BRONTE'S MUSIC OF THE MOORS
Since 1847, readers have loved the title character of Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre, holding their breath as she arrives at Thornfield Hall, feeling for her struggles, admiring her integrity. Now a team of theater's elite sets her story to music and brings it to Broadway. Adapted by John Caird, a master at staging Victorian-era novels (including Les Miserables), Jane Eyre, The Musical features a suitably shadowy set designed by John Napier (Cats and Miss Saigon) and includes songwriter Paul Gordon's first-ever score for the stage. James Barbour, who's played the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, is the mercurial Rochester; Marla Schaffel, of Les Miserables, portrays Jane. To prepare, Marla visited Bronte's Yorkshire home, read her letters and wandered the moors. "Conveying the subtlety of the character is a challenge that thrills me," she confides. "Jane's so guarded, yet she yearns for freedom, and has wit too. She never loses her moral clarity. Really, having her in my life has been a gift." |
