Jane Eyre. The Musical in Nashua

And more Jane Eyre in the US. As we have been informing today, January 19, it's the opening night of a new production of Gordon & Caird's Jane Eyre. The Musical in Nashua.

Picture source. Stuart Harmon as Rochester and Caity Glover as Jane Eyre. Photo by Corey Perrine.

Jane Eyre. The Musical
StageCoach Productions
Directed by Timothy L’Ecuyer with musical direction by Judy Hayward
14 Court St. Theater, Nashua, on January 19, 20 (8 pm) and 21 (2 pm)

The Nashua Telegraph gives more information:

In a long, narrow room at the 14 Court St. theater in downtown Nashua, the cast of “Jane Eyre, The Musical” rehearses.

It is a happy, chattering, demonstrative group, and their voices harmonize smoothly as they practice the passionate songs that tell the story based on Charlotte Bronte’s Victorian novel.

The music effectively evokes the sights and feel of the book, transporting the listener back to 19th-century England, to the Lowood School and to Edward Rochester’s manor house, Thornfield Hall. With lyrics like “the secrets of the house, they hide in long forgotten shadows,” the tale of a lonely, orphaned girl who falls in love with the wealthy, brooding Rochester, haunted by a devastating secret, fits surprisingly easily within the structure of a stage musical. (...)

L’Ecuyer, who teaches English and theater at Merrimack High School, said he and his partners decided to start the company so they could stage some different, quirky productions. He has assembled a talented, experienced cast of about 25 local performers, including Caity Glover of Manchester in the title role, Mont Vernon’s Stuart Harmon as Edward Rochester and, as Bella, Jennifer Mallard, who recently returned to Manchester after appearing with the Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth.

The musical “Jane Eyre,” written by John Caird, with music and lyrics composed by Paul Gordon, originally opened way, way off Broadway in Wichita, Kan., in 1995. It made its way to Broadway by the end of 2000, earning four Tony nominations and taking home Tony Awards for Caird and Gordon.

L’Ecuyer said there are 43 pieces of music within the play, and his cast, which includes all ages, from children to adult, has been rehearsing three times a week since October. They practice with Hayward at the piano, but will be accompanied by a six-piece orchestra for the performances.(...)

Lead actress Glover, 25, said playing Jane Eyre has been an amazing role for her. She grew up in Billerica, Mass., and studied theater and theater education at Bridgewater State College. She works at Fidelity Investments in Merrimack while accruing acting and musical credits in several theater companies.

“Jane is not your typical heroine. She is stubborn and real and proud,” she said, adding that the music in the play is beautiful. (...)

Male lead Harmon has been performing professionally for eight years, mostly in musicals. He said he began singing in choirs and in a band in high school, then moved into roles in productions of “West Side Story,” “Footloose” and others.“I cannot remember not singing,” he said, and his part as Rochester is shaping up to be one of his favorite roles. He said he likes the way the music takes the place of what is straight dialogue in the book.

Playing Bella, the prototypical Victorian mad woman, has been an enlightening and challenging experience for Mallard.“Acting-wise, I’ve grown a lot doing just the rehearsals,” she said. (Phyllis Thomas)

Categories: Jane Eyre, Music, Theatre