By Gary Wien
originally published: 06/16/2015
“Lincoln was a man who was President of the United States during the bloodiest conflict in this country,” said Gayle Stahlhuth, Artistic Director of East Lynne Theater Company. “He tried to prevent war, but once in it, he did all he could to win the war and reunite the country. The mounting loss of lives on both sides deeply affected him. At the same time, he had to deal publicly with accusations by those who thought his wife, Mary, was a spy for the South, living in the White House.”
East Lynne Theater Company kicks off its 35th season with Mr. Lincoln by Herbert Mitgang. The one man show, which stars Tom Byrn and is directed by Stahlhuth, runs June 17 through July 25. The play was selected to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.
Mr. Lincoln begins on April 14, 1865, as the President is watching Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. just days after General Lee had surrendered to Grant, ending the war. As John Wilkes Booth enters the President's box and aims his pistol, Lincoln's life flashes before him — taking him back to his humble beginnings in Kentucky, soon after he was born in 1809. The play covers his rise in politics and aspects of his personal life including his courtship with Mary Todd and his bouts of melancholia. Virtually the entire script comes from Lincoln's own words.
Much is known about Lincoln, and he remains one of the most popular U.S. Presidents of all-time (if not the most popular). According to abebooks.com, at least 15,000 books have been written about Abraham Lincoln. In recent years, releases such as Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln to the fantastical world of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter have found their way from bookshelves to the silver screen. According to Stahlhuth, this play serves as a reminder of Lincoln’s ability to frame arguments with his words and storytelling prowess.
“Most people know about Lincoln's sense of humor and storytelling, and this play cleverly highlights just how effective his humor could be when trying to win an argument,” she said. “The play is also a reminder that Lincoln wrote his own speeches and letters, and took complete responsibility for his beliefs and actions. For the past fifty years, at least, many in public office have speech writers and pundits.”
Lincoln’s place in U.S. history is one reason his legacy endures. He was President during the Civil War, a period in which the nation was torn apart and needed a true leader as never before. He ended slavery and was the first president to be assassinated. Any one of these things would have left his mark on history, but Stahlhuth believes Lincoln’s legacy endures because of his complexity — something that continues to draw scholars in for further analysis.
“Debates are still being waged on his beliefs about race,” explained Stahlhuth. “Is he ‘the Great Emancipator’ or was he out for his own political gain? Whatever the debate, he was the right man at the right place at the right time, and I do believe he meant ‘malice towards none’ after the Civil War. Had he not been assassinated, I believe Reconstruction would have been handled differently, and perhaps there would have been less of a racial divide today. We'll never know.”
East Lynne Theater often does historical plays by design because Cape May itself is a town that is a reminder of the past. Stahlhuth says that the town’s uniquely historic architecture and destinations such as The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities, Historic Cold Spring Village, and Naval Air Station Wildwood, offer the opportunity for visitors to truly step back in time — something that separates it from being just another beach town along the Jersey Shore.
Each year’s season is built around a specific theme and this year’s theme is “Unexpected Encounters” although Stahlhuth admits it could just easily have been called “North vs. South.”
“This [theme] is pretty obvious with Mr. Lincoln and our world premiere of Huckleberry Finn adapted by James Rana from the Twain classic,” said Stahlhuth. “But even in our fall show, Strictly Dishonorable, an innocent Southern belle from a plantation in Mississippi, and her fiancé from West Orange, NJ, step into a Manhattan speakeasy where they encounter its gracious manager and his employees, a clever judge, and a worldly Italian opera star. This screwball Broadway 1929 comedy by Preston Sturges explores the conflict between playing it safe and expanding one’s horizons and the Southern and the Northerner who have to confront each other! Is marriage in their future or not?”
For history buffs or admirers of President Lincoln, there’s no better place to dive into history than a trip to Cape May. It’s a great summer weekend destination in New Jersey.
Mr. Lincoln runs June 17 through July 25 with performances Wednesdays through Saturdays. There is no performance on Saturday, July 4 but will have a performance on Sunday, July 5. For more information visit www.eastlynnetheater.org
About the author:
Gary Wien has been covering the arts since 2001 and has had work published with Jersey Arts, Upstage Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Backstreets and other publications. He is a three-time winner of the Asbury Music Award for Top Music Journalist and the author of
Beyond the Palace (the first book on the history of rock and roll in Asbury Park) and
Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists. In addition, he runs New Jersey Stage and the online radio station
The Penguin Rocks. His personal website is at
lightyscorner.com. He can be contacted at
[email protected].
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/when The Rainbow Is Enuf,
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 4:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJDunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s
FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
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Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 3:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJA battle is being waged for your soul from an office in hell! Witness a fast-paced, tour-de-force performance in this acclaimed adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ satiric masterpiece. This international hit offers a faithful stage adaptation of Lewis’
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Lewis Center For The Arts Presents "oratorio For Living Things"
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 2:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Berlind Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJInfusing a classical oratorio with blues, gospel, jazz and soul, this musical and visual journey investigates human experiences of time and memory alongside powerful physical forces that shape the universe. Our exploration emphasizes the significance of the ritual of gathering for live performance in an increasingly screen-focused world.
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Directed by visiting Iranian artist and director Nikoo Mamdoohi, with English to Latin translations by Greg Taubman, Princeton Class of 2006, the professional team includes music direction by Emma Sway, music supervision by Solon Snider Sway, set design by Afsoon Pajoufar, lighting design by Kelley Shih, sound design by Kay Richardson, costume design by Keating Debelak, choreography by Sariel Golomb, and stage management by Milan Eldridge, Princeton Class of 2020. Juniors Lota Alagbe and Peyton McLaughlin serves as dramaturgs.
George Street Playhouse Presents Vicki Lawrence & Mama: A Two-woman Show
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJWritten by and starring
Vicki Lawrence Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Kean Department Of Theatre Presents "the Drowsy Chaperone"
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1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJMusic and lyrics by
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EVENT PREVIEWS
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Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Christmas at the Playhouse 2026
(HAMPTON, NJ) -- Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Christmas at the Playhouse 2026 from November 10 to December 20, 2026. Celebrate the season with this spectacular holiday production filled with the music, memories, and traditions audiences have cherished through the years.
Ferrell Studios presents "Carrie, the Musical"
(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- Ferrell Studios presents Carrie, the Musical at the Plainfield Performing Arts Center from November 12-15, 2026. Based on the classic novel by Stephen King, the musical poses the question: What happens when someone is pushed too far?
Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival presents "Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman"
(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Fringe Festival continues with Ghost Dance: Picture of a Madman, a captivating one-woman play written and performed by Erica Knight. Running November 12–15, 2026, in the Kutz Theatre at the Lackland Performing Arts Center on the campus of Centenary University. The production explores the turbulent life and legacy of Ralph Albert Blakelock, one of America's most celebrated yet tragically overlooked nineteenth-century painters.
Fool Moon Theatre Company presents "Love, Loss, And What I Wore" at The Eagle Theatre on November 12th
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Middlesex College presents "She Kills Monsters"
(EDISON, NJ) -- Middlesex College Visual, Performing and Media Arts presents She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen from November 12-18, 2026 at the Performing Arts Center - Studio Theater in Edison. She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly.
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Lomotion Live presents "Etiquette" by David Lee White
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