MEMBERS OF THE STAFF AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ADVISORS
STAFF
Gayle Stahlhuth, Artistic Director, is an actress, playwright, producer, and director who is a member of AEA, SAG,
AFTRA, and the Dramatists Guild. As such, she has appeared off-Broadway and in regional theater, television, and on radio;
and her plays have been performed at such places as the NYC International Fringe Festival, The Samuel French One-Act
Festival, Manhattan Theatre Club, Arvada Center in Denver, the Pennsylvania Stage Company, and the Phoenix Theater in
Indianapolis. In the mid-‘70s she helped to manage a chain of twelve dinner theaters operating out of Charlotte, NC and in
1979 accepted the offer to start a dinner theater in Billings, MT. She performed with ELTC, and from 1987-1997, was on the
Board, filling the duties at various times of President, Secretary, and Treasurer. She also acted in several ELTC productions,
and founder and artistic director Warren Kliewer directed several of her plays. After Mr. Kliewer’s death in 1998, Gayle accepted
the Board of Trustees’ offer, in 1999, to become the next artistic director. As such, she has directed most of ELTC’s productions,
including Four by Four, where she combined four one-acts written between 1847-1913 by Louisa May Alcott, William Dean Howells, William Gillette, and
Elmer Rice. She tours her own one-woman plays based on Louisa May Alcott, Catharine Beecher, Dorothea Dix, Edna Ferber, “Edna” from The
Awakening, “Eve” from the writings of Mark Twain, and her own autobiographical Goin’ Home. She’s been awarded commissions from The National
Portrait Gallery, the Missouri Humanities Council, Theatreworks/USA and other theatres, and grants from the New Jersey Humanities Council and the Mid-
Atlantic Foundation for the Arts. In the early 1980s, she was a pioneer in the artist-in-residence movement, being one of the first theater professionals to
receive a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts in this “new” program designed to put art back into public schools. She is now on The Arts in
Education rosters for New York, New Jersey, Utah, and Wyoming. For her work, she was selected to be one of two hundred artists of different disciplines
listed in the "Directory of Community Artists" published by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Lee O’Connor, Technical Director, served in Vietnam, first in the field, and then on stage in Saigon
as part of an Army theater troupe. Back in the States he worked in management for IBM and The
American Institute of Banking, before once more returning to the stage, where he’s worked as an
actor, stage manager, lighting and set designer; and on construction crews. A member of Actors’
Equity, he began stage managing for The East Lynne Theater Company in the mid-‘80s. NYC credits include:
A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden Theatre, a workshop production of an event for Radio
City Music Hall, Liza Steppin’ Out at Radio City, running lights for Pageant, stage managing for Irish
Repertory Theatre and The Staten Island Ballet, and prop master for Penn and Teller Rot in Hell.
Regionally, he has worked at Ivoryton Playhouse, American Stage Company, Centenary Stage, The Bickford
Theater, and The Women's Theater Company. He was road manager for CORE Ensemble, Jose Melina, and NJ Ballet.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Frank Smith, President of The Board, owned The White Dove Cottage in Cape May
for 12 years and is a retired Philadelphia detective.
Ralph Valeri, Vice-President, has performed as a professional actor; was Guild
Director for Opera Classics of NJ; former President of the Jersey Performing Arts
Guild; Board Member and Vice-President of the Middle Township Arts Council;
and teaches opera appreciation courses.
Patti Chambers is an Equity actress and playwright, who has appeared on tv, film and
stage in NYC, and regional theater.
Peg Curran taught school in Pennsylvania and was a museum teacher at Historic
Cherry Hill in Albany, NY. Currently she manages and develops rental property in
Sea Isle City and Avalon, NJ.
Steve Haas has sung with major symphonic choirs on both coasts and attended
Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ. He's the manager of Art Decor Gallery, Board members and volunteers Clare, Frank, Peg, Ralph, Joann,
and Floor Manager for the Whale's Tale, both in Cape May, NJ. He is a Cape May Steve, & Fran Geores with Gayle and Lee Photo courtesy Exit Zero
Chamber of Commerce board member.
Mark Edward Lang is a director, actor and designer based in NYC. He is also a partner in the Laughingstock Company; an Artistic Associate of
Harbor Theatre Company; and a B.A. Honors graduate of Vassar College.
Joann Oxley, retired, holds an MA in community relations from Glassboro State College and has had over 20 years experience in the public
relations field, including 15 years as director of community relations at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital and a year in Tehran, Iran doing a
company newsletter for American Bell International. In her far past, she taught school and did secretarial work.
THE BOARD OF ADVISORS
Stephanie Garrett worked as a Sociologist and Human Resources manager during her career in Federal Government. Upon early
retirement, she received the Meritorious Service Award, the highest award given by the Department of Navy to a civilian employee. Stephanie is a
member of the Greater Cape May Historical Society and served as President. She is also a storyteller, specializing in African-American tales.
James V. Hatch is a noted theater historian, particularly in the field of African-American artists. His publications include "Sorrow Is the Only
Faithful One: The Life of Owen Dodson," and "Black Theater USA."
Clare Juechter was a regional administrator with Federated Department Stores and is now a spokesperson for the Metalware/Nesco Corporation
on QVC during cooking programs.
Michele LaRue is an actress, writer, and editor. She has performed Off-Broadway and with ELTC as well as other regional theaters. As a well-
respected theatre writer and editor, she is a member of Drama Desk, an organization of New York drama critics. Michele was married to and
collaborated with Warren Kliewer, the founder and first artistic director of ELTC, onstage and off, for more than 25 years.
Walter J. Meserve is a respected theater historian who was one of the editors of the "American Lost Plays" series published by the Indiana
University Press, and co-author of "The Musical Theatre Cookbook: Recipes from Best-Loved Musicals."
Don B. Wilmeth is Emeritus Professor of Theatre and English at Brown University, who, with Chris Bigsby, edited the three-volume "Cambridge
History of American Theatre," the only history of its kind. It received a number of book awards when originally published in 1998-2001 - a
publication also co-edited by Don. He also just completed writing/compiling a new edition of the "Cambridge Guide to American Theatre."
BOARD MEMBERSHIP
Should you wish to be a member of the Board of Trustees, let us know! We're always looking for people with new ideas! Meetings are held in
Cape May, NJ at least eight times a year. If you wish to help the company by volunteering to help with box office, ushering, marketing, etc., let us
know that, too! See the "Get involved" page for details
For information regarding Board Membership, Donations, Activities, and Volunteers:
Through e-mail at Eastlynneco@aol.com or by mail at 121 Fourth Ave., West Cape May, NJ 08204
Phone the company at 609-884-5898
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