East Lynne Theater Co Honors Artists at NJ Theatre Alliance's Applause Awards

On Monday, October 18 at The Bickford Theater in Morristown, NJ, The New Jersey Theatre Alliance held its annual Applause Awards' gala. Last year, East Lynne Theater Company received the "Achievement of Excellence Award" for 30 years of celebrating America's heritage through productions and educational programs. The other recipient last year was Paper Mill Playhouse for its 70 years of producing American musicals.

This year, the 34 members of the Alliance were asked to select outstanding artists who had served their theaters, and ELTC selected, without hesitation, Marion T. Brady and Mark E. Lang.

Marion T. Brady began her association as a costume designer for ELTC in 1994 with "By George!," three one-acts by George Ade, George Kelly and George Middleton, compiled and directed by the founder and then artistic director Warren Kliewer. Warren called on her again for other productions through 1997, the final year of his helming the company. The current artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth was in "By George!" and when it came time to hire a designer for "The Dictator" in 2001, she contacted Marion, who has been the sole costume designer for ELTC ever since. ELTC productions for which she has designed and built costumes covers the eras 1780 through 1930, from one-person to ten-person productions with as many as thirty period costumes in one show. These productions include "Rain," "The Butter and Egg Man," "The Guardsman" and "Berkeley Square." Other theaters where she has worked include Fairleigh Dickinson University (Teaneck), Montclair Dramatic Club, Union County College Theater Project, Meadowlands Theater Company, and The Nutley Little Theatre. Marion is a resident of Little Falls, NJ.

Mark Edward Lang was hired by Gayle to play the lead in the 2001 production of "The Dictator," where he met fellow cast member and New Jersey native, Alison J. Murphy. They married soon after, and have appeared in other ELTC productions including "Why Marry?" Mark also directed ELTC's production of "Anna Christie." Alongside his career as a professional actor and director, Mark's freelance design work led him to found his own company, TBE Design in the late 1990's. He began changing the "look" of ELTC in 2001, by designing a new logo and flyers. Since then, he has created brochures, flyers, posters, ads, newsletter formats, and recently redesigned the web site. Although based in New York City, his clients are from the East Coast to Alaska and include the Boeing Company, Deloitte & Touche, and General Electric. Receiving the deserved top-dollar for his design work from these and other for-profit organizations, he has consistently charged the non-profit ELTC less than his usual fee - and is still consistently conscientious of ELTC's deadlines and needs.

At the awards ceremony on Monday night, Gayle spoke about Marion and Mark before several hundred fellow artists and friends, and ELTC board member Karen Case Cook, who has worked for the company as an actor and director, accepted the awards. Marion could not attend because she is attending Monday evening workshops on how to become an advocate for children in the foster care program, and Mark was performing at a corporate event for General Mills in Minneapolis. They will be receiving their awards at ELTC's annual fundraising gala on Thursday, November 11 at Aleathea's Restaurant at The Inn of Cape May.

NJTA always honors individuals or organizations that support the arts in extraordinary ways. This year, the The Star Award Honoree went to The George A. Ohl Jr. Trust.

The New Jersey Theatre Alliance is the consortium of professional, not-for-profit theatres in New Jersey. Founded in 1981, it is the only statewide service organization for professional, not-for-profit theater companies in the United States and is viewed by New Jersey's arts community and its colleagues in the service industry nationwide as a leader in developing model programs which foster collaboration, cooperation and audience development. ELTC is a proud member of NJTA, and Gayle Stahlhuth is a member of the Board of Trustees.

For further information regarding ELTC's production season, touring shows, or educational outreach, call 884-5898 or go online to www.eastlynnetheater.org. The office is located at 121 Fourth Ave., West Cape May, and the performance venue is The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., in Cape May. Currently, "Berkeley Square" runs through October 23, and next up is "Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" on November 5 and 6 in Cape May before it goes on tour in NJ and NY.

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