Bedlam Announces Casting for Persuasion, New Adaptation of Jane Austen's Final Novel

Bedlam, the company known for its bold stagings of classic plays and novels, will return to New York this September with a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion, written by Sarah Rose Kearns and directed by Eric Tucker, the company's artistic director. Previews begin Saturday, September 11 at The Connelly Theater, with an official opening Tuesday, September 21, followed by a limited 7-week engagement.

Kearns will play the lead role of Anne Elliot, the daughter of a distinguished family who becomes secretly engaged to Frederick Wentworth (Bedlam regular Rajesh Bose), a relatively undistinguished naval officer. Anne's family encourages her to break off the engagement, which becomes a major source of regret in her life as the years surrounding the Napoleonic Wars play out. But can she win him back?

In addition to Kearns and Bose, the cast will feature performances by Caroline Grogan, Nandita Shenoy, Jamie Smithson, Randolph Curtis Rand, Shaun Bennet Fauntleroy, Claire Hsu, Annabel Capper, and Yonatan Gebeyehu.

The production will be choreographed by Susannah Millonzi, with set design by John McDermott, light design by Les Dickert, costume design by Charlotte Palmer Lane, and sound design by Jane Shaw.

Complimentary seats will be available to underserved communities at every performance of Persuasion. 561 tickets have been set aside in the first row of the theater to accommodate those who want to see live theatre but have been prevented from attending due to the cost of a ticket. Click here for full details.

In cooperation with Actors' Equity Association, Bedlam will be producing Persuasion in compliance with a strict Fully Vaccinated Company agreement, which ensures that the entire team of artists and staff are fully vaccinated. In accordance with this agreement, the company asks that all audience members provide proof of vaccination or negative test and remain masked while within the venue, unless eating or drinking. These policies are subject to change with evolving guidance from New York State and the CDC.