Jane v. Jane: Presented by Book-It and ArtsWest
I love when two theaters put on wildly different versions of the same story because it provides multiple interpretations. When I saw that both Book-It and ArtsWest had Jane Eyre on their season line-ups, I knew that I wouldn't rest easy unless I had experienced both. I love Book-It theater because it shares many actors with Seattle Shakespeare (who I adore), and ArtsWest puts on some of the most beautiful musicals in Seattle (I took voice lessons years ago from the recent Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd and she NAILED the role). I would warn that there are spoilers ahead but...the book by Charlotte Brontë came out in 1847. I always wished to be a plain, solemn child after reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte when I was a young girl. I suppose it's the same premise of many teen movies, an "ugly, boring girl" gets the popular guy after he realizes the cheerleaders are rude and vapid. However, the ending of the novel (and therefore the play) takes a gentle turn into Vic...