East Lynne Theater Company Presents THE WORLD OF DOROTHY PARKER, 7/27 - 9/3

Dorothy Parker was a sharp wit, whether the medium was short stories, poetry, screenplays, plays, or play or book reviews. In one of her classic Broadway reviews - about Katharine Hepburn - Parker wrote, "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B." The first edition of "The Portable Dorothy Parker" was selected by Alexander Woollcott in 1944 as the fourth in a series of volumes intended for soldiers overseas. It has never been out of print. 

The award-winning East Lynne Theater Company is proud to present a world premiere based on the works of this famous Algonquin Round Table personality. Titled "The World of Dorothy Parker," it is adapted and directed by Gayle Stahlhuth, and runs Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. from July 27- Sept. 3 at The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street, where the company is in residence.

During this engagingly delightful evening, the following stories are brought to life: "A Telephone Call" (1930), "Here We Are" (1931), "The Lovely Leave" (1943), and other tales and poems by the woman who quipped about "women who wear glasses."

"A Telephone Call" involves a woman who waits anxiously for a man to call. She counts to five hundred by fives, seeks God's help, and wishes the man were dead, only to change her mind. "After all," she says, "it's silly to go wishing people were dead just because they don't call you up the minute they said they would. Maybe the clock's fast."

In "Here We Are," newlyweds are on a train headed on their honeymoon. Awkwardness prevails, and the young man only makes it worse when he says to his new bride, "When I was standing up there in that old church waiting for you to come up, and I saw those two bridesmaids, I thought to myself, 'Well, I never knew Louise could look like that!' Why, she'd have knocked anybody's eye out."

It's World War II in "The Lovely Leave," and a couple believes they have twenty-four hours only to find out that in an hour, he's being shipping out. She made such great plans for those twenty-four hours - how to reduce them to one! She says to him, "you have a whole new life - I have half an old one. Your life is so far away from mine. I don't see how they're ever going to come back together." But for one hour their lives do come back together, and the leave is indeed "lovely."
All four actors are ELTC favorites: SuzAnne Dawson, Tiffany-Leigh Moskow, Drew Seltzer, and John Cameron Weber.

Suzanne has had roles in four ELTC productions, including that of the matriarch in last season's time-travel adventure, "Berkeley Square." She has performed Off-Broadway in "CBS Live," "The Last Musical Comedy," "The Great American Backstage Musical," and the revival of "New Faces of '52." Regionally, she has worked at Florida Studio Theatre, Buffalo Studio Arena, The Alliance in Atlanta, and Paper Mill Playhouse.

Tiffany-Leigh Moskow has been in three ELTC productions, including playing the charming missionary in last year's "The Dictator." She performed at the Fringe Festival in Scotland and has appeared several times at Syracuse Stage and The Caldwell Theatre Company in Florida, and recently finished filming, as a recurring character, the television series "Girlhattan," premiering this fall on Karmaloop TV.

Drew Seltzer made his ELTC debut last season as the spendthrift son in "Berkeley Square." He has performed in several Off-Broadway shows including four years with "Tony n' Tina's Wedding;" regionally at Princeton Rep and Hedgerow Theater; and is the lead in the upcoming feature film "Leaving Circadia" opposite Michael Cerveris.

John Cameron Weber played Dr. Remington in ELTC's recent "He and She," and "The World of Dorothy Parker" marks his fourth production with the company. He played Michael Husted in CBS's "As the World Turns," has worked at Cortland Rep in New York, Arrow Rock in Missouri, and performed in several American musical productions that toured Europe.

The audience is invited to mingle with the cast and crew at the after-show opening night party on July 27 at Lucky Bones, 1200 route 109 South. Another opportunity to engage in conversation is an after-show Q&A on Friday, August 5. A special ASL performance is on Friday, August 26.

Meanwhile, "He and She," highly recommended by Terry Teachout in his recent "Wall Street Journal" review, runs only through July 23.

ELTC wished to thank the NAACP for authorizing this use of Parker's work.
The company wishes to also thank Season Sponsors Curran Investment Management, La Mer Beachfront Inn, and Aleathea's Restaurant, and others who have helped to finance ELTC's 2011 Mainstage Production Season.

Tickets for "The World of Dorothy Parker" are $30 for general admission; $25 for seniors and those with disabilities and their support companions; $15 for students; and anyone age twelve and under is free. For information and to make reservations, call 609-884-5898 or go online at www.eastlynnetheater.org. ELTC is partnering with the following restaurants for dinner and theater ticket savings: Aleathea's, 410 Bank Street, Fresco's, and The Washington Inn. Call the restaurants for reservations and mention the ELTC-Dinner-And-A-Show Package.

 

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