East Lynne Theater Company receives grant from Target for Educational Outreach

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company has received its third grant in three years from Target Department Stores, funding from which goes exclusively to help to fund an artist-in residence program. Plans are in the works for ELTC's artistic director, Gayle Stahlhuth, to return to Glenwood Avenue Elementary School in Wildwood for an in-school residency in March.  Possibilities for this upcoming residency include researching, writing, and performing scenes that have to do with Wildwood – a town celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2012. 

     Last year, Gayle worked with three fifth-grade classes at this school, helping them to research, write, and rehearse scenes about famous people, based on those featured in President Obama's book, "Of Thee I Sing."  Three years ago, Gayle, with actor/writer Patti Chambers, worked with students at the Homework Institute, the after-school program at the Martin Luther King Center in Whitesboro, where students wrote and performed scenes about the history of Whitesboro.  Both of these residencies involved students performing an admission-free event open to the public, and a good time was had by actors and audience.

    Gayle, who has taught in-school and after-school theater-related residencies for over 30 years in locations as varied as Ute reservations in Utah to middle schools in Brooklyn, is once more spearheading the residency, assisted by Grace Wright, who performed in ELTC's recent production of "He and She." Aside from performing, Grace has stage managed and worked as a musical director for Sojourn Productions.

    Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its income to the communities it serves, and individual Target stores carry on this tradition by making local grants and supporting volunteer initiatives. ELTC's Board of Trustees and Gayle Stahlhuth are pleased to be able to use this funding to help to support another in-school residency.

     Meanwhile, ELTC continues its mainstage season with "Sherlock Holmes Adventure of the Norwood Builder" and "Christmas Presents from the Past."  ELTC's annual fundraising gala is on November 10 at Aleathea's at The Inn of Cape May.

     For information about ELTC's educational outreach, touring shows, or mainstage season, call 609-884-5898 or go online to www.eastlynnetheater.org.