Northanger Abbey - University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts

Northanger Abbey
By Jane Austen
Adapted by Carol MacVey and Molly Winstead
Conceived and directed by Carol MacVey
Original music and music direction by Mark Bruckner
© 2018 Carol MacVey and Molly Winstead, University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts. Please contact the University of Iowa, Department of Theatre Arts, if you are interested in obtaining the rights to this material.
This world premiere adaptation of Jane Austen’s first novel leads us on a journey through friendship, love, and misunderstanding. Young Catherine Morland is obsessed with Gothic romance novels. After warily stepping into the social world of Bath, England, she’s invited to stay at the foreboding Northanger Abbey, where she finds much more than she expected. This young woman’s coming of age story is brought to life with wit, music, and dance, and with a vision of our comic world only Jane Austen could create.
Cast of Northanger Abbey
Role Name
Catherine Morland Mackenzie Elsbecker*
Henry Tilney Elijah Jones*
Jane Austen Amy Miller
Isabella Thorpe Ashlynn Dale*
Eleanor Tilney Keri Eastridge
John Thorpe Vincent Doud*
James Morland Lance Junck*
Mrs. Allen Krist Neumann
General Tilney Gary Watson
Mrs. Morland/Ensemble Madeline Ascherl*
Capt. Frederick Tilney/Ensemble Jeremy Burling*
Ensemble Ethan Arensdorf*
Ensemble Micah Culpepper*
Ensemble Amy Evans*
Ensemble Sterling Isler*
Ensemble Siyuan Peng*
Ensemble Jenna Smithson*
Ensemble Joey Swidler*
Ensemble Rachel Wade*
Ensemble Chastity Williams*
Artistic Team
Artistic Team of Northanger Abbey
Title Name
Director and Co-Adapter Carol MacVey
Dramaturg and Co-Adapter Molly Winstead
Movement Director Erica Vannon
Scenic Designer Nic Wilson
Assistant Scenic Designer Merric Bower*
Costume Designer Chelsea June
Assistant Costume Designer Aella Rose
Lighting Designer Courtney Gaston
Assistant Lighting Designer Kimberly Fain
Musical Director and Composer, Sound Designer Mark Bruckner
Choreographer and Dance Captain Jenna Smithson*
Stage Manager Marguerite Sugden
Assistant Stage Manager Jennifer Sandgathe

[@JaneAustenSociedadedoBrasil]

Thanks for sharing!

[@laurenjohnson5941]

The fact that there's a Jane character makes me *so happy*. Seeing her try to hide Catherine from Mr. Thorpe made my day XD

[@gabbihoyt5425]

I agree! All of the Jane Austen stories should be told this way. It adds an element of comedy that these stories have but could use more of.

[@nathaliagnathalia]

That's so lovely. I'm reading the novel for the first time and it's so precious to have the visuals for it from your production. Thank you for sharing it :)

[@limegreen1989]

Phenomenal!

[@dizzie1813]

This was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@archiewoosung5062]

Henry Tilney asks Catherine where she has been every night of her first week..and guesses (in the book at least) correctly every time, suggesting there's a programme they (& everyone else!) are following.

[@archiewoosung5062]

If you're going to keep the American accents, might as well have swapped 'cricket' for 'baseball' and shouldn't the narrator say 'an heroine'?

[@sitting_nut]

accents (which are hard to pin down to a whole nation, in the 1st place, since they change within each country and city so much ) are very dynamic and change over time. so demanding they they conform to alleged current ones is rather absurd .
for your information, british london accents from shakespeare's time was similar to what is called american southern accents. regency is almost exactly in middle of shakespeare's time and current day.
also if you read little women , etc, you would know cricket was a popular sport in usa. while this novel refers to both sports.

[@archiewoosung5062]

@@sitting_nut I don't pretend to be an expert, but what relevance do accents in London have with Northanger Abbey?
Also, I suspect Little Women is dated considerably later.

[@sitting_nut]

@@archiewoosung5062 you seem to be very confused. you should have asked similar questions before writing your comment.
what is wrong with having modern american accents instead of what is alleged to be modern britsh accents in northanger abbey, since both are period inaccurate? what does modern american preferences in sports, 200+ years later have to do with northanger abbey , than preferences 50+years later ?

[@archiewoosung5062]

@@sitting_nut What am I confused about?

[@sitting_nut]

@@archiewoosung5062 can't you read my last comment, where i explained exactly what you are confused about, when you asked that question, and also with regard to relevance of little women.