PCPA offers fresh, charming take on Jane Austen’s Emma, under the stars in Solvang 

A symphonic instrumental of The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" sets a timeless tone for the Pacific Conservatory Theatre's (PCPA) latest production, which takes place at the dawn of the 19th century.

Regency-era inhabitants of the English countryside dance to the tune at the start of Emma, a stage adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel that's currently playing at the Solvang Festival Theater.

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• COURTESY PHOTO BY LUIS ESCOBAR, REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
• TENACIOUS E Emily Trask plays Emma Woodhouse, the young plucky heroine of Emma, PCPA’s stage iteration of Jane Austen’s classic novel.

Like its source material, the show is set during the early 1800s, but director Polly Firestone Walker decided to employ a few anachronistic musical choices to "help build a bridge" between the setting of Emma and present day, without completely modernizing Austen's work, she explained.

"I'm hoping that what the audience will get is that although Jane Austen wrote undeniably through a Regency lens, seeing the world through her particular experience, her vision of human nature is so universal," Firestone Walker told the Sun. "What she sees—with so much love for the foibles and ticks of human character—still resonates so clearly today."

The novel and show—which PCPA opened at the Marian Theatre in Santa Maria during the spring, before bringing the production to Solvang for its current run—follows Emma Woodhouse (played by Emily Trask), who fancies herself a talented matchmaker and sets out to rig a romantic union between her friend, Harriet Smith (Julia Mae Abrams), and a local vicar, Mr. Elton (George Walker).

The clergyman misreads the situation completely and instead attempts to court Emma, before she rejects his awkward engagement proposal. Before the mishap, Emma's frenemy of sorts, Mr. Knightly (Jordan Stidham), warns her not to proceed with the matchmaking campaign.

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• COURTESY PHOTO BY LUIS ESCOBAR, REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
• SHALL WE DANCE? Dance scenes in PCPA’s Emma are set to orchestrated, instrumental covers of popular songs like “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Blinding Lights,” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”

Emma and Knightly are often harsh and critical of one another, but their steadfast quarreling eventually amounts to a lingering chemistry between the two, analagous to Alicia Silverstone and Paul Rudd's relationship in the 1995 film Clueless, based on Emma.

Fans of the coming-of-age teen comedy will probably read Emma's yellow dress in the PCPA show as a fun nod to Silverstone's trademark yellow plaid outfit in the film. Costume Designer Jacqueline Heimel supplied Trask and other members of the show's cast with bold, colorful attire that makes them stand out against a graceful countryside estate backdrop created by scenic designer Abby Hogan.

One of the best things about PCPA's Emma is Emma herself. Trask plays her with the perfect amount of playful pluckiness, while each of her fellow cast members also amplify a unique presence of their own while bringing their respective characters to life.

Some standouts in the cast include Walker, whose amusing turn as the bumbling vicar drew laughs constantly, and Cat Evans, who drew probably twice as much laughter playing the pretentious and passive-aggressive Mrs. Elton, the pastor's rebound bride after Emma rejects his advances.

click to enlarge

• COURTESY PHOTO BY LUIS ESCOBAR, REFLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
• MAKE ME A MATCH Emma Woodhouse (Emily Trask, right) befriends Harriet Smith (Julia Mae Abrams, left), who she aims to set up romantically with a local vicar.

One of the reasons Firestone Walker was attracted to directing this iteration of Emma was the chance to embrace a novel she loves dearly—as a self-described "Austen freak" who owns "very, very well-thumbed copies of all her books"—with a street theater-esque, minimalist approach.

"It is minimalist and the script calls for it," the director said, referring to playwright Joseph Hanreddy's fresh take on Austen's novel. "The script flows from scene to scene so quickly. There is not a wasted moment, so you don't have time for big set changes. It requires a minimalist approach that is absolutely character-driven."

The director added that transitioning the production over to the outdoor setting of the Solvang Festival Theater from the indoor Marian Theatre went smoothly with minor adjustments.

"The first hour or so is sunset so the lighting's a little different," Firestone Walker said. "It's so fun to see this under the stars." Δ

Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood gives PCPA's Emma two thumbs up. Send comments to [email protected].