East Lynne Theater Company Honors Robert LeMaire At NJ Theatre Alliance Gala

On Monday, October 22, at New Jersey Theatre Alliance's annual Curtain Call gala, education leaders of its member theaters were honored, and among them, was East Lynne Theater Company's Education Director, Robert LeMaire. He works with ELTC's interns and directs the Student Summer Workshop. Last year's production was "Story Theater," with actors ages 10-14.

Rob has been working with children and young adults for over twenty-years. During the 1990's he coordinated Education Programs, including running the Junior Apprenticeship Program, at Historic Cold Spring Village in Cape May County. Since 2001, he's worked as an Educational Computer Specialist for the Ocean City (NJ) School District, assisting students and teachers in use of technology.

As an actor, he appeared in "Vistas of Democracy," a video in NJ Network Public Television's Educational NJ Legacy Series, and the History Channel's "Civil war Terror." Since 2001, Rob has performed almost yearly in ELTC productions, including, recently, "Arsenic and Old Lace," in which he was also Assistant Director. For ten years, he's worked the live sound effects and performed in ELTC's radio-style "Sherlock Holmes" and "Nick Carter Detective" productions.

For the Ocean City High School Drama Guild, he's directed such shows as "Footloose: The Musical," "Arsenic and Old Lace," "Spamalot," and "Stage Door," and is currently working on the fall production, "Pride and Prejudice."

Wishing to further support keeping theater in schools, Rob is the President of the Board of Trustees for the Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts, a public school, in Somers Point, NJ. Rob also recently joined the Board of East Lynne Theater Company.

In his own words: "Getting children into the theater is, in my opinion, the single most important thing we can do. They are the future actors, stage managers, artistic directors and of course audience members. They can enlighten their parents and influence their own children down the road. In an area were most schools have cut or underfunded theater programs, every opportunity to turn a child into a theater lover is an opportunity we can't miss. I also, want to underscore the importance interns. Getting some theater-minded young adults involved with a theater camp and seeing how fun and successful it is, fosters in them the importance of including children in any theater's mission."

The New Jersey Theatre Alliance, founded in 1981, is a non-profit organization whose members are the over thirty Equity professional theaters in the state, with East Lynne Theater Company being one of its earlier members.

Photo: Robert LeMaire with his NJTA award, with his wife Kate LeMaire behind him

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