East Lynne Theater Company to Stage THE SHEIK

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company, in partnership with the Cape May Film Society, presents "The Sheik" (1921) starring Rudolph Valentino with live organ accompaniment by Wayne Zimmerman, on Sunday, November 13 at 700p.m., at The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street in Cape May, where the theater is in residence.

In this silent classic, Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan, played by Valentino, rents a casino where only Arabs are allowed to gamble, and prizes are brides. Thinking that crashing the casino will be fun, Lady Diana Mayo, from England, dresses appropriately in an attempt to blend in with the brides. Discovering she's not an Arab, Ahmed sends her away, not knowing that another sheik will do anything to claim her. The film met with immediate box office success, catapulting Valentino to the first on-screen sex symbol. Filmmaking was still in its infancy, and the like of his charisma and charm had not been filmed before.

Rudolph Valentino (1895-1926), born in Italy, arrived in NYC in 1913. Speaking only Italian and not being trained in anything other than agriculture, he first worked in the gardens in Central Park, often sleeping on park benches at night. It was while he was washing dishes in nightclubs that he noticed wealthy women paying men to dance with them. This sent him to dance classes to learn primarily the tango. After dancing in touring productions, he made his way to Hollywood where he starred in "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (1921), in which he danced a tango in the opening scene. While he was in New York on a promotional tour for "Son of the Sheik" (1926), he was taken to a hospital to treat acute appendicitis and ulcers. After surgery, he developed peritonitis, and died. For three days, thousands crowded into a Manhattan funeral home to view his body before it was sent by train to Los Angeles, where thousands more gathered to pay respects. When it became known that he didn't have a burial plot, and it was apparent that no studio for which he made money was going to help, a friend offered a place in her family plot. His two homes in Los Angeles, his Arabian horses, and cars, were all auctioned off to pay his debts.

Silent films were always accompanied by an organ, piano, and sometimes a full orchestra: the beginnings of film scoring as we know it. From Charlie Chaplin, who scored his own films, to John Williams and Thomas Newman of today, the power of music accompanying a silent or a talking film cannot be undervalued. Experienced composers know that music enhances the action and emotion, but never overshadows it.

Wayne Zimmerman has played in a variety of venues from coast-to-coast and in Hawaii, regaling audiences with his silent-film accompaniment and concerts. He has accompanied films presented by ELTC and The Cape May Film Society since 2011, and his popularity is ever increasing, with patrons driving from over an hour away just to hear him.

Reservations are requested, and may be made without pre-payment. For information, reservations, and purchasing tickets, call 609-884-5898, e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com, or visit eastlynnetheater.org. Tickets are $15, and ages 12 and under are free. "The Sheik" is the final event for the 2016 Cape May Film Festival, and those with weekend Festival passes will be admitted for free.

Meanwhile, "Detectives Holmes and Carter" performs on ELTC's mainstage on Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5.

Photo of Rudolph Valentino in "The Sheik"