There is a reason the works of Jane Austen remain at the top of literary reading lists and creative adaptation projects. Austen’s ability to turn ink into naturally drawn characters full of humanity and living through realistic yet romanticized circumstances has rarely been matched over the last 250 years. Add to that playwright Kate Hamill’s determination to see Austen’s work developed through a woman’s eye for today’s generations, and you have the play before you.
It is well known that Austen chose to remain anonymous when her novels were originally published, as she was living in much the same thwarting situations as her fictionalized characters which prevented women from earning a profit for their work. Surely that is why Sense and Sensibility continues to speak to us in so many ways, since we, too, must battle through societal constructs that exist in our own lives. These characters struggle to rise above those unfavorable rules which prevent them for achieving the happiness they so desire. This adaptation from novel to stage chooses to unpack some tough themes through playful characterization and witty stagecraft – love and marriage, class and society, appearance versus reality, and often unfairly weighted gender roles.
As Mike Alfreds writes in Then What Happens? Storytelling & Adapting for the Theatre:
“All members of the audience create their own story.
Storytellers initiate, audiences complete.
Storytellers suggest, audiences fulfil.”
Our cast and production team have enjoyed adding our own collaborative twists to both Austen and Hamill’s visions through the theatrical art of storytelling. We hope that our onstage antics stir your imagination to connect with your own inner senses and sensibilities.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Vaught
SPECIAL THANKS
Abby Kipp Andrew McCastille Dallas Children’s Theatre
Gracie Fiske Jason Rice Lyle Huchton Rachel Eding
Penny Elaine & the Production Crew of SpongeBob
Peter Mancuso Rover Dramawerks
Sophie Vaught Vivian Reed
