East Lynne Theater Company 2018 Season Begins As Planned

A life can be changed in a heartbeat. It happens all the time - everywhere. On April 4, the lives of Gayle Stahlhuth and Lee O'Connor were changed by a phone call informing them, sadly, that their cottage in West Cape May was on fire and could not be saved. The husband and wife team had started working for the Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company soon after it was founded in 1980, in Secaucus, NJ: she as a performer and playwright, and he as a stage manager. They were introduced to Cape May when the company began producing there in 1987. After three years of looking at various properties, they settled on a home, the oldest part of which was built between 1840-1860. As Lee was fond of telling people, "You can tell the age by looking at the nails in the floor."

Little did they know that when they purchased their summer home, it would be an invaluable ingredient in Gayle and Lee saying "yes" to taking on the roles of artistic director and technical director of ELTC in 1999. At that time, ELTC was financially in the red and had just lost its performance and office space at the Cape May Institute. This property was tied to The Christian Admiral, so when it was decided that the Admiral must close, so, too, did the Institute. Gayle became accustomed to running the theater out of their home - many times sitting at her desk at 2:00 a.m. to write a press release or work on a bank statement. Occasionally, actors lived there as well, since most who are hired live in the New York or Philadelphia areas.

Gayle and Lee are greatly appreciative for the kind people who saw smoke in the house and called 911, and for the firefighters who stopped the blaze without any other building touched and no one harmed. The outpouring of concern and offer of help from those in Cape May and beyond, and the New Jersey and New York Theater community has been incredible, and Gayle responded as quickly as possible from their Manhattan apartment. Cape May housing for Gayle and Lee was discovered in the first twenty-four hours, and most of the housing for the actors was solved within forty-eight.

Lee left New York for Cape May early Thursday morning, the day after the fire. When he approached the charred cottage, friends were there to greet him, anxious to find out how to help.

On the evening of April 4, Gayle wondered if ELTC should postpone or start the season later than planned. With so much pre-production work, including advertising, creating newsletters, finishing the casting - was it even possible? But this was not her decision to make. This was a decision for the Board of Trustees, headed by President Thomas Raniszewski. Unanimously, the Trustees wanted to start the season as planned, and have ramped up getting the word out that ELTC would greatly appreciate financial assistance to help pay for everything from office supplies to hiring more staff, since Gayle and Lee will be dealing with the usual details associated with losing a home, while still directing and stage managing productions.

Being a nonprofit 501(c)3 company, donations are tax deductible. Several months ago, ELTC had planned a golf tournament on Monday, May 21. There are still openings for sponsorships, players, and those who wish to attend the after-game buffet. Go to NEWS at eastlynnetheater.org for details. Season tickets are available through June 30: four shows for $100. The details for this are at the theater's web site, under TICKETS. While visiting the web site, enjoy learning about all of the shows. Seeing a performance is always an excellent way to support a theater.

The theme for this season is "Women Reaching for the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars." Rehearsals begin on May 7 and the first show opens on May 16. The Student Summer Workshop returns in June, culminating in a free performance, on July 2. ELTC's story readings, "Tales of the Victorians," in partnership with various B&Bs and businesses in the Cape May community begin in June. ELTC also plans to continue its theater residencies in local schools.

When sending checks for donations, the golf tournament, season tickets, and for the Student Summer Workshop, please send to East Lynne Theater Company, PO Box 121, Cape May, NJ 08204. One may also visit eastlynnetheater.org to make a donation and purchase all tickets. For questions, call 212-684-1562 through the end of April; 609-884-5898 from May 1 on, or e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com.

Photo: Gayle Stahlhuth and Lee O'Connor in front of their house in West Cape May.

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