West Cape May Elementary to Present ‘Rip Van Winkle’

WEST CAPE MAY – On March 13 at 7 p.m., enter the mysterious world of “Rip Van Winkle” at the West Cape May Elementary School, 301 Moore St., performed by 17 students under the direction of East Lynne Theater Company’s artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth. The script is based on the short story classic about a man who encounters the ghosts of Captain Henry Hudson and his crew in the hills of Sleepy Hollow, written by Washington Irving over one-hundred years ago. One of ELTC’s upcoming summer main stage productions is the world premiere of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” adapted by James Rana from another Irving tale.
This in-school theater residency begins on March 4, with a few acting exercises, reading the script, and everyone writing down what three parts they would like to play. The next day, based on the above information, Stahlhuth assigns roles and rehearsals began. There are meetings with parents and members of the PTA to discuss props and costumes, and with the support of the 5th and 6th grade teacher, Ms. Calabro, students are encouraged to memorize lines and think about their own props and costume needs. There are only seven eighty-minute rehearsals before the show goes up, with lines learned, blocking complete, props in place and costumes done.
This is the sixth year in a row that East Lynne Theater Company has been able to provide this theater residency for West Cape May Elementary School due to funding from New Jersey Theatre Alliances’ (NJTA) “Stages Festival.” NJTA is the statewide consortium of professional theaters in the Garden State, of which ELTC is a proud member. For an up-to-the-minute schedule of “Stages Festival” events throughout March, which includes ELTC’s shows on the road, “Paul Robeson Through His Words and Music,” “Adventure of the Norwood Builder,” and “Victorian Magic,” visit www.stagesfestival.org. To learn more about the Alliance, go to www.njtheatrealliance.org.
Admission to “Rip Van Winkle” is free and open to the public, but donations of paper products for The Food Closet will be gratefully accepted.
For reservations and information about this and other ELTC events, contact the theater by phone at 609-884-5898, e-mail eastlynneco@aol.com, on go to the web site, www.eastlynnetheater.org.
There is still time to sign up for ELTC’s juggling class with James Rana, on March 4 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, 500 Hughes St., where the company is in residence. This is free, too, due to funding from NJTA’s “Stages Festival.” ELTC’s popular radio-style production returns to Cape May with “Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Norwood Builder” on March 15 and 16 at 8:00 p.m., before going on the road.
NJTA’s “Stages Festival” is a co-sponsored project of the NJ State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional program sponsors are Bank of America and The Horizon Foundation for NJ. Additional program support has been provided by The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Hidden Ponds Foundation, The HMS Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, The F. M. Kirby Foundation, Prudential Foundation and Springpoint Senior Living Foundation and The Victoria Foundation. Discover Jersey Arts is the “Stages” marketing partner. Visit www.JerseyArts.com for more information about other arts programming happening around the Garden State.