Classic American Tales Presents Works From Kate Chopin, Will Rogers, O. Henry, And Harlem

CAT will present tales from Kate Chopin, Will Rogers, O. Henry, and Harlem.

A husband questions the ancestry of his wife, ghostly happenings, Will Rogers' timeless wit, O. Henry's famous twists at the end, and Harlem in the 1920's. These are some of the upcoming tales to be told by Classic American Tales' (CAT) "Tales at the Dormer House."

Every Thursday at 4:00 p.m. through October 10, CAT presents readings of stories, plays, and poetry at the historic Dormer House Bed and Breakfast, 800 Columbia Avenue in Cape May, NJ. Performances are on the front porch, weather permitting.  Otherwise, they will be inside. Guests are also treated to lemonade and tasty treats.  Cost is $12.00, cash at the door, and guests at The Dormer House and children ages 12 and under are free. 

On August 1, CAT's artistic director Gayle Stahlhuth reads stories by Kate Chopin (1851-1904) including "Desirée's Baby." After her husband died in 1882, Chopin began writing to provide for her six children, publishing almost 100 short stories, one play, and three novels, the most famous of which is "The Awakening" (1899) about the consequences of a young wife having an affair.  

Longtime "Tales'" favorites Stephanie Garrett and Frank Smith present "Ghostly Happenings" on August 8.  Garrett will read stories from contemporary author Lenora Rain-Lee Good, who is part Catawba Native American, and Smith will talk about his experiences with ghosts in Cape May. 

Phil Pizzi brings Will Rogers (1879-1835) to life on August 15. In 1917, Rogers was a headliner for the Ziegfeld Follies, and in 1922, started a syndicated column that was read in 2,800 newspapers. His wit, wisdom and understanding of the human condition is often compared to that of Mark Twain. In the fall of 2018, Pizzi retired as the host of "The Morning Show" on 98.7-FM The Coast, WCZT, just one of his many credits in the entertainment field. 

The focus on August 22 is "The Roaring 20's." Stephanie Garrett will read stories about The Harlem Renaissance, and Gayle Stahlhuth, from members of the Algonquin Round Table. On August 29, Frank Smith reads stories by O. Henry (1862-1910). Nearly three-quarters of his 600-plus stories are set in New York City, including his famous "The Gift of the Magi."  

Reservations for "Tales" are appreciated and may be made through CAT by calling 609-884-5898 or e-mailing classicamericantales@aol.com. Details about this and other CAT events are found on https://www.ClassicAmericanTales.org. 

After 23 years serving as the producing artistic director of East Lynne Theater Company, Gayle Stahlhuth founded CAT to tell America's stories "one tale at a time."  

Through CAT she has been teaching acting and playwriting workshops, with the goal of these participants performing classic and new works in front of an audience.

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