Sense & Sensibility
Creative Team
Director
Jenna Soleo-Shanks
Scenic Designer
Lisa Scott
Costume Designer
Moriah Babinski
Assistant Costume Designer
Kade Gau
Hair / Makeup Designer
Emmalyn Danielson
Lighting Designer
Jon Brophy
Assistant Lighting Designer
B. Kelly
Sound Designer
Jake Pulkrabek
Properties Coordinator
Jordyn Rodriguez
Stage Manager
Kian Arnold
Assistant Stage Manager
Zawadi Mwabury
Technical Director
Scott Boyle
Assistant Technical Director
Regan Peterson
Dramaturgs
Maryn Cruse
Rose Buttell
Choreographer
Matthew Wagner
Movement Director
Matthew Olsen
Accent Coach / Intimacy Choreographer
Lauren Roth
Cast
Elinor Dashwood
Courtney Larson
Marianne Dashwood
Cadence Neste
Margaret Dashwood / Mrs. Ferrars / Gossip
Zsofi Eastvold
Mrs. Dashwood / Anne Steele / Gossip
Gracie Schad
John Dashwood / John Willoughby / Gossip
Deklan Boren
Edward Ferrars / Robert Ferrars / Gossip
Hunter Ramsden
Fanny Dashwood / Lucy Steele / Lady Middleton / Gossip
Kylee Paar
Colonel Brandon / Thomas / Gossip
Luke Hiland
John Middleton / Doctor / Servant / Gossip
Aaron Dumalag
Mrs. Jennings
Figensia Alcenat
Understudies
Shea Callaghan, Maggie Clark, and Cody Do
Acknowledgments
Stephanie Stone
Cast & Creative Team
Figensia Alcenat
Mrs. Jennings
Kian Arnold
Stage Manager
Moriah Babinski
Costume Designer
Deklan Boren
John Willoughby/
John Dashwood
Rose Buttell
Dramaturg
Shea Callaghan
Understudy
Maggie Clark
Understudy
Maryn Cruser
Dramaturg
Emmalyn Danielson
Hair/Makeup Designer
Cody Do
Understudy
Aaron Dumalag
John Middleton/
Doctor/
Servant
Zsofi Eastvold
Margaret Dashwood/
Mrs. Ferrars
Kade Gau
Assistant Costume Designer
Luke Hiland
Colonel Brandon
Courtney Larson
Elinor Dashwood
Zawadi Mwabury
Assistant Stage Manager
Cadence Neste
Marianne Dashwood
Kylee Paar
Fanny Dashwood/
Lucy Steele/
Lady Middleton
Regan Peterson
Assistant Technical Director
Jake Pulkrabek
Sound Designer
Hunter Ramsden
Edward Ferrars/
Robert Ferrars
Jordan Rodriguez
Properties Coordinator
Gracie Schad
Mrs. Dashwood/
Anne Steele
Lisa Scott
Scenic Designer
Director's Note
Theatre is a team sport. No production can achieve its goals without the cooperation of a wide range of artists. And every show is the result of individual talents and distinct points of view coming together through a shared theatrical vision. As the director, I feel privileged to have had such a brilliant and collaborative team working together to bring this show to life. The actors' and designers’ skills are obviously on display (and you’ll have a chance to applaud them later), but they are only the most visible members of our team. Here I’d like to draw your attention to a few other collaborators on this project – without whom the UMD production of Sense and Sensibility would not be possible.
First and foremost are the brilliant creators of this piece – Jane Austen and Kate Hamill who have collaborated across the centuries to bring the story of the Dashwood sisters to life. In Hamill’s adaptation of Austen’s novel, we witness theatrical collaboration at its finest. From her inventive reimagining of Austen’s descriptive prose into quippy dialogue to her recasting of Regency society through double and triple casting an ensemble of actors, Hamill has transformed Austen’s austere world into a funhouse for modern audiences.
But the collaboration and interpretation that fuels our show doesn’t stop with Hamill’s adaptation. Just as the Dashwood sisters navigate life's complexities together, we too have faced challenges as a theatre family. The threads of our storytelling come through in the design choices ranging from the color of a drape to the shape of a bonnet and the technical skill of our crew; each choice made with care and inspired by creativity and each moment engineered to work seamlessly together. As a director, I am humbled by the collective passion, dedication, and imagination that has gone into this production. In theatre we often talk about “yes, and” (the concept of going beyond simply agreement and adding value with your own ideas). In my decade of directing, this show has had the most “yes and-y” ever.
In closing I’ll highlight the moment when I knew this production was moving well beyond my own visions. Somewhere in the middle of rehearsals I realized that the directing team had expanded not only to include an intimacy coordinator and accent coach (who helped the actors achieve the clipped sounds indicative of Austen’s England), but a choreographer (necessary to craft the Regency-era social dances required of the Ballroom scene) and a movement director (who crafted an elaborate storm scene, carriage transitions, and one of the best fight sequences I’ve ever seen). To my colleagues – Lauren, Matthew, and Matthew – I am so grateful to you for sharing your talents with us and making this production so much more than I could ever have imagined.
Thank you for coming to our show. I hope you enjoy the results of our creative collaboration.
- Jenna Soleo-Shanks
Dramaturg's Note
Jane Austen was an English novelist known for her significant contributions to literature during the early 19th century. Some of her more noted works include Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. Austen began writing in an era known as The Enlightenment, a time in which political, scientific, and poetic writing was most prominent. Austen's work, however, was part of the Romantic period in which fiction became dominant, and readers found entertainment in novels. Because she was a woman, Austen initially was forced to publish anonymously, and her work didn’t gain popularity for nearly a century.
Austen's work was innovative in her focus on women, and the social and romantic troubles they faced. A member of the upper middle class, Austen was familiar with the social dynamics that defined and constrained women in her day, which she wrote about in detail focusing on marriage and courtship, the pressure of maintaining proper social status, and the ubiquity of gossip.
Jane Austen’s novels capture the complexities of her world. To bring that world to life on stage requires an understanding of what it was like to live in that era. For more information, please reference the educational research packet.
-Rose Buttell, Dramaturg
Production Crew
Paint Charge Sheidan Cornett
Shift Crew Zoe Koep, Violet Whelan
Stagecraft Practicum Instructor Nick Wright
Scene Design Faculty Advisor Curtis Phillips
Dressers Eric Rasmussen, Jay Kray
Makeup/Hair Sylvia Cabak, Emmi Dunkin, Trinity Alicia
Costume Construction Practicum Instructor Alice Shafer
Costume Shop Supervisor Laura Piotrowski
Costume Design Faculty Advisor Miller James
Master Electrician B Kelly
Light Board Operator Molly Fabian
Sound Board Operator Jack Nitti
Audio Advisor Bailey Fenn
Scenic Construction Crew: Zeva Anderson, Cody Burgoon, Erin Christoferson, Zsofi Eastvold, Tanner Longshore, Kirstyn Saulsbury, Emmalyn Danielson, Jonathan Lake, Cora Manrodt, Olivia Nelson, Jesse Bakken, Kaitlyn Callahan, Cindy Hansen, Kylee Paar, Aristotle Taylor, Hope Davis, Kade Gau, Sam LaBounty, Rosa Olson, Lisa Scott*, Emma Wylie, Olivia Zastrow
Costume Construction Crew: Samantha Brown, Rose Buttell, Maryn Cruser*, Emmalyn Danielson, Ro Feitl*, Jordan Fields, Kaitlee Fluegel, Kade Gau*, Morgan James, B Kelly, Caleb Knudsen, Courtney Larson, Celeste Lee, Sophia Nelson, Gray Paguyo, Cadence Pipenhagen, Morgan Ryals*, Courtney Schreiber, Jennette Schmitt, Tyler Thomas, Kate Warmka, Violet Whelan
Lighting/Sound Crew: Andrew Segal, Gabriel Mann, Katy Lacy, Luke Pfluger, Zawadi Mwabury
*Indicates College Work/study
Educational Resource
Culture & Society
Courtship
The process of courting included rules that governed that behavoir of men and women. In the 18th century there were public events for people to meet: concerts, gardens, ballrooms, etc. But the public nature of such meetings meant that couples were always being watched and talked about. Families’ roles were also quite important in a courtship as the approval of friends and family would determine if a couple was able to continue their relationship. Initial meetings between a man and woman were strictly controlled. There was always a chaperone present to protect the modesty and reputation of the woman. Additionally, first names were never used in courting, as that meant a great intimacy between the couple. Letters were similarly seen as evidence of intimacy, as they would even signify an engagement. Two plot points in Sense and Sensibility demonstrate these conventions: when Willoughby uses Marianne's first name it is taken as a sign of intimacy and when Marianne writes to Willoughby it is similarly seen as proof of an engagement.
Other details of the era demonstrate the constraints of courtship at this time, particularly on women:
➢ Women couldn’t own land, so marriage was their only way to get money.
➢ Women’s role in society revolved around being a wife/mother; to be unmarried meant to be without standing.
➢ Marriage helped raise the woman's family’s status; therefore women were encouraged to marry someone of higher standing.
➢ Marriage was typically arranged by the parents of both parties to benefit their status.
➢ Daughters had a dowry, property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage.
Social Class
For centuries, England was made up of four major social classes, which could be determined by birth, occupation, marriage, or wealth. These ranks would pass down through generations, so moving up or down a rank was difficult.
The Nobility/Aristocracy
This was the highest class, composed of the monarchy, dukes, earls, etc. This rank was rich in power and wealth.
The Gentry
This is the upper middle class, filled with landowners, educators, local leaders, or political members. The gentry is a blurred group between the royals and the working class, who still held wealth and significant roles in government and society.
The Yeomanry
Most of England’s population were within the middle and lower classes. Merchants, tradespeople, and independent landowners/farmers made up the yeomanry. Their wealth could vary, but was generally above servants and laborers; this rank still noticeably contributed to the economy and agriculture.
The Poor
The poor class was filled with a vast group of people: servants, laborers, peasants, unemployed, children, and widows. Wealth and resources in this group was minimal, especially in poor harvests and economic downturns.
In Sense and Sensibility, the Dashwood sisters are part of the Gentry and were expected to marry men of high status; anything else would be scandalous. This pressure to marry a proper bachelor defined their world.
Handshakes
Handshakes have been a staple form of human contact since at least the 9th century, but our modern day understanding of the meaning was popularized in Europe in the 17th century by the Quakers. In the 1790's, handshaking would have been reserved only for particularly intimate relationships, as physical contact was only meant for those sharing a special relationship. Within the confines of one's own home, a person would be more inclined to engage in these actions of familiarity. This is another example of Marianne's disregard for the rules of society, as she is quite forward with people, often offering a handshake.
Gossip
One of the most common aspects of Austen’s novels is the theme of gossip. Gossip in the 18th century was used in either two ways: to be casual, or to be serious. Casual gossip was in place of conversation and to waste time from having to speak of personal things. Serious gossip was just the opposite; it was intimate, and wouldn’t happen with just anyone. In Sense and Sensibility gossip is a useful tool to explain details of the characters’ backstory and other events the audience needs to know.
Currency
Money was dominant in the arrangement of marriage. Providing a dowry for a husband, or receiving an inheritance from family largely determined who one would wed. However, the value of a dollar (or in this case, a pound) in 18th century England has greatly changed from our view of money today. Several references of currency amounts are mentioned throughout the story, and knowing the proper conversions can make the play easier to understand.
Fans
Hand fans were popular in Europe throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. In the early 1700s the fans were handcrafted, and made from expensive materials: gold, silver, gems, etc. so this luxury was only for the upper class. By the mid 1700s fans started to be printed in mass with cheaper products, and became very popular, used by nearly all women. Fans were seen as accessories, and used every day on any occasion. The two primary uses for fans were to cool off, especially in the thick dresses, and to communicate, specifically to flirt with men. Due to the enormous pressure placed on women to behave with decorum, a fan language was created to be able to talk to men in public places to convey their true thoughts. Here’s some examples:
The Language of the Fan
❖ A fan placed near the heart: "You have won my love."
❖ A closed fan touching the right eye: "When may I be allowed to see you?"
❖ The number of sticks shown answered the question: "At what hour?"
❖ Hands clasped together holding an open fan: "Forgive me."
❖ Covering the left ear with an open fan: "Do not betray our secret."
❖ Hiding the eyes behind an open fan: "I love you."
❖ Drawing through the hand: ”I hate you.”
❖ Shutting a fully-opened fan slowly: "I promise to marry you."
❖ Drawing the fan across the eyes: "I am sorry."
❖ Opening a fan wide: "Wait for me."
❖ Twirling in the left hand: “We are watched.”
❖ Touching tip with finger: “I wish to speak to you.”
❖ Letting it rest on the right cheek: “Yes.”
❖ Letting it rest on the left cheek: “No.”
❖ Open and shut: “You are cruel.”
❖ Fanning quickly: “I am engaged.”
❖ With little finger extended: “Goodbye.”
Vocabulary
Ardently- warmth, zealous support
Balefully- foreboding/threatening evil
Bilious- sickeningly unpleasant, ill-natured disposition
Dalliance- frivolous action, play
Desultorily- lacking a plan and disconnected from purpose
Dowry- property or money brought by a bride to her husband on their marriage
Hallooing- hollering utterly loudly
Libertine- freethinker unrestrained by convention or morality
Ostentatious- overly elaborate and attention-seeking