East Lynne Theater Company Reveals Five-Show Mainstage Season at the Clemans Theater for the Arts

Cape May’s Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company has revealed its first-ever five-show Mainstage Season for 2026. Performances will take place at the company’s new home, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME on Franklin Street.

The season includes “Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years” by Emily Mann; “Funny Girls” by Jennifer Childs; the New Jersey premiere of “Lunar Eclipse” by Donald Margulies; “The War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” by Joe Landry; and “Fully Committed” by Becky Mode.

This year marks East Lynne’s first full season of productions in the Clemans Theater for the Arts. The space allows the company to expand its programming to include not only the Mainstage Season, but also art and photography exhibits, cabaret shows, jazz performances, and more.

As 2026 also marks the 250th anniversary of the United States, the 175th anniversary of Cape May as a city, and 50 years as a National Historic Landmark, East Lynne will commemorate this milestone year with a lineup of distinctly American stories.

This year also introduces the new Philadelphia Summer Residency Series, debuting with Philadelphia actress, playwright, and 1812 Productions co-founder Jennifer Childs. Childs will spend a month at East Lynne performing her one-woman show “Funny Girls.”

“Philadelphia is our greatest resource, and many of its actors and directors have summers off, so why not utilize their great talent and showcase all they can do here for our Cape May audiences?” Boberick said.

East Lynne’s 2026 Mainstage Season includes:

“Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years” by Emily Mann

June 18 to July 19
Adapted from the New York Times bestselling memoir by sisters Sarah L. Delany and A. Elizabeth Delany, this play follows the lives of two remarkable women, ages 102 and 103, as they reflect on their experiences from the Jim Crow South through the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview on June 17 and an additional performance on July 4.

“Funny Girls” created and performed by Jennifer Childs

July 24 to August 30
This one-woman show celebrates the trailblazing women of American comedy, including Fanny Brice, Mae West, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, and Gilda Radner.
Performances run Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays, and Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview on July 30.

“Lunar Eclipse” by Donald Margulies

August 27 to September 20
A married couple reflects on love, time, and connection while watching a lunar eclipse, in this intimate play by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.
Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview on August 26.

“The War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” by Joe Landry

October 8 to November 1
Performed in the style of a 1930s radio studio, this production recreates Orson Welles’ infamous broadcast, blending live acting, music, and sound effects.
Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview on October 7.

“Fully Committed” by Becky Mode

December 3 to December 20
A fast-paced one-person comedy featuring a single actor portraying more than 40 characters, all vying for reservations at New York’s hottest restaurant during the holiday season.
Performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a preview on December 2.

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