighting in the Pacific during World War II. Celebrities include Tom Carroll, Isabel Gauvry, Pam Kaithern, John Kelly, Margo Lassner, Glenn McBrearty, and Shirley Stiles. They will perform with ELTC favorites Karen Case Cook, Alison Murphy, Mark Lang, and two actors who are veterans themselves: John Cameron Weber and Lee O'Connor.

The live musical entertainment will embrace popular songs from the Civil War through World War II, provided by Chris Sooy, Lew London, and another ELTC favorite Shelley McPherson who was in last season's "Alice on the Edge." In NYC, she is a regular performer at Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre.

The recipient of the Historic Jackson Street Neighborhood Association Scholarship Fund in the Name of Bob and Toni Green will also be announced.

ELTC is selling 50/50 Raffle Tickets for $50 each, with the opportunity to win $3,000, $1,500, or $500, and purchasers don't have to be present to win. Only 200 tickets will be sold. Checks should be made out to East Lynne Theater Company and mailed to ELTC's office, 121 Fourth Ave., West Cape May, NJ 08204.

Among the few live auction items this year is the popular "A Day in Manhattan with Gayle and Lee."

To attend the "Canteen" only costs $60, and checks should be made out to East Lynne Theater Company and mailed to the office. Reservations must be made by November 3. For information and reservations, please call ELTC at 884-5898.

Plans for the upcoming 2011 Season are shaping up, and will be revealed on this night. In the works are a world premiere based on the short stories of Algonquin Round Table member Dorothy Parker (ELTC has already received permission from the NAACP, the royalty recipient, for use of her stories), "Dulcy," a comedy by two other members of The Round Table, George S. Kaufman and Marc Connelly, and the witty and romantic "The Girl of the Golden West" - one of two of David Belasco's plays that Puccini adapted into an opera. Season tickets will be available.

All of the proceeds for the evening go to the Equity professional nonprofit East Lynne Theater Company to support the production season and educational outreach.

Meanwhile, the lush time-traveling adventure, "Berkeley Square" is playing through October 23 only and "Helpful Hints" closes at The Mad Batter on October 18.