(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- On Wednesday, March 11 at 6:00pm, after only seven rehearsals, fifth and sixth grade students at West Cape May Elementary School will perform "Aesop’s Fables" at the school, located at 301 Moore Street, West Cape May, NJ.   Directed by East Lynne Theater Company’s Artistic Director, Gayle Stahlhuth, the script was written by Long Island students when Stahlhuth was conducting a theater residency in Massapequa.  Fables include "The Birds and the Beast," "The Ants and the Grasshopper," "The Tortoise and Hare," "Town Mouse and the Country Mouse," and "The Miser and His Gold."

     Admission is free, but canned goods (no expired dates, please) and paper products for the Food Closet, will be gratefully accepted. For reservations, call ELTC at 609-884-5898 or e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com.

     This in-school residency began on Tuesday, March 3, with a few acting exercises, reading the script, and everyone writing down what three roles they would like to play. Based on this information, parts are assigned and rehearsals begin. Parents, teachers, and students, will create the set, props, and costumes. After only ten hours of rehearsal, the students perform with lines learned, blocking complete, props in place and costumes done. 

     This is the thirteenth year Stahlhuth has been able to provide this theater residency and performance for West Cape May Elementary School due to funding from New Jersey Theatre Alliances's (NJTA) "Stages Festival." This year, the festival runs from March through May, and offers dozens of performances, workshops, classes, and events at theaters, art centers, libraries, schools, senior centers, and other community venues throughout the state. The program was developed to encourage New Jersey’s residents to attend their local professional theaters by making the experience affordable, accessible, and fun. The "Stages Festival" has reached over 220,000 audience members since its inception in 1997. Major funding for the Festival is provided by Bank of America, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, PSEG Foundation, OceanFirst Foundation, The New Jersey Historical Commission, George A. Ohl, Jr. Trust, and New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. To receive a full schedule of events, click here.

     Founded in 1981, NJTA is the first statewide organization for professional, not-for-profit theater companies in the United States, of which ELTC is a proud member. NJTA is a leader in developing model programs that foster collaboration, cooperation and audience development.  

     Meanwhile, ELTC is holding auditions for its 2020 Season on March 7, and "Sherlock Holmes' Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" is on March 13 and 14 in Cape May, before traveling to Mahwah for a March 15 matinee, which is also part of the "Stages Festival."   

PHOTO: "Captain Henry Sawyer and the Civil War," last year's play that was performed at the school, also directed by Stahlhuth. Photo Credit: Thomas Raniszewski