Step back into Victorian England as “Jane Eyre, A Musical Drama” comes to the 4th Street Theater for its Indiana premiere May 15-31 after a successful run on Broadway some 15 years ago.
Director Glenn Hering says the performance will entertain audiences who are familiar with Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel, as well as those who don’t know the tale of conquering childhood challenges.
“When I told people a few months ago we’d be doing this musical, I got very strong reactions from people who love this book. I asked them what it was they liked about the story and found that so many people can relate to it. Jane Eyre is a role model, someone people can relate to because of her ability to overcome obstacles in childhood,” said Hering.
The story, Hering says, is a tale of “a woman in the 1840s England, a second-class citizen, fighting to overcome the social order, including the fact she is a woman, a servant, and all of the constraints put on women in the personal and professional lives. It’s about people being judged by their worth.”
The musical version of this story is one that Hering says was a huge hit on Broadway but was overshadowed by another production so many may be unfamiliar with this performance.
“It came out in 2000 and was nominated for five Tony’s including best musical and best score, but ‘Rent’ became the rage. ‘Jane Eyre, A Musical Drama’ is not done that often, which is a shame. The music is all original and the songs are lovely. It’s a more classical style of singing,” he says.
Vocal Director Linda Pauli says the music is not what one would typically expect from a musical.
“It is a little bit different from traditional styles of musicals where it is dialogue and a song. This is primarily a story continued through the song, so you get the point of the story through the music,” Pauli says.
The 4th Street Theater features a small stage for the 24 actors in the production, so the experience is intimate. Jane Eyre is played by Laura Simmons while the young Jane is played by Gracelyn Perrine. Lady Ingram is played by Mona Loomis, Mr. Brocklehurst by Matt Byerly, John Reed by Will Frost, and Miss Scatcherd by Robyn Rutar, along with additional cast members
Heather Augustyn is a freelance writer.
“Jane Eyre, A Musical Drama”
May 15-31
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4th Street Theater, 125 N. Fourth St., Chesterton
Tickets: $18
219-926-7875 or 4thstreetncca.org/jane.php