Falling (and staying) in love with Jane Austen in Utah

Falling (and staying) in love with Jane Austen in Utah

(Jane Austen Society of North America: Utah Region)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Jane Austen fans in Utah have plenty of opportunities to bask in the Regency era.

From plays to fancy balls to immersive games, Jane Austenites are making sure the world of Austen thrives in Utah.

Elizabeth Bankhead grew up watching the 1940 version of "Pride and Prejudice," and considers it her favorite Austen story. From that love came "The Jane Game," a board game born of a conversation with her mother about their desire to play Jane Austen trivia.

"Jane Austen admirers are able to gather together and share in an evening of remembering favorite characters, plot twists and the wit of Jane Austen," Bankhead said of her creation. "In the end, the winner is the person who has the more fortunate life."

Bankhead's Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the game was met with an enthusiastic response, due in part to her involvement with The Jane Austen Society of North America's Utah chapter.

"I think a draw there is being with people who are like-minded about having an adoration for Jane Austen," Bankhead said. "It's fun to connect with people that have that same interest."

It is an interest that has met with a hugely positive response. This summer, The Utah Shakespeare Festival is staging a version of "Sense and Sensibility." Aspen Anderson, president of the JASNA Utah chapter, moderated a panel last week of cast and crew members.

"We plan to continue our partnership and will be having a Jane Austen Weekend at the Shakespeare Festival with a ball, lecture, cast meetings," Anderson said.

Anderson, whose first Austen exposure was Ang Lee's "Sense and Sensibility," said she had been pleased with the response to the Utah chapter of the Society. They have about 40 members, and an average of 300 attendees at their annual Ball.

Falling (and staying) in love with Jane Austen in Utah
Photo: Elizabeth Bankhead

"Jane Austen and the society have opened a number of doors to wonderful friendships, career opportunities, travel experiences and more," Anderson said.

Melissa Leilani Larson is a playwright who has adapted some of Austen's work.

"One of the things I really love and appreciate about Austen's work is that she does such a fantastically detailed job writing what she knows," Larson said. "Her novels are time capsules: They perfectly capture the social situations, questions and difficulties of her era."

Larson said it has been a challenge to take Austen's introspective writing and condense it for the stage, but she has enjoyed the challenge. She adapted "Pride and Prejudice" for the novel's 200th anniversary. Produced at Brigham Young University, the play featured student and community talent.

"I will admit, adapting 'Pride and Prejudice' was a terrifying venture for me," Larson said. "It's arguably one of the most popular novels ever written — I didn't want to screw it up. At the same time, I didn't want to let someone else do it instead."

Larson said she has seen a lot of local enthusiasm for Austen, because her characters are very relatable.

"I think there are a lot of smart, thoughtful women in Utah Valley who appreciate good characters in good stories that are well told," Larson said. "Handsome menfolk and a little Britishness sure don't hurt."

"She has beautiful insight or a clear understanding of what human nature is and she puts it into her characters and it resonates really well with me," Bankhead said. "I've met a number of people (in Utah) who devote part of their life to Jane Austen."

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