Meeting Jane Austen

I met Jane Austen this past weekend!

Ok, not really, but I did meet actress Debra Ann Miller who brings to life the beloved novelist in a moving and humorous one-woman performance. I was especially impressed by her excellent script, which is drawn almost entirely from Jane’s letters and novels. Ms. Miller has skillfully woven together Austen’s own words into an entertaining and informative performance.

Afterward, Ms. Miller also took questions and is obviously quite the Austen scholar. The performance was hosted by the Minnesota Chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Many members already know a lot about Jane, but we all learned something from the experience and enjoyed ourselves.

When I posted this photo of “Jane and me” on FB, one reader asked, “Are you really that much taller than she is?” Yes. Though as you know, people back then were smaller than we are now. 😉

Impressively, Debra Ann Miller also performs as Louisa May Alcott, Dolley Madison, Mary Todd Lincoln, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I’d love to see those as well. If you ever get a chance to watch her perform, please do!

In closing, here’s a 5-minute video to give you a glimpse of her work: