"When directing, I like to bring to light the heart of the story while creating a world enveloped in a sense of childlike play and wonder," said Karen Case Cook. "And I feel very fortunate to be directing "The Guardsman" and the world premiere of "Helpful Hints" for East Lynne Theater Company."
"I am drawn to plays whose stories are heartfelt and inform the human experience. For me, theater is a communal experience--the give and take between actor and director in rehearsal and ultimately with the audience in performance."
"I see ‘The Guardsman’ as a play about illusion vs. reality, which opens up many possibilities for set design, costumes, and how actors move in space. I'm having fun using this space in a very unexpected way."
Theater was a part of Cook's background. Her great-aunt and uncle performed on Broadway before moving to Sharon, Conn. where they founded the Sharon Playhouse. Although she grew up in Connecticut, her mother took her to Broadway shows and played Broadway musical albums on the stereo.

"I tried to move away from theater and earned a degree in bacteriology from Ohio Wesleyan, but my passion for theater won out," she said, when I asked her about her studies. "I trained as a director at T. Schreiber Studio in NYC, and directed several productions there. I've also directed for Theatre by the Blind, Oasis Theatre Company, and shows for the NYC International Fringe Festival, all in Manhattan, and Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey.
"I was invited by Joe Graves, the artistic director and founder of the Peking University Institute of World Theatre and Film, to direct an English-speaking version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with students at the university. It was a wonderful opportunity. I'd met Joe when I played opposite him in "Othello" at Arkansas Repertory Theatre, directed by Eve Adamson, the founder of the Jean Cocteau Repertory (JCR) in NYC."
Karen had been visiting Cape May before performing and directing here. A friend since third grade had relatives who owned the Bonner House on Columbia Avenue, and she'd been coming down to stay at this house and visit friends for seven years before working at ELTC.
"I was aware of East Lynne Theater Company," she commented, "and always hoped one day to work there, and here I am. I like being able to support actors, and to explore, and work together as we create the world of the play."
There are only 16 performances of "The Guardsman," playing Wednesdays through Saturdays, Aug. 6-30 at 8:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street, Cape May. For information and reservations, call 609-884-5898 or visit www.eastlynnetheater.org.
There is an after-show discussion on Friday, Aug. 8 and an American Sign Language Interpretation on Friday, Aug. 22.
The cast includes Mark Edward Lang, Alison J. Murphy, Edward Furs, Thomas Raniszewski, and Gayle Stahlhuth.