Syrie James

 

I’m thrilled to announce that my play, “Jane Austen in 89 Minutes,” opened on Sept. 20 at Theatre 40, Beverly Hills’ award-winning professional theatre company, and is a smash hit! The play runs for one more week, and has been getting rave reviews:

“Jane Austen fans are guaranteed to go gaga for Jane Austen In 89 Minutes, Syrie James’s deliciously clever retelling of every single novel Jane ever published, now getting a scintillatingly performed World Premiere production at Theatre 40.”

—Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA

 

 

CLICK on the image above to watch a brief video with clips from the show!

 

 

“The cast takes on multiple – all equally hysterical – roles (from) Austen’s books.”

—Elaine Mura, Splash Magazines

 

 

 

On Stage Raw’s Top Ten Shows in LA!

 

 

In this world premiere comedy, a madcap cast of ladies and gents bring all six of Jane Austen’s beloved novels to comic life, including music and dancing and modern-day zingers about Austen’s fame, fandom, movies, and TV series. Austen fans will be delighted, though no knowledge of her work is necessary to enjoy the show.

 

 

I wrote, directed, and costumed “Jane Austen in 89 Minutes” and it has been a thrill to bring my play to life on the stage as a full-run production!

The play was produced by David Hunt Stafford and features a fabulous cast of talented professional actors including Todd Andrew Ball, Alison Blanchard. Megan Deford, Steven G. Frankenfield, Michael Mullen, Katyana Rocker-Cook, and Holly Sidell.

 

 

 

An earlier 48-minute version of the play was nominated as Best Special Event in the Broadway World L.A. Awards. I’m excited about the prospects for this new, expanded version which enabled me to add all kinds of hilarity including a duel between Willoughby and Colonel Brandon, more key plot moments in all six books, lighting and sound effects, Regency ballroom dancing, and a pair of modern day Jane Austen fans … plus lots, lots more!

 

 

Here I am on the set of “Jane Austen in 89 Minutes” before one of the shows. Although I performed in all the earlier staged readings of my play, I didn’t cast myself in this production because I was too busy writing, directing, and costuming it and wearing a whole bunch of other hats!

 

 

 

If you live in Southern California here are your remaining chances to see the show: Thursday Oct. 10, Friday Oct. 11, and Sat. Oct. 12 at 7:30 PM, and Sunday Oct. 13 at 2 PM. Come join the fun and be prepared to laugh your head off!

Tickets available NOW by phone at (310) 364-0535 or at the Theatre 40 website.