In early September, The Warwick Institute of Culture and The Holy Theater presented an out
of town workshop of Sarah Rose Kearns’ new play adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
Persuasion was presented to an invited audience Saturday September 3rd at 2 PM and Sunday
September 4th at 2 PM in Warwick, NY at the Theater at the former Kutz Camp (46 Bowen
Road, Warwick, NY 10990).

The workshop of Persuasion was directed by Ran Xia (Orlando, Prometheus Bound), the cast
features Sarah Rose Kearns (Manydown) as Anne Elliot, Marc LeVasseur (The Importance of
Being Earnest) as Anne’s love interest Frederick Wentworth, James B Kennedy (“Lovesong
(Imperfect)”)as Anne’s father Sir Walter Elliott, Laura Rocklyn (Pride & Prejudice) as Lady
Russell, Amanda Jill Robinson (The Gift of the Magi) as Elizabeth Elliot, Andrea Terrasa (Fefu
& Her Friends) as Henrietta Musgrove, Macy Lanceta (Prometheus Bound) as Louisa Elliot,
and Mitchell Gordon (The Three Musketeers) as Charles Musgrove, with Musical
Arrangements and Direction by Amanda Jill Robinson and Assistant Direction, Stage
Management & Movement by Emilee Dupré (Chaplin, Venice).

Persuasion is the final novel completed by Jane Austen, published posthumously in December
of 1817. It follows the story Anne Elliot whose family must move to lower their expenses.
Anne gets engaged early on to Captain Wentworth only to be persuaded by her friends and
family to break it off. We follow the Anne’s journey with her family over the course of a decade,
when Wentworth and Anne are at last reunited with an opportunity for a second chance at
completing their love story.

Playwright Sarah Rose Kearns Rose is a Jane Austen Scholar and the most recent recipient of
the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) International Visitor Program fellowship.
Rose serves as a member of the JASNA committee for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Kearns’ play adaptation gorgeously re-imagines Austen’s novel – the audience witnesses the
story through Anne Elliot’s eyes as she steps in and out of her memories. Ran Xia’s innovative
direction invites the audience into Anne’s world, sweeping us up into her journey. Nearly all of
actors play multiple roles, highlighting a dynamic and multi-faceted ensemble.

Next event will be the inaiguation of a new reading series at the WIC. Doug DeVita’s new play, FABLE
will be discussed and excerpted at the event.

The non-profit organization The Warwick Institute of Culture (warwickinstituteofculture.com), founded by Emilee Dupré, serves as an incubator devoted to nurturing the voices of emerging and established playwrights, screenwriters, and directors. Another part of “The Wick’s” mission is to cultivate and celebrate Warwick’s local community through Arts & Culture events. The Warwick Institute of Culture & The Holy Theater will co-produce a fully staged production in 2023 in Warwick, NY. For more information about Persuasion by Sarah Rose Kearns should contact Artistic Director, Emilee Dupré warwickinstituteofculture@gmail.com or call 845-545-9123.