Scholarship and Raffle Winners Announced at East Lynne Theater Company’s Gala

The award-winning Equity professional non-profit East Lynne Theater Company celebrated its 35th anniversary in style at its annual fundraising event at Aleathea’s Restaurant at the Inn of Cape May on Nov. 9. The audience of over one hundred enjoyed the food, entertainment, trivia contest, silent auction and the warm and friendly atmosphere. The gala was titled “155 in 35” because ELTC has produced American plays that were originally produced from 1788 – 1943, a span of 155 years. 
Included in the evening’s festivities were the announcements of the recipient of the Historic Jackson Street Neighborhood Association Scholarship Fund (HJSNA) in the Name of Bob and Toni Green, and the winner of the Dream Vacation Raffle, who had four vacations spots to choose from.
The Board of Trustees chose Jared Aronoff as the ninth scholarship winner. This fund was started in 2006 with a generous $5,000 donation from HJSNA, in honor of the Greens, who first owned the Puffin on Jackson Street. Bob Green was at one time President of ELTC’s Board, and Toni came up with the idea for ELTC’s “Tales of the Victorians,” which just completed its twenty-sixth year. The $300 scholarship is slated for those who actively participate in theater, are either full-time or part-time New Jersey resident, and adhere to the famous director Konstantin Stanislavsky’s creed to “love the art in yourself, and not yourself in the art.”
The decision by the Board to give the award to Jared was based on his work as an intern with ELTC this past summer, in which he served as a technical assistant for two mainstage shows and assisted with the Student Summer Workshop. Currently in his third year at Temple University concentrating in Musical Theater and Acting, Jared worked for two summers as co-director of the drama program at Jefferson Lakes Day Camp, and performed at Paper Mill Playhouse in its Summer Musical Theater Conservatory, where he received the Josephine Goldstein Award for Excellence in Theater.
Out of the large plastic tub containing raffle tickets purchased by audience members and friends of ELTC since last spring, one ticket was pulled. The lucky winner is Linda Linhares who happens to be an ELTC volunteer. She couldn’t be present at the gala when her name was announced, but was thrilled to receive the news on the phone, delivered by Board President Frank Smith. Of the four offerings, she chose a trip for two to Montreal.
The 2016 season, with the theme “Love Bites,” was also announced at the gala, and will soon be made public, with season tickets for sale. Meanwhile, the final ELTC production for 2015 is “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,” running from Nov. 27 through Dec. 12. For information about East Lynne Theater Company’s mainstage season, touring shows and educational outreach, call (609) 884-5898, email eastlynneco@aol.com, or visit www.eastlynnetheater.org.
ELTC’s season would not be possible without the support of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism; and the generosity of many patrons.