Tickets Now on Sale for OBU Theatre’s ‘Emma’ April 21-24

April 13, 2016

OBU Theatre will present Jon Jory’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel “Emma,” opening Thursday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. in OBU’s Black Box Theatre in Sarkeys Telecommunication Center. Additional performances will take place Friday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 23, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 24, at 2:30 p.m.

Purchase your tickets for Emma online.

Tickets are $11 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased online or in the main office of OBU’s Sarkeys Telecommunication Center, open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The play will be most enjoyed by those 12 years of age and older.

In this crisp, dynamic retelling of Austen's classic, matchmaker Emma Woodhouse has just moved on to her newest "project," a sweet but modest girl named Harriet Smith. Having played matchmaker for her longtime nanny, vivacious Emma is determined to find Harriet an impressive suitor in spite of her lacking social standing. But as Emma becomes entangled in the romantic lives of her friends and acquaintances, she unwittingly falls in love with the least likely of bachelors in this lighthearted tale of gossip, matrimony, and misunderstanding.

"OBU Theatre is excited to round out its ‘Season of Schemes’ with this great period piece, ‘Emma,’ based on Jane Austen's novel of the same name,” said Dr. Jeffrey Wells, director of the production, associate professor of theatre and division chair of communication arts. “This playful comedy combines the charm and elegance of Downton Abbey with an important message about societal expectations and individual expression. The company of Emma hopes our audiences will leave the theatre not only with high spirits and renewed confidence in romance, but also some meaty concepts on which to chew."

The wide variety of cast members include sophomore Lara Gatton, a theatre major from Oklahoma City, as Emma Woodhouse, and a member from the local community, Jay Sampson, as George Knightly. McKenzie Reece, a freshman double-major in voice and theatre from Tulsa, Oklahoma, plays Harriet Smith, while Brenna Bergeron, a sophomore theatre major from Wichita, Kansas, plays Mrs. Weston. Brianna Lincoln, a freshman Spanish major from Sand Springs, Oklahoma, plays Miss Bates; Scott Roberts, a sophomore theatre major from Tuttle, Oklahoma, plays Mr. Elton; and Connor Gilbert, a junior theatre major from Shawnee, plays Frank Churchill.

Jonathon Norton, a sophomore theatre major from Earlsboro, Oklahoma, plays Mr. Weston; Samantha King, a junior theatre major from Burleson, Texas, plays Jane Fairfax; and Kylie Jones, a senior double-major in communication studies and psychology from Irving, Texas, plays Mrs. Elton. Adam McCollough, a freshman theatre major from Cleveland, Oklahoma, plays Mr. Woodhouse, and Taylor Lasseigne, a junior theatre major from Frisco, Texas, is the understudy for Harriet Smith.

Screen attendant members include Caleb Frank, a high school senior from Shawnee; Jesse Goode, a freshman communication studies major from Decater, Texas; Hannah Presley, a freshman interdisciplinary major from San Diego, California; and Jack Sampson, a homeschooled student from Shawnee, Oklahoma.