V20 N43

The Theater Column
By arts columnist Tom Sims
This holiday season, three one-person
shows in Cape May will help you discover
just how much cheer one person
can bring. Here is a preview.
One-person shows are nothing
new. Ancient tribes all had one person
who likely told the stories passed down from
generation to generation, according to historian
John Gentile’s book “Cast of One: One
Person Shows from the Chautauqua Platform
to Broadway.” One of my favorites was Edgar
Allen Poe, who would recite his work for
audiences in “platform performances” in the
1840s. Ten years later, another performer took
America by storm performing his work —
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
Cape May Stage has brought “One
Christmas Carol” to town, and Douglas Baker
has been charming audiences in this oneman
show. The theater describes this show
as a “one-man tour de force. Dickens’ famous
story about selfishness and selflessness is
stripped down to its bare essence, forgoing
the usual opulence of the holidays and focusing
on what is of utmost importance during
the season.” The show runs through December
30 at the Robert Shackleton Theater. More
info is available at www.capemaystage.org.
Next, hop a trolley to enjoy amazing
holiday ghost stories. East Lynne Theater
and Cape May MAC host Amanda Brinlee
who will captivate audiences in Ghosts of
Christmas Past Trolley Rides, which run
through December 23. Amanda helped ELTC
bring “Poe by Candlelight” to the stage in
October, and she is sure to please this season.
Contact MAC for tickets at 609-884-5404.
ELTC’s Gayle Stahlhuth makes her
final performance as Artistic Director. In
“Christmas Presents from the Past,” she brings
three holiday classics to the stage including
one of my personal favorites, O. Henry’s “Gift
of the Magi.” Other stories include Nathaniel
Hawthorne’s “Snow Image” and Mary
Wilkins Freeman’s “Christmas Masquerade.”
Gayle has been a Cape May treasure since
joining ELTC in the late 1980s. Stahlhuth,
with husband Lee O’Connor, produced over
120 shows for ELTC. In 2016, she was honored
for her years of theater work by The
National Association of Professional Women.
This show runs through December 10 at the
Cape May Presbyterian Church. Call 609-
884-5898 or visit www.eastlynnetheater.org.
One person can make an impact, both
on stage and in life. This holiday season, see
what impact these actors have on your holiday
mood! Then spread some cheer yourself.
December 1, 2022 EXIT ZERO Page 37