Theatre Tío
Review: Addicted to Jane
Musical Adaptation of ‘Jane Eyre’ Explores Themes of Love and Forgiveness
Nicole Mayfield plays the title role in the musical adaptation of Jane Eyre. Photo: Jade Esteban Estrada.
October 26, 2019 - San Antonio
Article By: Jade Esteban Estrada - Writer, SA Sentinel
A musical adaptation of Jane Eyre is currently in production at Performing Arts San Antonio.
Based on the 1847 novel by Charlotte Brontë, the story takes place in early 19th-century England and follows the life and times of its famous title character. Young Jane (Evelyn Gansler) is an orphaned girl who is a ward of her Aunt Sarah Reed (Michelle Gansler), who treats her troublemaking niece with disdain while favoring her own children. This early, unpleasant experience augments her feelings of frustration and unhappiness. Just when it seems that Jane's life couldn't get any worse, she is sent to Lowood, an all-girls charity school, where her aunt hopes the child will learn discipline and respect for her elders. At this poorly-managed institution, the willful Jane is unruly and outspoken which eventually leads to her being ostracized from the other students via public shaming and cruel punishment. She is, however, befriended by a compassionate girl named Helen Burns (Lilliana Kwast), who tries to teach her the value of forgiveness. Although Jane is resistant to this art of letting go, she's taken aback by Helen's kindness and a lasting friendship is formed. As Jane endures the formulaic twists and turns of her turbulent life, Helen's gentle influence remains ever-present.
For the more palatable genre of modern musical theatre, this adaptation time compresses many of the finer details of Jane's early life, which are told through her own perspective in the original work. In this musical, key moments are expounded through scenes and songs by Paul Gordon, who wrote the show's music and lyrics.
Director Vaughn Taylor fully collaborates with Brontë and John Caird (book and additional lyrics), sprinkling her own illuminative contributions throughout this reboot. Whether through a character's glance, a leading man's attempted gesture or non-verbal communication inserted between the lines of the play, Taylor's direction is searingly specific, richly meaningful and, to this observer, at once stylistically recognizable. In Act I, when the lights slowly came up to reveal a human tree made up of several members of the ensemble, the effect was bold, breathtaking and alone worth the price of admission.
From the beginning of the show, the adult Jane (Nicole Mayfield) breaks the fourth wall and occasionally speaks directly to the audience. Some of the original narration is replaced with select scenes which afford a deeper, or perhaps just different, understanding of some of the minor characters. Thornfield Hall residents Mrs. Fairfax (Twyla Lamont) and young Adèle Varens (Morgan Tracy) are energetically revamped and seem to allow the audience an opportunity to see Jane through their eyes as the protagonist's moral and spiritual development slowly unfolds and her hard-earned, yet unmentored, wisdom is repeatedly tested.
Mayfield played Jane with the satisfying degree of humility and unaffectedness that buffs of the book may come to expect. Additionally, there was a warmth and sensitivity to her vocals when she sang that was characteristically appropriate to grown-up Jane's pensive and heart-centered disposition.
Lamont, a character actress who has appeared in many PASA productions (Make Me a Musical, Sense and Sensibility), had substantial comedic freedom as the chatty, anxiety-ridden Mrs. Fairfax. Her character's introduction, when she invites Jane, the new governess, for a coffee sit-down, was humorous and well-executed.
With youthful bravado, Tracy delightfully played the role of Adèle. While Tracy was performing, my sister, Celeste, an avid fan of Jane Eyre, leaned towards me and whispered, “She is exactly how I imagined Adèle would be.”
With masculine grace, Roy Bumgarner played the emotionally unavailable Edward Rochester, the master of Thornfield Hall. The vibrance and charm that he brought to his role was second only to the starring couple's overriding chemistry. Bumgarner is eminently castable as the quintessential leading man because he's tall, handsome and can project to the back of the house with his resonating baritone sound.
Lilliana Kwast was cast as both the pious Helen and the vain, self-serving Blanche Ingram, a socialite who aims to marry Edward. Kwast, who delighted audiences as Elinor Dashwood in PASA's summer production of Sense and Sensibility, was outstanding in these contrasting roles. Also, fans of her work may be pleased to hear her sing in this production.
The role of Bertha Mason (Ashley Corbaley) serves as a stinging reminder to always check the attic before saying "I do.” Both scary and heartbreaking, this actress played her role with depth and emotional intelligence.
The level of talent in demonstrated in this show was equal to any nationally touring production.
The performance I attended coincided with PASA’s 10th Anniversary Gala for PASA which included a dinner and an auction after the afternoon matinee.
The story of Jane Eyre reminds us that despite harsh beginnings, even those born into challenging circumstances may still have an opportunity to rise and become an improved version of themselves. It may also be of interest to some that the themes of class, sexuality, religion and feminism that Brontë covered in this story were - in the Victorian era - way ahead of their time.
Jane Eyre, in its musical form, is a top-notch interpretation of a timeless literary classic that modern audiences will likely enjoy.
If you go:
Jane Eyre
October 4-27, 2019
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
3:00 p.m. Sunday
Performing Arts San Antonio
15705 San Pedro
San Antonio, Texas 78232
General admission: $15-$31.25
Box office: 210-557-1187
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission
Cast and Credits
Jane Eyre: Nicole Mayfield
Edward Rochester: Roy Bumgarner
Mrs. Fairfax: Twyla Lamont
Mrs. Reed, Lady Ingram: Michelle Gansler
Helen Burns, Blanche Ingram: Lilliana Kwast
Richard Mason, St. John Rivers, School Teacher: Jake Sengele
Miss Scatcherd, Grace Poole, Mrs. Eshton: Evelyn Rhoe
Brocklehurst, Col. Dent: Christopher Reed
Young Jane, Sara: Evelyn Gansler
Adele, School Girl: Morgan Tracy
Bertha Mason, School Teacher: Ashley Corbaley
Robert, Grave Digger, School Staff: Gary Sartor
John Reed, Percy, Tedo Ingram: Jackson Kibby
Mr. Eshton, Vicar, Grave Digger, School Staff: Daniel J. Calderon
Mary Ingram, School Girl, Maid: Kamryn Lovett
School Girl, Jenny: Sarah Joy Dudley
Based on the novel by: Charlotte Brontë
Music and lyrics: Paul Gordon
Book and additional lyrics: John Caird
Vocal and incidental arrangements: Steve Tyler
Orchestrations: Larry Hochman
Director: Vaughn Taylor
Producer: Paul Tinder
Stage manager: Evelyn Rhoe
Sound operator: Devin Navarro
Set design, Lighting design and operator, Sound design, Costumes: Vaughn Taylor