Classic American Tales to Present Weekly Porch Stories in Cape May

During the next month, Classic American Tales will be at two Cape May, NJ venues: Tales at the Dormer House continue with a different presentation every week, while Margaret's Diary During a Revolution will be at Historic Cold Spring Village.

Feel the breeze on the porch of The Dormer House in Cape May, NJ, while sitting in the shade, enjoying homemade desserts, lemonade, and a story, every Thursday at 4:00 p.m. through October 15.

Michele LaRue presents Kate Chopin's 'A Pair of Silk Stockings' (1897), O. Henry's 'A Lickpenny Lover' (1908), and Belle Brittan's 'First Trip to Cape May' (1858) on August 20. LaRue has been performing on porches in Cape May when her late husband, Warren Kliewer, helmed East Lynne Theater Company. Now, she performs throughout the country with her own Tales Well Told. Recently, in Cape May County, she's performed at Historic Cold Spring Village and the Cape May Public Library. A member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, she has performed with various regional theaters, including ELTC, when Kliewer and then Gayle Stahlhuth were artistic directors.

On August 27, Gayle Stahlhuth reads selections from Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad (1868), including 'Taking It Out on the Tour Guides.' Twain was hired by a California newspaper to travel through Europe and send back articles about his experiences, which he soon turned into this delightful book.

Chip Rome returns to the porch on September 2, reading from Sinclair Lewis's book Free Air. In 1919, a young woman from Brooklyn, driving her own car, with her wealthy businessman father as passenger, heads for the state of Washington with adventures along the way. For over forty years, Rome has been a theatre educator and director, working in the DC, Boston, New York, London and LA areas. He has toured with students to perform Off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and playwright Ken Ludwig selected him to direct the premiere of his Midsummer/Jersey. Rome's book Real-World Theatre Education is used in numerous university Theatre Education programs.

Tales at The Dormer House are located at 800 Columbia Avenue, and performances are in the parlor if weather isn't cooperating. Cost is $12.00, cash at the door, and guests of the B&B and children ages 12 and under are free. On September 10, Phil Pizzi is reading, and on September 17, Stephanie Garrett presents Chester Himes' 'Headwaiter.' Reservations are appreciated and may be made by calling 609-884-5898 or emailing ClassicAmericanTales@aol.com.

Margaret's Diary During a Revolution is at the Grange at Historic Cold Spring Village, 735 Seashore Road, Cape May, NJ, on Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 p.m. Paying for admission to the Village allows guests to see Margaret and other events for free.

Written and performed by Gayle Stahlhuth, Margaret is based on the actual diary of Margaret Morris and other research. The performance is set in 1795 and Margaret is visiting a location to read sections from her diary and add what she later learned about events leading up to and after The Battle of Trenton while living in Burlington, NJ next to the Delaware River. Beginning her detailed entries on December 6, 1776, her writing is accessible for the modern ear and not without humor as Hessian invasions were imminent, and the Pennsylvania Navy, and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey militias patrolled the river. Many of her neighbors fled Burlington, while Margaret remained. Stahlhuth has been touring Margaret throughout New Jersey since March.

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