(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Cape May's award-winning, Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company – now in its 45th year – has announced its 2025 Season. The season includes: "Ken Ludwig's Dear Jack/Dear Louise;" "Every Brilliant Thing" by Duncan MacMillan; "No Regrets: An Evening with Edith Piaf" starring Yael Rasooly; and "Sherlock Holmes: Scandals," two Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories adapted by Mark Lang.
The season will take place between two venues: the Cape May Presbyterian Church and the company's new permanent home, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME Church.
For the past 25 years, East Lynne has produced plays seasonally at Cape May Presbyterian Church. When the company moves into its new home at the Clemans Theater for the Arts this spring, it will not only permit them to expand their performance schedule, but allow the company to broaden the types of entertainment to include art and photography exhibits, cabaret shows, jazz performances, and more. Perhaps the biggest update for East Lynne Theater Co. is the conscious move to augment their theatrical lineup by producing shows outside of the American repertoire solely by including acts written by playwrights from around the world.
“East Lynne Theater Company recognizes that Cape May has always been a global melting pot, so we are excited to broaden our horizons as our company embarks on this thrilling new chapter,” said Mark David Boberick, executive director. “We will continue to produce the best of American plays, but with the Clemans Theater for the Arts, we now we have the space to feasibly push our creative boundaries while launching a year-round performance calendar that we hope will challenge, amaze and delight audiences in and around South Jersey.”
The Clemans Theater for the Arts is located at 717 Franklin St., and Cape May Presbyterian Church is at 500 Hughes St. Through June 15, East Lynne is offering a flexible season ticket package of four tickets for $125. For tickets to and more info on all shows, go to EastLynneTheater.org.
East Lynne’s 2025 season, which will alternate between Cape May Presbyterian Church and the Clemans Theater for the Arts, includes:
“Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack/Dear Louise”: Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor,” “Crazy for You”) tells the true story of his parents' courtship during World War II. Jack and Louise start off as pen pals who hope to be together forever someday, but the war continues to interfere.
Runs 7:00pm Wednesdays to Saturdays from June 19 through July 12. There is a special matinee on July 4 at 3:00pm, and a preview performance on June 18 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $40 general admission, $35 seniors, $25 students and military. Shows will take place at Cape May Presbyterian Church.
“Every Brilliant Thing”: British playwright Duncan MacMillan’s play about depression that’s both heart-wrenching and hilarious. It’s a fascinating tale about a 6-year-old trying to bring a smile to his mom’s face by listing the many brilliant things in the world.
Runs 7:00pm Wednesdays to Saturdays from July 31 through August 30, with a preview performance on July 30 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $40 general admission, $35 seniors, $25 students and military. Shows will take place at Clemans Theater for the Arts.
“No Regrets: An Evening with Edith Piaf”: Created and performed by Yael Rasooly, this unique one-woman show dedicated to the “Little Sparrow” Edith Piaf combines drama, music and puppetry.
Runs 7:00pm Wednesdays to Saturdays and 3:00pm Sundays from September 4-14, with a preview performance on September 3 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $40 general admission, $35 seniors, $25 students and military. Shows will take place at Clemans Theater for the Arts.
“Sherlock Holmes: Scandals!”: This world-premiere radio-style performance is based on two stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (“A Scandal in Bohemia” and “The Adventure of the Cardboard Box”) and is adapted and directed by Mark Edward Lang.
Runs 7:00pm October 23, 24, 25. Tickets are $30 general admission, $25 students and military. Shows will take place at Cape May Presbyterian Church.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company has been named by The New York Times as one of the Top 75 summer theaters in North America and recognized by the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.” In 2023, understanding that the American Theater is itself a growing work of art, East Lynne expanded its mission to “present and preserve America’s theatrical heritage” by including plays about America today. As of 2025, East Lynne, which is currently housed in Cape May Presbyterian Church, continues to raise funds in its Capital Campaign to renovate its new home, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church. As the company expands into the Clemans Theater, so does its calendar, which will offer year-round entertainment that includes plays and performances from worldwide writers, actors, musicians, and more.
