East Lynne Theater Company Helps Gilda’s Club South Jersey

The Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company not only gives gift certificates to charitable nonprofits, meeting requests from organizations in Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey, but also offers a portion of its proceeds during at least one performance yearly to help a nonprofit. On opening night of “Rodger’s Romance,” $1 from every ticket sold went to Equality Florida, a nonprofit LGBT civil rights organization, to help the victims and their families involved in the Orlando tragedy last June.
At the Thursday, October 13 performance of “Biography,” $5 from every ticket sold will go to Gilda’s Club South Jersey. The mission of the club is to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowerd by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. Gilda’s Club was founded by Gene Wilder, Joanna Bull and many of Gilda Radner’s friends and family, shortly after the comedienne died from cancer on May 20, 1989. Gilda’s Club South Jersey was founded in 2002, and is located at 700 New Road in Linwood. To learn more about this club, call (609) 926-2699 or visit www.gildasclubsouthjersey.org.
Gilda was a talented comedienne, and at the center of S. N. Behman’s “Biography” is Marion Froude, a talented portrait painter, based on real-life illustrator Neysa McMein. Marion received commissions from the likes of Lenin and Warren G. Harding, but by 1932, with the Depression in full-swing, commissions aren’t what they used to be and she’s finding herself a bit “hard-up.” Enter journalist Richard Kurt who gives her a $2,000 advance to write her tell-all memoirs for his magazine.
Enter Leander Nolan, the first love of her life, who is now running for the United States Senate, and employs Marion to paint his portrait. It’s when he discovers she’s writing her memoirs that all the worlds collide in Marion’s Manhattan apartment. Her composer and actor friends drop by, and so do Leander’s future bride and her wealthy father.
Playing the role of Marion is Erika Amato. Credits include playing Berta in the Off-Broadway production of “Signs of Life,” and roles in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” and Disney’s “Enchanted.” Mike Newman plays Richard Kurt. Recent NY credits include “Life is a Dream.” Tom Byrn, who recently played the 16th President in ELTC’s “Mr. Lincoln,” portrays Leander Nolan.
Taking on the role of Nolan’s fiancée and future father-in-law are Veronique Hurley and John Cameron Weber. Veronique’s credits include “Noises Off” at The Hartford Stage Company. John, who has appeared in several ELTC productions, was in a national tour of “1776” and a European tour of “Guys and Dolls.”
Also in the cast are R. Scott Williams and Mark Edward Lang. Scott has performed throughout the country including at Arena Stage, The Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Globe Playhouse. Mark, who has acted and directed for ELTC, was in the recent NY International Fringe Festival performing in his play “Lunt and Fontanne: The Celestials of Broadway.”
Marion’s maid, Minnie, is played by artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth, who also helmed the production.
East Lynne Theater Company is also a nonprofit organization, and although dedicated to producing American classics, the board and staff also believe it has a responsibility to serve the community in numerous way. ELTC’s “Masked Gala,” its annual fundraising dinner/show/trivia event, is on Monday, October 31. Contact the theater for details.
“Biography” runs Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. through October 15, except there is no show on Wednesday, October 5, and a show on Sunday, October 9 at 7:30 p.m. The location is the historic First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May, where the theater is in residence. Tickets are $32 general admission; $27 senior (ages 62 and over); $17 for full-time student and military (active or retired); and ages 12 and under are free. For reservations and information, call ELTC at (609) 884-5898, email eastlynneco@aol.com or visit www.eastlynnetheater.org.