A new, streamlined version of Broadway's Jane Eyre will have its regional premiere at Atlanta's Legacy Theatre on January 27th.
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte's haunting love story first published in 1847, tells the story of a young governess thrown into a world of mystery, deceit, and adventure. The popular gothic romance has inspired countless BBC adaptions, television mini-series, and Hollywood films (most recently in 2010 with Alice in Wonderland's Mia Wasikowska as Jane and X-Men: First Class's Michael Fassbender as Rochester). The book has also inspired numerous stage adaptions. One of the most memorable adaption being the lush and technically impressive Paul Gordon/John Caird musical that opened on Broadway in 2000. The Tony nominated musical ran for 209 performances.
Mr. Gordon states that “Jane Eyre 2.0 is a leaner and more concise version of the show that played.
Broadway in 2001. We have tuned the story and made the production more acceptable for regional theaters around the country to produce. We are very proud of the improvements and changes we have made and hope that audiences will enjoy Charlotte Bronte's moving story of love and forgiveness.”
Jane Eyre 2.0, as it's being called, had its world premiere in Tokyo in 2009, and it was subsequently produced by the Masquerade Theatre in Houston, Texas. This version boasts a reduced orchestra from the original New York production as well as new and rewritten music and lyrics. The book has been cut extensively throughout in order to bring focus to the emotional love story between Jane and Rochester. The cast has been reduced to thirteen, with most actors doubling or tripling roles.
The cast is made up of actors from Atlanta and the entire Southeast as well as from New York. Katie Mitchell will perform the title role and Stephen Mitchell Brown (Chauvelin in National Tour of Scarlet Pimpernel), who appears courtesy of Actor's Equity, will play Edward Rochester. Rounding out the cast are Jill Bergeron, Anna Bridgeman, Amy Bridges, Erin Burnett, Alexandra Duncan, Ben Isabel, Erin Lamb, Ed Richardson, Preston Watson, Amanda Wilborn and Hannah Wilkinson.
Jane Eyre opens at The Legacy Theatre (1175 Senoia Road, Tyrone, GA) on January 27th and runs to February 19th. Shows are Fridays at 8PM; Saturdays at 3PM and 8PM; Sundays at 3PM. Reserve your tickets by calling 404-895-1473 or go online at www.thelegacytheatre.org.
