East Lynne Theater Company's TALES Goes to War

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's popular "Tales of the Victorians" continues its twenty-eighth year with a variety of locations and performers. Take tea at a lovely venue, indulge in homemade tasty treats, and listen to stories by famous American authors read by ELTC performers and friends, for only $12.00. Children are always welcome, and ages 12 and under are free. These are presented on Thursdays at 4:00p.m. through August 10. As usual most of the "Tales" are in Cape May, but as of three years ago, a North Wildwood location has been added.

On July 13, Michele LaRue reads three stories from Elsie Singmaster's classic "Gettysburg: Stories of the Red Harvest and the Aftermath: at the home of Lenore and Martin Bowne, 1014 Cape May Ave. Part of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Garden Club of Cape May.

"Gettysburg" is a powerful short story collection that was published in 1913, on the eve of another fateful cataclysm: World War I. The tales are told through fictional townswoman Mary Bowman from the first shots at Willoughby Run to the consolation of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, to the country's healing a half century on.

Michele tours this and other shows including "Someone Must Wash the Dishes: An Anti-Suffrage Satire," which she'll be performing on Sunday, August 13 at 8:00p.m. for ELTC in Cape May, followed by a lecture and a Q&A. A special dinner/show package is offered through the nonprofit Cape May Forum, co-sponsor of this performance. Her credits with ELTC include William Dean Howells' "Bride Roses," Susan Glaspell's "Suppressed Desires," and Gayle Stahlhuth's adaptation of Henry James' "The Beast in the Jungle" - all directed by her late husband and ELTC's founder and first artistic director, Warren Kliewer. She was also in Jesse Lynch Williams' "The New York Idea," directed by Stahlhuth.

At The Blue Rose Inn and Restaurant, 653 Washington St., on July 20, Suzanne Longacre is reading. She has performed at a variety of theaters throughout the country and in TV's "Guiding Light."

The final three "summer Tales" are performed by popular storytellers Stephanie Garrett and Lee O'Connor. Stephanie was in ELTC's "Lost on the Natchez Trace" and "Rain." Lee has been portraying Sherlock Holmes and other characters in ELTC's radio-style mysteries in November and March in Cape May and on the road since 2002.

On July 27, the location is The Chalfonte Hotel, 301 Howard Street.

On August 3, "Tales" takes place at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 111 N. Central Avenue in North Wildwood. Part of the proceeds will benefit the nonprofit lighthouse.

It's back to The Blue Rose Inn and Restaurant for August 10.

Returning for a third year is our final "Tales," "Poe by Candlelight," on Saturday, October 21 at 8:00p.m. at The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., where ELTC is in residence. Several ELTC actors will read their favorite stories by the master of the macabre just in time for Halloween. This popular event has quickly sold out.

Meanwhile, on ELTC's mainstage is "Will Rogers'' U.S.A." running through July 22, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30p.m.

For information and to make reservations for "Tales of the Victorians" and the mainstage season, call 609-884-5898 or go online to www.eastlynnetheater.org.