Meet the Cast of East Lynne’s ‘Within the Law’

CAPE MAY – For those who didn’t have the opportunity to meet the cast of the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company’s “Within the Law” at the opening night after-show party at Aleathea’s Restaurant Sept. 17, another chance is to be had Sept. 26 at an after-show Q&A. It’s a wonderful opportunity for patrons to ask such questions as “why do they do what they do?” and “how does one find these scripts?”
Like “The First Fifty Years,” which was ELTC’s season opener, the script for “Within the Law,” a major Broadway hit in 1912, took awhile to find. Artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth ordered a script through the theatrical licensing company Samuel French, which had it listed in its archives. Since the play is royalty-free, French does not keep it readily available on the shelf. A year passed, and she called French to ask what happened to the script she’d ordered, only to be told that they didn’t have it, which seemed odd since the year before it had been listed. She tried again a few months later, and this time, the woman answering the phone was actually curious why the script had been listed in 2011, but not in 2012. In a few weeks, she found it, and mailed a copy to Stahlhuth. When she read it, she was struck by the still relevant themes of social inequality, the pursuit of a living wage, and a legal system that favors those who have enough money to hire the best council. As the lawyer in the play states, “Nowadays, we don’t call them ‘courts of justice.’ We call them ‘courts of law.’” And yet, there was romance and humor in the midst of this drama about crime.
The thirteen-member cast of “Within the Law” is a blend of those who have worked with ELTC before, and newcomers to this thirty-four-year-old company.
Playing Mary Turner, the shop girl wrongly accused of stealing, is Meredith Lark whose regional credits include “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” at New London Barn Playhouse (NH), and in New York City, she was in “Unville Brazil.” This is her first ELTC appearance.
Also new to ELTC are Eric Stephenson, Patrick Hyland, and Hillary Pusak. Eric, who plays the thief, Eddie Griggs, has New York credits that include “Saint Joan” at The Secret Theatre and “Oliver!” at The Gallery Players. Playing another thief is Patrick Hyland, who recently worked for FringeArts in Philadelphia. Hillary portrays Helen, a sales clerk at The Emporium. She has performed at Surflight Theater and Ocean City Theater Company in shows including “Guys and Dolls” and “Cinderella.”
Returning to ELTC from the previous year, and beyond, are Jennifer Bissell, Seth James, John Cameron Weber, Matt Baxter Luceno, and Thomas Raniszewski, Tom Byrn, and Ken Glickfeld. Even ELTC’s technical director Lee O’Connor and artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth will be walking the boards in this big cast show.
Jennifer Bissell plays Agnes Lynch, Mary’s confident who has served time for blackmail. She is a principal performer on IFC’s “Onion News Network,” with New York credits that include “The Power of Darkness” at The Mint.
Taking on the role of Joe Garson, a forger who befriends Mary, is Seth James, who will be traveling to Italy in January to teach Shakespeare to Italian students and perform “Hamlet.” His work in New York includes “You Never Can Tell” at T. Schreiber Studios.
Edward Gilder, owner of The Emporium is John Cameron Weber. He played Michael Husted in “As the World Turns,” and his regional credits include Cortland Rep (NY), Arrow Rock (MO), and New London Barn Playhouse.
Matt Baxter Luceno plays Gilder’s son, Richard, who falls in love with Mary Turner. New York theaters for which he has worked include La MaMa E.T.C. Regional work includes “King Lear” with Stacy Keach at Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington D.C.).
What would a crime drama be without the police, here represented by Thomas Raniszewski playing Detective Sergeant Cassidy, Tom Byrn as Police Inspector Burke, and Lee O’Connor as police officer Thomas. Thomas Raniszewski received critical acclaim as Warren in the Philadelphia production of “The Twentieth-Century Way”, and was in ELTC’s” Why Marry?” at The Players Club in Manhattan. Recently in “The Exonerated” at Delaware Theater Company, Tom Byrn has also worked for People’s Light & Theatre (PA), Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble (PA), and River Valley Rep (NY). Lee O’Connor has portrayed Sherlock in ELTC’s NBC radio-style Holmes’ adventures for the past ten years and is a favorite storyteller for the company’s “Tales of the Victorians.”
The lawyer, George Demarest, is played by Ken Glickfeld, who has worked in New York with the Atlantic Theater Company and Peculiar Works, among others. His film work includes “Don’t Drink the Water” directed by Woody Allen.
Gayle Stahlhuth, who also directs, plays Gilder’s secretary. Since becoming artistic director of ELTC in 1999, she has produced 72 different plays, and directed over half of them. A member of Actors’ Equity for forty years, she has performed in a variety of shows in New York City and regionally.
Joseph Travers choreographed the exciting swordfights in ELTC’s “Zorro!” and now is back to help with “Within the Law.” He directed the fights for the recent Broadway production of “Bronx Bombers.”
“Within the Law” runs from Sept. 17 through Oct. 12, with an 8:00 p.m. curtain, and a Wednesday through Saturday schedule, except there is no show October 8, replaced with a show Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The location is The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street, where the company is in residence. Tickets are $30 general admission; $25 senior (age 62 on up); $15 full-time student; and anyone age 12 and under is free.
A special after-show reception is slated for Oct. 3, to be held at The First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, with homemade tasty treats and another opportunity to meet the cast. The cost is only $10 and two-thirds of profits will go to The Food Closet.
To make reservations, call ELTC at 884-5898, e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com, or purchase directly through the website www.eastlynnetheater.org.