Jane Eyre in Freeman

In a few days, a production of the Gordon & Caird Jane Eyre musical opens in Freeman, South Dakota:

64th Schmeckfest Festival 2025

Jane Eyre. The Musical

Music and lyrics by Paul Gordon

Book and Additional Lyrics by John Caird

April 3,4, 5

Freeman Academy, 748 S Main St, Freeman, SD 57029, USA

Director Jill Hofer

Jane Eyre – Kelsey Pidde

Edward Fairfax Rochester – Elliott Graber

Young Jane & Amy Eshton – Madelyn Anderson

John Reed & Lord Tedo Ingram – Liam Ortman

Mrs. Reed & Lady Ingram – Lois Wollman

Mr. Brocklehurst – Dan Graber

Colonel Dent & the Vicar – Monte Waltner

Miss. Scatcherd, Mrs. Dent & Bertha Mason – Bailey Carlson

Marigold & Mrs. Fairfax – Sonja Waltner

Helen Burns & Mary Ingram – Estelle Waltner

Robert – Paul Balzer

Adele & School girl – Adeline Graber

Grace Poole & School girl – Maria Paff

Blanche Ingram & School girl – Clara Beseman

St. John Rivers – Brennan Waltner

Richard Mason – Jason Mehlhaf

While “Jane Eyre” is new to Schmeckfest, it has been presented in Freeman before. Freeman Academy staged it as its fall musical in 2017.

It is being produced for Schmeckfest with special arrangements through Musical Theatre International (MTI), which says this about the show:

“Charlotte Brontë’s great love story comes to life with music to lift your heart and set your spirit soaring. This beloved tale of secrets and the lies that secrets create, of unimaginable hope and unspoken passion, reminds us what it is to fall deeply, truly and completely in love. Nominated for five Tony Awards, Jane Eyre explores religion, sexuality and protofeminism, all while enchanting audiences with a timeless love story. (Jeremy Waltner in The Courier)