Photo by Naomi Weinberg
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- In May alone, Classic American Tales performs on a farm, in two different libraries, and at historic Peachfield.
Gayle Stahlhuth, CAT’s artistic director, presents two storytelling events in the barn at Rea’s Farm, 400 Stevens Street, West Cape May, NJ. On Sunday, May 10, 2026, its selections from the first chapters of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, at a special Mother’s Day Brunch in the barn. Seatings are at 10:00am, 11:30am and 1:00pm. Reservations may be made online. Cost for meals is $50 for adults and $25 for children. The 15-20-minute readings bringing May, Jo, Beth, Amy, and Marmee to life are at 10:30am, noon, and 1:30pm.
On May 22, as part of Rea’s Farm Friday Night at the Farm series, Stahlhuth presents Twain Tales. There is no admission fee for coming to the farm from 5:00pm-8:00pm, during which time guests may purchase dinner, a bottle from Cape May Winery and visit various venders’ booths. During dinner, enjoy two humorous short stories by Twain. At 6:15pm, it’s “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and at 7:30pm, the first couple on earth is explored in "Eve's Diary."
Derrick McQueen returns to Cape May to perform Paul Robeson through His Words and Music on Thursday, May 28 at 6:00pm at The Cape May Public Library, 720 Franklin Street. Admission is free but reservations are appreciated and may be made online. Written by Gayle Stahlhuth, it is an interweaving of two dozen songs that were sung by New Jersey native, Paul Robeson, with a narrative of his life as an actor, singer, activist, and humanitarian.
For those who missed earlier performances of Margaret’s Diary During a Revolution, there are two more times in May to see it. Historic Peachfield, 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ is sponsoring a performance on Sunday, May 3 at 2:00pm. Ticket price is $16.05 and are available for purchase online. For information, call 609-267-6996.
On Monday, May 11 at 2:00pm for free, The Avalon Free Public Library is hosting a performance at The Avalon History Center, 215 39th St., Avalon, NJ. For reservations, click here. For information, call 609-967-7155. Written and performed by Gayle Stahlhuth, it is based on the diary of Margaret Morris written in December 1776 when tensions were escalating between the Hessians and the patriots in and around Burlington, NJ during the American Revolution. Learning much from audience comments made during after show Q&As, Stahlhuth continues to research and discover new information that she is pleased to include in her ever-evolving script.
On June 4, CAT’s performances on the porch of The Dormer House in Cape May begin. Some of the performers include Carolyn Nelson presenting Tales from the Old West, Patricia Durante reading "His Smile" by Susan Glaspell, and James Rana performing the first chapter of Vladimir Nabokov's "Pnin," the rights for which took two years to procure. On June 24, Animal Outreach and CAT bring storyteller and two-time Grammy nominated Guy Davis to perform for a fundraiser.
To learn more about these events and the 2026 season, visit https://www.ClassicAmericanTales.org. CAT is a nonprofit theater with the mission to “Tell America’s stories one tale at a time.”
