East Lynne Theater Company Hosts Annual Fundraiser

This is the tenth year in a row that Elizabeth and Stuart Hodes are hosting a fundraiser in Manhattan for the non-profit East Lynne Theater Company. The date is Sunday, January 29 at 3:00p.m. Although ELTC performs mostly in Cape May, NJ, the Hodes are longtime friends of the company, and artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth wrote a two-person play just for them. The musical titled "The O'Tooles Tonight," premiered in Cape May in 2000 under Stahlhuth's direction, receiving excellent reviews, including in "The Newark Star-Ledger."

The afternoon soiree begins with scenes from "Witness for the Prosecution" based on the short story by Agatha Christie. Christie adapted it for the stage in 1953, and Billy Wilder directed a film version in 1957. The story revolves around the murder of a wealthy woman, and all signs point to Leonard Vole as the murderer. Even his own wife is a witness for the prosecution. The cast includes Liz Hodes, J. Dolan Byrnes, and David Lamberton.

Following these scenes will be a short introduction to ELTC's 2017 season given by artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth, which includes "Will Rogers' U.S.A." starring Tom Byrn who starred in ELTC's "Mr. Lincoln," "Ah, Wilderness!," Eugene O'Neill's only comedy, and "A Year in the Trenches," a world premiere about World War I written by James Rana to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the U.S. entry into this war.

After the performances, a light supper, prepared by Stuart Hodes, along with wine, will be served. It's a great time to mingle with fellow theater lovers.

A minimum $10.00 donation is requested, and all proceeds go to benefit ELTC, the first Equity professional theater in the country to focus on classic American plays and new works based on American literature and history. The forgotten gems of the past, along with provocative premieres, all relevant to today, provide a portal to the past for a better understanding of the present. Named after a popular 19th century America play, this award-winning company is recognized for the quality of its productions as well as its cultural significance by reviewers for "The New York Times," The Wall Street Journal," "The Philadelphia Inquirer," and WHYY Public Television and Radio.

ELTC operates all year long with touring shows, workshops, and school residencies, and performs at the historic First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street in Cape May, an ADA-accessible venue with excellent acoustics and sightlines.

Space is limited and reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling the Hodes at 212-532-8977 or online at Lizhodes@yahoo.com. The location is the corner of 31st Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. The exact location will be given when reservations are made.

For more information, go to ELTC's website at www.eastlynnetheater.org or e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com.

Photo credit: Gayle Stahlhuth