This is the ninth year in a row that Elizabeth and Stuart Hodes are hosting a fundraiser in Manhattan for the nonprofit East Lynne Theater Company. The date is Sunday, Jan. 31 at 3 p.m. Although ELTC performs mostly in Cape May, NJ, the Hodes are longtime friends of the company, and artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth wrote a two-person play just for them. The musical titled “The O’Tooles Tonight” premiered in Cape May in 2000 under Stahlhuth’s direction, receiving excellent reviews, including in “The Newark Star-Ledger.”
The afternoon soiree begins with scenes from “State of the Union” by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. First on Broadway in 1948, selections are seen here just in time for an election year. The cast includes Liz Hodes, Thomas Cox, J. Dolan Byrnes, Tom Beel and Joanne Joseph, under the direction of Jeremy X. Halpern. Following these scenes will be a short introduction to ELTC’s 2016 season given by Gayle Stahlhuth.
After the performances, a light supper, prepared by Stuart Hodes, along with wine, will be served. It’s a great time to mingle with fellow theater lovers.
A minimum $10 donation is requested, and all proceeds will benefit ELTC.
ELTC was the first Professional Equity Theater Company in the country to focus on classic American plays and new works based on American literature and history. The forgotten gems of the past revitalized by ELTC, along with provocative premieres, all relevant to today, provide a portal to the past for a better understanding of the present.
ELTC operates all year long with touring shows, workshops and school residencies, and performs at the historic First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street in Cape May, an ADA-accessible venue with excellent acoustics and sightlines.
Space is limited; reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling the Hodes at (212) 532-8977 or emailing Lizhodes@yahoo.com. The location is the corner of 31st Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan.
For more information, visit ELTC’s website at www.eastlynnetheater.org or email eastlynneco@aol.com.